Score the sourdough bread, and Bake

After you have proofed your sourdough bread in the fridge, you are ready to bake.

PREHEAT the oven to 500 degrees. 

Place covered Dutch Oven in the oven for 1 hour. 

While it heats up, score the bread. First, remove the bread from the proofing bowl.

Put a piece of parchment paper on top of the proofing bowl, then place a plate on top of parchment paper. 

FLIP the bowl, paper, and plate over. 

REMOVE the bowl and plate. 

DUST the top of the bread with flour. 

SCORE

With a razor blade, score the top of the bread. Here are some good examples,from Make It Dough, How to Score Sourdough Bread (Tips and Scoring Patterns).

BAKE

Take the Dutch Oven out of the oven and remove the cover.

Reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Transfer the dough on parchment paper into the Dutch Oven. Add three pieces of ice just to the side of the parchment paper. Put the cover back on.

BAKE for 30 minutes.

REMOVE COVER and BAKE for 10-15 more minutes. The bread is done at 205 - 210 degrees.

REMOVE bread from Dutch Oven and transfer to cooling rack.

Shape the Sourdough, then Proof

After Bulk Fermenation, the First Rise, you are ready to SHAPE the dough. 

Pictured: Whoa! That dough rose overnight!

I liked how this step is explained in this video: Make Beautiful Sourdough with Claire Saffitz. I also followed tips from Modern Eats Farmhouse Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe. Click through to get the whole recipe and lots of good info. 

Scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a floured work surface. Split in half two make two loaves.

PRE-SHAPE the dough by folding each side into the middle. 

Let REST under a towel for 15 minutes. 

Flour your proofing bowl(s) with rice flour.

Let the FOLDING commence.

FOLD the LEFT side over the CENTER.

FOLD the RIGHT side over the CENTER.

Grab the end and ROLL it up to the TOP.

PULL the dough towards you to create tension on the surface and form a round shape.

PROOF

Place the dough into the proofing basket with the SEAM SIDE UP.

Cover with a towel, and let sit on the counter for 1 1/2 hours. 

That's what Claire suggests...

When you can press your finger into the dough and have it slowly spring back, it's ready to proof in the fridge.

There are a lot of options of what to use to cover the dough, or whether to even cover it at all. Some choices I've seen are a towel, Saran Wrap, a shower cap, or a plastic bag.

For this first bake a chose a shower cap from Parkhotel Adler Hinterzarten for one loaf and a plastic IKEA bag for the  other.

Pictured: Dough covered with IKEA plastic bag

Pictured: Dough covered with shower cap

Then you cover it and put it in the fridge. I've seen times ranging from 1 to 40 hours. It probably depends on how anxious you are. Experience will inform my future decision on this. 

Mix the Sourdough, Then Stretch and Fold

I'm following Modern Eats Farmhouse Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe. Click through to get the whole recipe and lots of good info. 

MIX the SOURDOUGH

MIX together 100 grams of sourdough starter and 375 grams water.

NOTE: The sourdough starter should have been taken out of the fridge and fed the day before. See: Feeding your sourdough starter. 

Then ADD 500 grams bread flour and 12 grams salt

COVER with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.

Pictured: Mixed Dough

Stretch and Fold

Pictured: First Stretch

From Modern Eats Farmhouse Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe: 

 "Grab underneath one side of the dough and pull straight up to stretch the dough without breaking it, then fold over the center. Give the bowl a quarter turn then repeat again with the next side. Repeat this process until you've stretched and folded all 4 sides of the dough (think North, South, East, West). Cover with a (damp) towel and let rest. Repeat this stretch and fold process every 30 minutes over 2 hours, for a total of 4 times."

Pictured: Second Stretch

Pictured: Third Stretch. Smoother.

Pictured: Fourth Stretch. The Smoothest!

Pictured: Bulk Fermentation (First Rise). 

Covered with plastic wrap.

Pictured: Then covered with a towel.

Now we wait 8-12 hours. 

Shaping is next...

Feeding Your Sourdough Starter

I just learned how to make sourdough bread and decided to share what I've learned here. Please comment with any tips you have.

These instructions assume that you have a starter to start with. 

Remove starter from fridge.

Place bowl on scale. PRESS ZERO.

ADD 113g of starter to bowl.

PRESS ZERO.

ADD 113g of King Arthur Unbleached Flour to bowl.

PRESS ZERO.

ADD 113g of room temperature filtered water to the bowl.

PRESS ZERO. 

MIX.

POUR mixture into Sourdough Starter Glass Jar.

DISCARD REMAING STARTER.

Let stand out at room temperature from 4-6 hours or longer until it at least doubles.

From Easy Sourdough Bread Recipe.:

Feed your starter. 

“Remove your starter from the fridge, and mix together equal parts starter, water and flour. Discard the remaining starter. I like to keep a discard jar in the fridge that I add to every week. Let your fed starter rise until doubled in size, about 4-6 hours.”

Tools:

Danish Dough Whisk with Dough Scraper Dutch Bread Whisk Bread Mixer 13" Stainless Steel Dutch Bread Dough Whisk with Wooden Handle Dutch Whisk Baking Tools for Sourdough

https://a.co/d/2quG7v7

Bread Proofing Basket, Sourdough Bread Baking Supplies, Sourdough Starter Kit, 9 Inch Round Benneton Bread Proofing Basket and Bread Lame, Dough Scraper, PU Bag, Baking Supplies, Bread Basket

https://a.co/d/aY7UZyy

'Cooking Master' 22lb Digital Kitchen Scale,1g/0.1oz Precise Graduation,Food Scale Measures in Grams and Ounces for Weight Cooking Baking,Stainless Steel and Tempered Glass

https://a.co/d/i0LI3zz

Sourdough Baking Handles Mat: Reusable Silicone Bread Sling for Dutch Oven 2 Pcs (Blue & Brown)

https://a.co/d/6dynPyo

HULISEN Flour Duster for Baking, One-Handed Operation, 304 Stainless Steel Powdered Sugar Shaker Duster, Pick Up and Dust Flour Sifter, Gift Package

https://a.co/d/8ufcgRS

Sourdough Starter Jar Glass, 40oz Large Sourdough Starter Jar, Sourdough Jar Wide Mouth, Sourdough Starter Kit with Thermometer, Date Marked Feeding Band, Cloth Cover, Sourdough Bread Baking Supplies

https://a.co/d/h3LfkkX