Basic Fresh Milled Sourdough Loaf
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There’s nothing quite like pulling a fresh sourdough loaf out of the oven—the smell, the golden crust, and that first warm slice with butter. This recipe keeps things simple and approachable, with just four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and starter. With fresh milled flour, you’ll get a loaf that’s hearty, flavorful, and nourishing enough to make you wonder why you ever bought bread at the store.
Tools You’ll Need
- Danish whisk (this is our favorite tool for sourdough!)
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Loaf pan, Dutch oven, or baking sheet
Ingredients
- Fresh milled flour (½ hard white, ½ hard red)
- Salt
- Water
- Sourdough starter
Instructions
- Mix starter & water: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the water and starter until combined. (A Danish whisk makes this step easy and fun!)
- Add flour: Stir in the flour until no dry bits remain. Cover and let rest for 40 minutes. This process is known a fermentoloyse.
- Incorporate salt: After resting, sprinkle in the salt. Stretch and fold or knead until the salt is fully absorbed.
- Develop gluten: Over the next hour, perform 4 sets of stretches and folds every 15 minutes. (Or knead with a mixer until you reach windowpane.)
- Bulk ferment: Cover and let the dough rise. Fermentation time will vary depending on dough and room temperature—watch for the dough to roughly double.
- Shape: With wet hands, shape the dough into a round loaf. You can also use a silicone baking make to spread the dough flat and then tightly roll into a loaf for a loaf pan. Place seam side down in loaf pan, dutch oven or on baking sheet.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F. Transfer dough (with parchment) to your loaf pan, Dutch oven, or a baking sheet. Bake 35–40 minutes, until internal temp reaches 205°F.
- Cool & enjoy: Let bread cool completely before slicing—this step is hard, but worth it!
Basic Fresh Milled Sourdough Loaf
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Sourdough
Author:
Mallory Smith
Servings
10
Prep Time
8 hours
Cook Time
1 hour
There’s nothing quite like pulling a fresh sourdough loaf out of the oven—the smell, the golden crust, and that first warm slice with butter. This recipe keeps things simple and approachable, with just four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and starter. With fresh milled flour, you’ll get a loaf that’s hearty, flavorful, and nourishing enough to make you wonder why you ever bought bread at the store.
Ingredients
-
100g sourdough starter
-
500g fresh milled flour (we recommend half hard red and half hard white)
-
400g water
-
10g salt
Directions
Add in flour and stir until no dry bits remain. Cover bowl and let sit on counter for 40 minutes.
Mix water and starter. (We recommend using a danish whisk.)
After 40 minutes has past, add in salt and stretch and fold/knead the dough until salt is well incorporated. Let dough rest for covered on the counter and perform 4 sets of stretches and folds, every 15 minutes to assist with gluten development. You can also use a mixer and knead until you reach windowpane.
Fermentation time will depend on several factors including dough and ambient temperature. Fermentation time has passed, using wet hands, shape the dough into round loaf, putting it seam side down in a bowl lined with parchment. Let rise for 40 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook on baking sheet and parchment for 35-40 mins. Bread is done when internal temp is 205 degrees. Let cool before cutting.
Recipe Note
- Using fresh milled flour gives your sourdough a deep, nutty flavor and a texture that’s both hearty and tender.
- Fermentation time is flexible. If your kitchen is warm, the dough may be ready sooner; cooler temps will take longer. Watch the dough, not the clock! Fresh milled sourdough proofs quicker than sourdough made with conventional flour.
- Try it with butter, jam, or your favorite sandwich fixings—it’s the ultimate all-purpose loaf!
