Print

Cold Bake Sourdough Bread

Loaf made with cold bake sourdough method in roaster.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Cold bake sourdough bread is baked in a cold oven for a thicker crust, beautiful oven spring, and a more relaxed baking routine. Perfect for home bakers who want to bake artisan bread with less stress and more flexibility.

Ingredients

Scale

For the levain (an active starter):

  • 35 g sourdough starter
  • 35 g bread flour
  • 35 g water

For the bread dough:

  • 500 g bread flour (I use King Arthur organic bread flour)
  • 375 g water (75% hydration)
  • 100 g levain (active starter at peak) 
  • 10 g fine sea salt (I use Redmond ancient fine sea salt)

10 g white rice flour (for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Make a levain (an active starter): Feed your starter in the morning at a 1:1:1 ratio (35 g starter, 35 g flour, and 35 g water), and wait 4-6 hours for it to peak.
  2. Fermentolyse: In a mixing bowl, combine 355 g of water (set the remaining 20 g aside for the next step) with 100 g of levain (active starter), and mix. Add 500 g of bread flour by hand and mix for 2-3 minutes until a shaggy mass forms. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bulk fermentation starts when the starter is added.
  3. Add salt: Sprinkle salt over the dough, then pour in 20 g of water (this water you saved from the fermentolyse step). Mix the dough for 5-10 minutes.
  4. Bulk fermentation: Perform two sets of stretch and folds and two sets of coil folds with 30-minute intervals. Cover the dough during these resting periods. Continue bulk fermentation until the dough reaches a slightly domed top, has large bubbles on the surface and smaller bubbles on the sides of the container, pulls easily from the sides, and jiggles when shaken. 
  5. Preshape and shape: Preshape the dough into a round. Cover it with a clean tea towel or leave it uncovered for 15 minutes. Shape the dough as a boule or batard. Place the shaped dough into the prepared banneton, seam side up. 
  6. Proof: Cover the dough with a towel or plastic bag and refrigerate at 39°F (4°C) overnight, or for at least 8-10 hours. 
  7. Score: Remove the dough from the fridge. Flip it out of the banneton onto a piece of parchment paper. Using a sharp bread lame, score the dough. 
  8. Bake the bread: Transfer the dough to a baking vessel (Granite Ware roaster or a Dutch oven), cover with the lid, and place it on the middle rack of a cold oven. Set the oven to 450°F (230°C) and bake for about 45-50 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes for a deeper crust color (optional). Using the oven mitts, remove the baking vessel from the oven. Carefully remove the bread and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

  1. Refer to my Beginner's Sourdough Bread recipe for step-by-step instructions and photos.
  2. Safety tip: Always use oven mitts or silicone gloves when handling a hot pan. 
  3. Check for doneness: Use a digital probe thermometer to check the internal temperature of bread. It should reach 205–210°F (96–99°C). I usually aim for 207°F (97°C) or higher. 
  4. Storage and freezing: Store sourdough bread at room temperature for 3-5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Freeze individual slices for up to 1-2 weeks, a whole loaf for 1-2 months.
  5. Want to create a custom formula for your loaf? Try my sourdough calculator.
  6. Need help getting started? Check out my beginner's sourdough bread guide to learn sourdough basics first.
  7. Note: Nutritional information doesn't include the white rice flour used for dusting.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sourdoughtalk.com/cold-bake-sourdough-bread/