Print

Extra Sour Sourdough Bread Recipe

Sliced extra sour sourdough bread in a bread basket lined with a towel.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Bake a bold, tangy loaf with this extra sour sourdough bread recipe. Perfect for sourdough lovers, it uses a longer cold proof and a carefully reduced starter to develop deep, complex flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

For the levain (an active starter):

  • 4 g sourdough starter
  • 25 g bread flour
  • 25 g water

For the bread dough:

  • 500 g bread flour (I use King Arthur organic bread flour)
  • 375 g water (75% hydration)
  • 50 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 levain (active starter) overnight. Feed your starter at a 1:6:6 ratio (4 g starter, 25 g flour, 25 g water) and let it ferment overnight until it reaches its peak. You can create levain in the morning at a 1:1:1 ratio (18 g starter, 18 g flour, 18 g water), but it takes time for the starter to peak
  2. Autolyse: Mix water with flour in a large mixing bowl. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
  3. Add levain and salt: Pour in the levain (active, at its peak) and mix. Sprinkle in the fine sea salt and mix well. 
  4. Bulk fermentation: Perform two sets of stretch and folds and two sets of coil folds, with a 30-minute rest between sets. After the final fold, cover the dough and let it ferment. Bulk fermentation is done when the dough shows bubbles on the surface and along the sides of the bowl (if using glass). The edges where the dough meets the bowl should be slightly domed, and the dough should jiggle gently when you shake the bowl from side to side.
  5. Preshape and shape: Lightly flour the work surface, preshape the dough into a round, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. If you are making a single loaf, you can skip the preshaping step. Then, shape the dough into a boule or batard and place it in a prepared 10-inch banneton.
  6. Cold proofing: Place the dough in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
  7. Bake the loaf: Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 25–30 minutes. Carefully transfer the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and place it in the Dutch oven. Lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C) and bake covered for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for another 17–20 minutes, until the loaf is golden and crisp, and the bread’s internal temperature reaches at least 205°F (96°C).
  8. Cool the bread: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

  1. Build levain overnight instead of on mixing day to save time. This lets you use the daytime for the longer bulk fermentation.
  2. Adjust the dough hydration to a level that feels comfortable for you to handle.
  3. Avoid relying solely on countertop proofing if your goal is extra tang. It isn’t enough to develop a deep sour flavor.
  4. Extend the cold proof in the fridge to 36–48 hours for a pronounced tang. You can experiment with longer fermentation, up to 72 hours, for an even more developed flavor. Just keep in mind that fermentation continues in the fridge until the dough cools to 39°F (4°C), so stop bulk fermentation earlier, especially in a warm kitchen or during summer.
  5. Experiment with the bread sourness: You may need to bake a few times to adjust both the tanginess of your bread and your baking schedule.
  6. Safety tip: Always use oven mitts or silicone gloves when handling hot pans. 
  7. Check for doneness: Use a digital probe thermometer to check if your bread is fully baked. The internal temperature should reach 205–210°F (96–99°C). I usually aim for 207°F (97°C) or higher. 
  8. 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.
  9. Create your own bread formula: Try my sourdough calculator.
  10. Getting started: Check out my beginner's sourdough bread guide to learn sourdough basics first.
  11. Note: Nutritional information does not include the white rice flour used for dusting.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sourdoughtalk.com/extra-sour-sourdough-bread-recipe/