10/06/2026
After over a year of baking sourdough, I finally feel like I nailed the proofing this time! 🍞❤️
I could tell as soon as I turned the dough out of the banneton. It was firm, held its shape beautifully, and looked completely different from some of my previous loaves.
The funny thing is, I’m not exactly sure what I did differently! 😂 My recipe was the same as always, so I’m thinking the biggest difference may have been that my dough stayed cooler during the final bulk fermentation.
I almost always make 2 loaves at a time in the same bowl because, honestly, it feels like the same amount of work with double the reward! Sometimes I’ll bake them on different days.
This recipe makes 2 loaves:
• 200g active sourdough starter
• 750g water at 80°F
• 1,000g King Arthur bread flour
• 20g fine sea salt
My process:
I started with a dough temperature of 80°F and kept the dough in an 80°F oven with the light on between folds.
I did 4 sets of slap-and-folds, 30 minutes apart.
After that, I bulk fermented on the counter for another 5 hours at a 65°F room temperature, stopping when the dough was nicely domed and jiggly with about a 60% rise.
I shaped the loaves and refrigerated them for 24 hours.
My refrigerator is set to 39°F, and the dough did continue rising a little in the fridge until it fully cooled.
I actually think it’s really helpful to check your refrigerator temperature when baking sourdough. I realized a while back that mine wasn’t cold enough, and making that adjustment made a noticeable difference for me.
I wish I had taken a photo after it was baked, but this loaf was a gift. 🎁
Still, I wanted to share what a properly proofed loaf can look like before it ever goes into the oven. Sometimes seeing the dough at this stage is just as helpful as seeing the finished loaf.
Happy baking! ❤️🍞
