Sourdough,
shared with love.

Feed 150g starter with 2 parts organic unbleached bread flour to 1 part lukewarm water—for example, 1 cup flour and ½ cup water. Mix in a wide-mouth quart mason jar, mark the starting level, loosely cover, and leave on the counter until doubled.

Pour 370g lukewarm water into a glass or non-metal bowl. Add 12g salt and stir to dissolve. Add 150g bubbly starter and whisk gently with a Danish dough whisk until most lumps dissolve and the water turns cloudy.

Add 530g organic unbleached bread flour, about 1 cup at a time, mixing only until a shaggy dough forms. Do not over-stir—it can make the bread tough. Cover with a damp tea towel and rest at least 15 minutes.

With clean hands, grab one quarter of the dough, twist, and fold it to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl and repeat for 16 folds. Cover and rest 15 minutes, then complete 20 more folds. Cover and leave somewhere draft-free—Barb uses a cold oven—for about 8 hours, until doubled.

Wet your hands and gently work around the sides, coiling the soft, pillow-like dough about 8 times. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 40 hours. A longer cold ferment develops stronger sourdough flavor.

Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment, shiny side up. Nest the second pan inside to shape the paper, then trim the excess. Gently form the dough into a loaf, place it in the lined pan, and press the middle slightly for a more even top. Cover and rise on the counter for 1–2 hours.

Preheat the oven fully to 450°F. Snip 3 deep slashes with kitchen scissors and pinch the middle of each cut. Cover with the second loaf pan and bake 40 minutes. Remove the top pan and cool on a rack for 30 minutes before peeling away the parchment.