Golden Crust Sourdough Bread

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-04 · Updated 2026-04-04

A golden-crust sourdough loaf is the payoff of a 24- to 36-hour fermentation schedule that does most of its work while you are not in the kitchen — but the schedule only delivers the open crumb and blistered crust if four upstream variables are right. The first is starter readiness: a starter is ready to leaven dough only when it has roughly doubled within 4-6 hours of its peak feeding, smells tangy-sweet rather than vinegar-sharp, and passes the float test (a teaspoon of starter dropped in a glass of room-temperature water floats instead of sinking). A starter that has been refrigerated for more than a week typically needs two consecutive feedings 12 hours apart before it is strong enough to raise a 500g loaf. The second is hydration math: this recipe runs at 70% hydration (350g water to 500g bread flour) — high enough to develop an open, irregular crumb during bulk ferment but low enough to keep the dough shapeable for a home baker without a wet-shaping technique. Drop to 65% if your kitchen runs hotter than 78°F to keep proofing in control; push to 75% only if you are comfortable with stretch-and-folds on a wet dough. The third is the 12-18 hour cold retard in the fridge after shaping. The cold slows the yeast almost to a stop while letting the lactic and acetic acid bacteria continue working — this is what delivers the sour tang the cold-retarded loaf is named for, and it also stiffens the dough so the score holds during oven spring. Bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 500°F for 20 minutes with the lid on, then 475°F for another 20-25 minutes uncovered until the crust is deep mahogany and the internal temperature reads 205-210°F. Troubleshooting a flat loaf: under-fermented bulk (dough did not rise 50%), too-loose shaping (no surface tension across the top of the boule), or the oven was below 480°F when the dough went in — preheat the Dutch oven for the full 45 minutes, not 20.

Ingredients

• 500 grams bread flour
• 350 grams water
• 7 grams active dry yeast
• 10 grams sea salt
• 150 grams sourdough starter

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 350 grams water and 7 grams active dry yeast; let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. Step 2: Add 500 grams bread flour and 150 grams sourdough starter to the yeast mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Step 3: Knead the dough on a floured surface for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, then place in a lightly oiled bowl.
4. Step 4: Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Step 5: Gently shape the dough into a tight boule, place seam-side up in a floured banneton, and refrigerate for 12-18 hours.
6. Step 6: Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 45 minutes.
7. Step 7: Carefully transfer the dough to the hot Dutch oven, score the top with a razor blade, cover, and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Step 8: Uncover, reduce heat to 425°F (218°C), and bake for 25 more minutes until deep golden brown and crusty.