Three Steps to Sourdough Bread!

We used to bake our own bread even before our journey. Baking on the road in a van, especially without a fridge, can be challenging. Now, in our winter abode, we have an oven again, and our dear neighbors got us a sourdough starter! Find out how you can easily bake your own bread here!

Two loafs of unbaked sourdough bread on a baking tray.

Baking sourdough bread is super easy and doesn’t require much preparation. Only the dough itself needs some time to rise. So, start early!

Ingredients

You don’t need many ingredients:

1kg Flour
2 tablespoons Salt
500g Water
200g Sourdough Starter
Optional: Pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, or whatever you like to garnish your bread with!

Nice, but where do I get the starter from? Back in Hamburg, we managed to snag a good (and very old) starter at a farmers’ market. Sometimes, you can also find one at a (real) bakery. Here in Canada, we were lucky that our neighbors knew someone who knows someone… Many greetings at this point! By the way, the sourdough from the supermarket is usually not a starter; you can only use it for the flavor in a yeast bread. SO: The best way is to simply ask around, Google it, or wait for our follow-up!

Now, here are three simple steps to get your bread:

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3

For the pre-YouTube generation, here’s a written recap:

1. Prepare the Dough!

To turn the ingredients into dough, simply follow these instructions:

Put 1kg of flour into a large bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 200g of sourdough starter.
Start stirring with one hand; you’ll need the other one later!
Gradually add 500g of water.
Keep stirring/kneading. The dough will be very sticky and cling to your hand initially. But don’t worry! Keep kneading bravely; it will come together.
After about 5-10 minutes of kneading, the dough should become firmer, and you can lift it out of the bowl onto the work surface. Use the second hand for this!
After another 5-10 minutes, the dough should be nice and even, stretchable. You’re almost there!
Finally, shape a nice ball and rub the dough with some flour so that it doesn’t stick too much in the bowl.
Place the rubbed dough back in the bowl, cover it with a dishcloth, and let it rise for at least 12 hours.

2. Refill Your Starter!

Multiplying the starter again is probably the easiest step:

Fill your (hopefully large) jar about 1/3 full with flour.
Add enough water so that you can easily stir the starter with a spoon.
Stir vigorously, and into the refrigerator it goes!

3. Bake Your Bread!

After the dough has risen for about 12 hours, it should have grown significantly.
The dough is large enough to make 4 loaves directly. So, knead the dough gently again, dividing it into 4 equal parts.
Shape the dough into elongated (or any desired) form and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
TIP: If you want to add some flair, now is the time to garnish the loaves with pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, or whatever you prefer!
Ideally, let the loaves rise on the tray for another 30 minutes, then into the oven: about 220 degrees for 45 minutes.
To check if the bread is done, simply flip it and tap on the bottom. If it sounds hollow, it’s ready!