This is the bread that changed how I think about baking. A sourdough boule is really just flour, water, salt, and time. The magic happens during the long cold fermentation, where the wild yeast and bacteria in your starter develop complex flavors that commercial yeast never could. The crust shatters when you cut it. The crumb is open and slightly tacky. The tang is subtle, not aggressive.
I have been making this loaf every week for three years. The recipe has been refined through hundreds of bakes, and every single variable matters. The hydration, the temperature of your water, the strength of your starter, the ambient temperature of your kitchen. This is not a recipe you follow once. It is a relationship you build.
Ingredients
- Active sourdough starter: (fed 4-8 hours ago)
- Lukewarm water: (about 28 degrees Celsius)
- Bread flour: (minimum 12% protein)
- Fine sea salt:
- Rice flour for dusting: as needed
Method
Advanced Scoring
The angle of your score determines how the ear forms. A 30-degree angle produces a dramatic ear that curls up as it bakes. A 90-degree vertical score opens symmetrically. The depth matters too: 1 centimeter is ideal. Too shallow and the bread tears randomly. Too deep and you deflate the loaf.
For a wheat stalk pattern, make a central score then branch 6-8 diagonal cuts at 45 degrees on each side. Each cut should be about 3 centimeters long and 5 millimeters deep. The pattern opens dramatically during oven spring.