Overnight Rustic Loaf

This is the recipe that got me hooked on sourdough. Pure magic.

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Yield 1 round loaf
Overnight Rustic Loaf — homemade sourdough recipe

Starter Prep

Ratio: 1:5:5 (5g starter + 25g flour + 25g water) [Example makes 55g total, make sure your save some for your next bake or increase this ratio]

Feed Time: Friday 9am

Peak Time: Friday 7-9pm (10-12 hours later)

Triple Check: Tripled in size, bubbly top, smells yeasty (not sour)

Ingredients

50g active sourdough starter (at peak)

500g bread flour

350g water (room temperature)

10g salt

Instructions

Mix Dough (Friday Night 9pmm)

Check that starter has tripled and is at peak

  1. Mix 50g starter, 500g flour, 350g water, and 10g salt in large bowl
  2. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover with damp towel.
  3. Stretch & Folds (Friday night 9p-10pm)
  4. Do 3 sets of stretch & folds, 30 minutes apart:
  5. 9:00pm - Set 1
  6. 9:30pm - Set 2
  7. 10:00pm - Set 3
  8. Cover and leave on counter overnight.
  9. Bulk Fermentation (Friday night 10 pm- ~6 am )
  10. Let dough rise on counter for aprox 6- 8 hours
  11. With 50g starter, bulk fermentation will be slower and more reliable
  12. Ready when: dough has grown 50-75%, feels puffy and jiggly, has bubbles on surface
  13. Note: In cooler kitchens (65-68°F), this may take 8-10 hours
  14. Shape (Saturday Morning)
  15. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface
  16. Gently shape into round (don't deflate all the bubbles!)
  17. Place seam-side up in floured banneton or bowl
  18. Cover and place in refrigerator
  19. Cold Proof (Saturday-Sunday morning)
  20. Let dough cold-proof in fridge 8-24 hours
  21. Flexibility: Can stay in fridge up to 72 hours!
  22. Bake (Sunday morning)
  23. Turn dough out onto parchment paper, score top
  24. Place dough into COLD dutch oven with lid and into the COLD oven
  25. Set oven 450°F: Bake 50 minutes. Remove lid, bake 10 more minutes uncovered until deep golden brown

Cool completely on wire rack (at least 1 hour) before slicing

Mom Tips

If your kitchen is cold, the dough may need longer to rise. Look for bubbles and puffiness.

No Dutch oven? Use any oven-safe pot with a lid, or bake on a baking stone with a pan of water for steam.

The deeper the score, the more dramatic the 'ear' will be on your loaf.

Using only 50g starter (instead of 100g) gives you slower, more forgiving fermentation times. This is especially helpful for overnight bulk rises or when your kitchen temperature varies. The 72-hour cold proof window means you can mix dough Saturday morning and bake anytime through Tuesday!