Cozy Cabin Sourdough Bread

A rustic, slow-fermented loaf with a crisp crust and a soft, chewy center. The kind of bread that makes a cabin feel like home.

Ingredients

• 100 g active sourdough starter (bubbly and recently fed)
• 350 g lukewarm water
• 500 g bread flour
• 10 g fine sea salt
• Flour, for dusting (rice flour or regular flour)

Instructions

1. Combine starter and water in a large bowl. Stir until the starter is mostly dispersed. Add flour and mix until no dry patches remain. Cover and rest for 30–45 minutes.
2. Sprinkle salt over the dough. With damp fingers, pinch and fold until well incorporated.
3. Over the next 2 hours, give the dough a set of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes.
4. Cover and allow the dough to ferment until noticeably fuller and airy (about 6–10 hours, depending on temperature).
5. Turn dough onto a floured surface and shape into a round. Place seam-side-up in a floured banneton or bowl lined with a kitchen towel.
6. Cover and refrigerate for 8–16 hours.
7. Place a Dutch oven with its lid in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 45 minutes.
8. Turn the loaf onto parchment, score the top, and place it in the hot Dutch oven. Bake 20 minutes covered at 475°F, then 25–30 minutes uncovered at 450°F (232°C), until deeply golden.
9. Transfer to a rack and let cool for at least 1–2 hours before slicing.

Use a strong bread flour for the best structure. Fermentation time will vary with the temperature of your kitchen. For a deeper flavor, refrigerate the shaped dough overnight. Let the bread cool completely before slicing.