Microlearning Project

My Journey of Making Sourdough Bread from Scratch

By Donna Davis

There’s something magical about making sourdough bread from scratch. It’s a slow, intentional process that connects me with centuries-old baking traditions. Every loaf feels like a small victory, starting with just flour, water, and salt and transforming them into something alive and delicious. I want to take you through my step-by-step journey, from the starter to the finished loaf, sharing what I’ve learned along the way.

We need a starter to make sourdough bread, which means that if we don't have it, we should make it. Making a sourdough starter takes about two weeks, so if this is our first time ever starting to make a loaf of sourdough bread, we need to plan two weeks ahead.

Step 1: Creating the Sourdough Starter

The first challenge I had to tackle was creating a sourdough starter. A sourdough starter is a living culture of flour and water that ferments over time at room temperature between 71 and 74°F, capturing wild yeast and bacteria from the environment. It’s this wild yeast that gives sourdough its signature flavor.

To make my starter, I mixed 50 grams of whole wheat flour with 50 grams of water in a glass jar. I stirred until all the flour was hydrated, then covered the jar loosely with a moist cloth or lid. I let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Over the next few days, I fed my starter every morning, discarding half and replacing it with 30 grams of flour and 30 grams of water; I measured them by weight instead of using measuring spoons because weight gives me a precise amount of flour and water each time. Around day four, I started to notice bubbles forming, and by day seven, my starter had developed a tangy aroma and was doubling in size after each feeding. I knew it was ready to use at that moment, but this process can take longer. It's normal to wait up to two weeks for the fermentation to kick in and make the starter bubbly. I put a rubber band around the jar to mark the initial level of the starter so I could see how much it rose each time after feeding the starter.

Step 2: Preparing the Dough

With my starter bubbling and full of life, it was time to prepare the dough. I weighed 50 grams of my active starter, 500 grams of bread or protein-enriched flour, 350 grams of water, and 7 grams of salt. Precision is critical with sourdough baking, so I measured everything carefully using a kitchen scale. I kept the rest of the starter in the refrigerator and still have it because I keep feeding the leftover starter, which will stay active forever.

I mixed the starter and water in a large bowl and dissolved the starter by using a metal fork in the water. After mixing the water and starter, add 500 grams of flour and add salt on the flour in the center part of it; I didn't want salt to be in contact with the starter, so I started to mix everything from under layers and eventually incorporated salt while mixing the dough. For this step, I wanted just to get the flour hydrated, and I let it sit for an hour after covering the bowl with a clean shower cap.

I documented the timing on paper to know when the next step was.

After one hour, I began folding the dough inside the bowl. I didn't knead the dough; instead, I utilized the folding technique. The folding technique refers to a method in which we grab a portion of the dough from where it is attached to the bowl, stretch it without letting it get detached from the rest of the dough, and fold it to the spot across from where we grabbed it. I kept folding the dough and going around the bowl. At first, the dough felt sticky and unmanageable, but as I worked it, it became smoother and more alive. This part of the process took patience—I continued stretching and folding the dough, letting it rest for 30-minute minutes, and covering it with the shower cap to allow the gluten to develop. I performed a series of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes three more times, and each time, I covered the bowl with the shower cap.

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

Once the dough was smooth and alive (alive means if I dig my finger in it, it will bounce back to its shape), I covered the bowl with the same shower cap and set it aside for bulk fermentation. This is when the dough rises and develops its characteristic sour flavor. For me, this process took overnight, which was 8 to 10 hours, depending on the temperature of the room.

Bulk fermentation helps strengthen the dough without over-folding. By the end of the bulk fermentation, my dough had doubled in size and felt light and airy.

Step 4: Proofing the dough

Now came the fun part—proofing the dough. I removed the shower cap and gently performed another round of folding but did not overdo it since I wanted to keep the air and bubbles inside the dough. I shaped the dough into a ball shape. I sprinkled white rice flour around the dough to help detach it from the bowl and also sprinkled some on the top of the ball. I had already sprinkled white rice flour on the round-shaped banneton, the proofing basket. At this point, I put my hand on top of the ball, flipped the bowl over, and twisted the ball gently to remove it from the ball. I placed the dough seam-side up in a floured banneton (the proofing basket); I made sure the dough was placed in the center of the basket. I covered the basket with the same shower cap, transferred it inside the refrigerator, and let it stay there for at least 4 hours and a maximum of 24 hours.

Step 5: Scoring and Baking

After 4 hours, I preheated my oven to 450°F. While the oven was heating up, I removed my dough from the fridge and flipped it onto a piece of parchment paper. Now, it was time to score the dough—this is where you can get creative with designs. I opted for a simple "X" shape using a sharp razor blade, which allows the steam to escape during baking and helps the bread rise.

Once the oven was fully heated, I carefully placed the dough into a cast iron sourdough pot, covered it with the lid, and baked it for 50 minutes. After that, I removed the lid and baked for another 7 minutes to develop that beautiful, crackling golden crust.

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Step 6: The Final Product

The smell was incredible when I finally pulled my loaf out of the oven—earthy, tangy, and slightly sweet. I let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing it (though it was hard to resist the temptation to cut into it right away!).

The first slice was the reward for all my hard work: a chewy, tangy crumb with a crispy, golden crust. I could taste the subtle sourness from the wild yeast and feel the satisfaction of having made something from scratch, starting with just flour, water, and time.

Reflections on the Process

Making sourdough bread from scratch is definitely a labor of love or therapy. It requires patience, attention to detail, and a willingness to embrace the process. But the reward—a fresh, homemade loaf—is absolutely worth it. I’ve enjoyed every step, from nurturing the starter to hearing that satisfying crackle as the crust cools. The best part? Every loaf is a little different, shaped by the environment, the starter, and the baker’s hands.

I encourage you to try sourdough if you’ve been thinking about it. Yes, there’s a learning curve, but the process itself is advantageous. Plus, there’s no better feeling than sharing a slice of homemade sourdough with friends and family.