Easy Therapeutic Sourdough Bread Kneading Guide for Beginners 5 Simple Steps
This easy therapeutic sourdough bread kneading method is perfect for beginners, offering a calming, mindful baking experience with simple ingredients and straightforward steps to create a crusty, chewy loaf.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8-10 slices) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 100g (3.5 oz) active sourdough starter
- 400g (14 oz) all-purpose flour
- 280g (9.8 fl oz) lukewarm water
- 8g (1.5 tsp) fine sea salt
Instructions
- Activate your starter about 6-8 hours before baking until bubbly and tangy (10 minutes prep).
- Mix 400g (14 oz) all-purpose flour with 280g (9.8 fl oz) lukewarm water in a mixing bowl until just combined. Cover and rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Add 8g (1.5 tsp) salt and 100g (3.5 oz) active starter to the dough. Fold and mix until smooth and elastic (5 minutes).
- Knead the dough using the stretch-and-fold technique every 5 minutes over 30-40 minutes (about 6-8 folds) until elastic and less sticky (10 minutes kneading time).
- Cover and bulk ferment at room temperature for 3-4 hours until dough doubles in size.
- Shape the dough into a round loaf and place in a floured proofing basket or bowl. Proof for 1-2 hours until it springs back slowly when poked.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Transfer dough to hot Dutch oven, score the top, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
- Cool bread completely on a rack before slicing.
Notes
Use wet hands instead of adding flour if dough is too sticky to keep bread light and airy. Scoring with a quick, confident slash improves oven spring. Let bread cool completely before slicing to set crumb. For steam crust without Dutch oven, place a pan of water in the oven. Bulk fermentation time varies with room temperature; be patient.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 60g /
- Calories: 160
- Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: sourdough bread, therapeutic kneading, beginner sourdough, easy sourdough recipe, homemade bread, mindful baking, crusty bread, chewy crumb