Back in January, I set out to learn sourdough, and here we are months later – still feeding, stretching, scoring, and baking! It’s been such a fun (and delicious) journey. Caring for a starter is definitely not for the faint of heart (ha!), but once you get into a rhythm, it becomes part science experiment, part ritual, and part reward when you slice into that crusty loaf.
For Mother’s Day, the boys gave me the most thoughtful gift: a foldable bread proofer. It makes such a difference in keeping my dough cozy and consistent, and I love that it tucks away neatly when I’m not baking.
One of the best things I’ve learned along the way: it’s totally fine to feed the starter and pop it into the fridge for up to a week. That’s been a lifesaver when we travel or have a busy week. Because truly…. the last thing I need to pay to board in addition to the puppies is my starter.
And the recipe that’s become my recipe? Well, it came to me in the most roundabout way…. via John’s bestie’s sister-in-law (follow that?!). It’s simple, approachable, and always turns out well:
Sarah D’s Sourdough Recipe
- 250g active starter
- 350g room temp water
- 600g bread flour
- 15–17g salt
After mixing, I stretch and fold every hour for four hours. At the fourth hour, I form the dough ball and let it proof in the fridge overnight. The next day, I preheat the oven to 500°F with the Dutch oven inside. I score the dough right before baking (using parchment to help with the transfer), turn the oven down to 450°F, and bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 20.
I will share a few other resources from our journey:
- beginner’s guide
- butter crock
- banneton +other tools
- foldable bread proofer (nice to have, but also not at all necessary)
- large cello bags for gifting
We’ve also had so much fun putting our sourdough to work in other ways – gifts for friends (along with the good butter and honey), breadcrumbs for meatballs, the most divine grilled cheeses, and even dabbling in discard recipes like pancakes and waffles.
Every loaf still feels like a (delicious) little miracle! I’m still slightly petrified of killing it!
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