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Sliced plain sourdough loaf with a crisp, blistered crust and open crumb
Desi

Plain Sourdough Loaf

A simple, four-ingredient sourdough loaf with a crisp, blistered crust and soft, open crumb — timed for hot, humid kitchens.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Rest / Ferment (+ Overnight Cold Proof) 17 hours
Total Time 18 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf (about 12 slices)
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 525 g (4⅜ cups) Caputo Chef 00 flour
  • 375 g (1½ cups + 1 Tbsp) filtered water, lukewarm
  • 120 g (½ cup) active sourdough starter
  • 11 g (about 2 tsp) fine sea salt

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale
  • Banneton (proofing basket) with cloth liner
  • Dutch oven
  • Lame or very sharp, thin blade
  • Shower cap or reusable bowl cover
  • Parchment paper

Method
 

  1. Mix 375 g (1½ cups + 1 Tbsp) lukewarm filtered water with 120 g (½ cup) active starter until dissolved.
  2. Mix in 250 g (2 cups) flour. Add 11 g (about 2 tsp) salt, mix. Add remaining 275 g (2¼ cups) flour and mix until combined into a sticky, shaggy dough.
  3. Cover and rest 30–40 minutes.
  4. Stretch and fold, rest 30 minutes. Repeat for a total of 4 rounds.
  5. Bulk ferment 2–3 hours at room temperature, until risen about 50% (not doubled).
  6. Turn dough onto a floured surface, pre-shape, then shape into a tight loaf.
  7. Place seam-side up in a floured banneton, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
  8. Preheat oven with a Dutch oven inside to 475°F for 30 minutes.
  9. Turn the dough onto parchment, score at a 45° angle, transfer to the Dutch oven, then add 4 ice cubes under the parchment paper
  10. Bake covered 30 minutes, then uncovered 10 minutes.
  11. Move to a baking sheet and bake open 5 minutes more for a lighter crust (longer for darker).
  12. Cool on a rack at least 1 hour, ideally 3, before slicing.

Notes

Measurements, hydration, and fermentation times here are built for hot, humid kitchens and Caputo Chef 00 flour. Yours might need a little adjusting depending on your environment and your flour. These are the most delicious kind of experiments.