Basic Overnight Sourdough Recipe

This recipe is almost the same as my other basic sourdough recipe with one important difference - the amount of starter used. Calling for only 10% starter to the flour total, therefore can be left at room temperature to bulk ferment for up to 12hrs (at a temperature of 20°C-22°C). Which is perfect for overnight! I like this method a lot as it doesn't interfere with your daily life and because the fermentation is longer the taste and result is better! 

~ The first step is feeding your starter so that it's ready to go for when you need it. So in the morning pull it out of the fridge and give it a really good feed. Discard all but 15g and feed it 60g water and 60g flour, a ratio of 1:4:4, this will give you enough for this recipe and some leftover for next time. 

Alternatively, you can build a 'levain'. Take out 10g of your starter and put it into another container and feed the 10g a 1:4:4 ratio (10g starter, 40g flour, 40g water).

{{Feeding your starter a larger ratio builds its strength and it also takes longer to ferment, therefore it'll be ready to use much later in the day (about 8 to 10hrs) so you won't miss its peak time to use if you're out.}}

Otherwise, if you are home during the day just feed your starter a 1:1:1 ratio of 50g starter/50g flour/50g water 5 to 6 hours before it's time to mix the dough ~

Ingredients:

450g of white bakers flour*

50g wholemeal flour 

360g water (72% hydration)

50g active starter (10%)

8g salt (1.6%)

Method:

First stage- Bulk fermentation

**8pm: Add all the ingredients in together and mix until there is no dry bits and leave to rest covered for half an hour. 

8:30pm: Start by wetting your hands a little so the dough doesn't stick. Stretch and fold the dough about 10 times going all around the dough in a circle until you make a round ball. Now cover and let it rest for another half hour. 

9pm: With damp hands again do the second set of stretch and folds. Cover and rest again. 

9:30pm: Do a third set of stretch and folds. 

Cover and let the dough rest now until morning (total bulk 10-12hrs)

Second stage- Shape and Prove

7:30am: By the next morning the dough should be quite bubbly and have at least doubled in size (a good sign of fermentation). Shape the dough on a lightly floured bench and place into a floured basket (or tea towel lined bowl).

Cover and put it in the coldest part of your fridge until the evening. (You want the dough to chill completely, so if you want to bake earlier, then just let it chill for at least 3 hours).

Third stage- Bake

Turn on your oven to 230° and put your Dutch Oven in for about 20mins to heat up.

Take the dough out of the fridge, unwrap the tea towel. Put some baking paper on the top of the bowl/basket and put your hand on top, flip the bowl/basket upside down so the dough comes out onto the paper with the round shape facing up and then place onto the bench. Brush off some of the flour then score the bread with a sharp knife or razor. Take out the Dutch oven then lift the dough holding onto the paper and place it into the Dutch oven. Put the lid on and bake for 30mins and then take the lid off and turn down the temp to about 200°C then bake for a further 15mins or until it's the colour you like.

Cool for 1 hour and enjoy!

*If you can't get bakers flour (high protein flour) then plain all-purpose flour will be fine. Plain flour has a lower protein level so just lower the hydration level (water) to about 68% (340g).

** Times are a suggestion. You could change this timeline around to suit your schedule. Example, feed your starter just before bed a 1:4:4 ratio. Mix the dough the next morning, do a few stretch and folds and then let it sit out to bulk ferment during the day for about 10hrs (as long as the temperature is between 20°C-22°C). Shape in the evening and then prove in the fridge overnight. Bake the following morning.