Mama Lyd Sourdough

Nothing beats a classic sourdough loaf. If you love sourdough with that nice crispy crust and want to make one yourself, this recipe is very straight forward and easy to follow! My favorite part is the fresh crunchy crust.. I would cut the crust off and eat the whole thing if I could!!

I am sharing my go to recipe for my basic loaf that I use almost every day. Any inclusion loaf starts with this recipe and I adjust as needed!

In December 2023, I took the plunge into the world of sourdough baking by creating my very first starter. At the time, I had no idea what to expect. I loved sourdough but was so nervous that my starter wouldn’t work. but what grew from that little jar of bubbly goodness quickly became one of my favorite parts of the kitchen. Watching it come alive, feeding it, and then seeing it transform into bread felt like magic. My husband calls it my “science experiment”

If this is your first sourdough loaf, I am so excited for you! This recipe is super simple with only 4 ingredients. My biggest advice to anyone getting started is just have patience. And try again!

What is sourdough?

Sourdough is bread made the old-fashioned way using a simple mix of flour and water that naturally ferments over time. This creates a bubbly “starter” full of wild yeast and good bacteria, which gives sourdough its tangy flavor and chewy texture. It’s wholesome, simple, and deliciously timeless.

How to feed your sourdough starter

Feeding your sourdough starter is what keeps it alive and healthy. Think of it as giving your starter a meal so it can stay active and bubbly. To feed it, you simply remove (or “discard”) about half of the starter, then add fresh flour and water in equal amounts by weight. For example, if you have 100g of starter left, you’d mix in 100g of water and 100g of flour. Stir well, cover loosely, and let it rest at room temperature until it’s bubbly again.

How Often to Feed It

• If you bake often and keep your starter at room temperature, feed it once every 24 hours.
• If you don’t bake as frequently, store it in the fridge and feed it about once a week to keep it alive. When you’re ready to bake, take it out a day or two beforehand and give it a couple of feedings to wake it up. This is what I do and it works perfect. I try to only keep 50g in there at a time. sometimes, I wait until its room temp to feed but either way works. as soon as it gets bubbly and doubles, it’s ready! This method works great when you’re on a trip. Stick it in the fridge and it will be fine until you get home! I have even brought 6 month old discard back to life within 5 days. It will develop hooch… so let’s talk about that.

What is hooch?

If you store your sourdough starter in the fridge, you might notice a layer of liquid on top.. don’t panic! that’s called hooch! It’s a natural byproduct of fermentation and usually looks grayish or brown. Hooch forms when your starter gets hungry, meaning it needs a feeding. It’s perfectly harmless! You can either pour it off for a less tangy flavor or stir it back in if you like a stronger sour taste. (I get weirded out by it.. so I pour it off!)

What are stretch and folds?

Stretch and folds are a gentle way to build strength in sourdough dough without heavy kneading. Instead of pounding the dough, you let it rest, then gently pull one side up and fold it over the center. You repeat this from all four sides, then let the dough rest again. This process is usually done a few times during the bulk fermentation stage.

It helps develop gluten, improves the dough’s structure, and makes it easier to handle. leading to a beautiful rise and open crumb in your finished loaf. Plus, it’s a calm, hands on step that makes you feel connected to the dough as it transforms. Here is an easy explanation!

1. After mixing your flour, water, starter, and salt, let the dough rest (this is called autolyse) for about 30 minutes.
2. With damp hands, grab one side of the dough, gently pull it upward until it stretches, then fold it over to the center.
3. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat on all four sides.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
5. Do 3–4 rounds of stretch and folds over the first 2–3 hours of bulk fermentation.

That’s it! Over time, you’ll notice the dough becoming smoother, stronger, and easier to handle.

What is Bulk Fermentation?

Bulk fermentation is the first long rise your sourdough dough goes through after mixing the ingredients. During this stage, the wild yeast and bacteria from your starter get to work creating gas, developing gluten, and building flavor.

It’s called “bulk” because the dough is still in one big mass, not divided into loaves yet. Depending on the recipe, room temperature, and dough strength, bulk fermentation can last anywhere from 3 to 6 hours (sometimes longer). You’ll often perform stretch and folds during this time to help strengthen the dough.

By the end of bulk fermentation, your dough should look puffier, feel lighter, and have bubbles forming on the surface, signs it’s ready to be shaped.

If you want a hack, before the bulk rise, add a little bit of dough to a small plastic ramekin (like a sauce cup from a restaurant.you can find these at the store!) Add enough dough to fill about halfway. once that has doubled, you’ll know the rest of the dough is ready!

Now that I have talked way too much, Let’s make some sourdough!

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