Making sourdough bread has become a common hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a bit of time, effort, and patience, you can also bake your own artisanal bread at home.

Not only is baking sourdough a fun activity to try while social distancing, but it is also a way to ensure your family always has fresh bread. From creating the starter to baking a delicious loaf, here is everything you need to know.

How to Make Sourdough Starter

To make your own sourdough starter, combine 1 cup of whole wheat flour with 1/2 cup of water in a glass jar that has a 1-litre capacity. Mix until smooth, cover the jar, and leave it in a warm place to rest.

On day two, you can start feeding your starter. Remove half of the starter and add another cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water to the jar, mixing until smooth again. Over the next several days, feed your starter twice a day. Each time, take out 1/2 cup of starter and discard the rest before feeding. You should soon begin to see bubbles on the surface.

When the starter has doubled in size, that means it is active. It usually takes about seven days for the starter to be ready, but it can easily take up to two weeks. Store your finished starter in the refrigerator and feed it at least once a week, taking it out about two days before you plan to bake.

How to Make Sourdough Bread

Now that you have a starter, you can bake bread whenever you want by following these five main steps.

1. Leaven

The night before you plan to bake, make the leaven by combining one tablespoon of starter with 1/2 cup of flour and 1/3 cup of water in a large mixing bowl. Cover and let the mixture stand overnight.

2. Dough

Mix your leaven with 2 cups of water and stir until it is dissolved, then add 5 1/2 cups of flour and stir until fully incorporated. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes while you stir 1 tablespoon of salt into 1/2 cup of water, then pour the dissolved salt over the dough.

3. Rise

Let the dough rise for about three hours, folding it every 30 minutes. All you have to do is pick up one side, lift it, and fold it over the rest of the dough. Do this four times, moving clockwise around the bowl. After the last fold, let the dough rest for at least another 30 minutes.

4. Shaping

Place your dough on a lightly floured surface and shape it with your hands. You can do this much in the same way as you folded the dough earlier, gently lifting and pulling the lip towards the centre. Once you have your desired shape, let the dough rest for another 30 minutes.

5. Bake!

Sourdough bread is best baked in a dutch oven. Preheat your oven with the dutch oven inside to 450 F for about an hour. Before placing the bread in the oven, score the top to make a slash that will allow steam to escape. Bake covered for about 20 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the crust is a deep, golden brown.

There you have it: a simple guide for making sourdough bread! As you become more comfortable with the process, you will develop your own unique techniques. The key is to have fun and learn through experience while enjoying the tasty results.