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Grain & dough ferment

Sourdough bread

Intermediate

Bread leavened by an active starter with a long fermentation — the Bread & Bakery studio has the dough maths.

Temperature
4–26 °C
Bulk 24–26 °C; cold retard at fridge temperature.
Time
About 24–36 hours start to finish (mostly waiting)
Bulk 4–8 hours, cold proof 8–16 hours.

Timeline

Sourdough bread timeline

  1. Stage 1: Levain buildstart · about 8 h

    Fermenting / waiting — Peaks in 4–12 h

  2. Stage 2: Mix, autolyse, foldsfrom 8 h · about 2 h

    Hands-on — Hands-on in short bursts

  3. Stage 3: Bulk fermentfrom 10 h · about 5 h

    Fermenting / waiting — 24–26 °C, rise 50–75%

  4. Stage 4: Shape & cold prooffrom 15 h · about 13 h

    Fermenting / waiting — Fridge 8–16 h

  5. Stage 5: Bake & coolfrom 28 h · about 3 h

    Hands-on — 93–96 °C inside

Ingredients

  • Bread flour (with some wholegrain)
  • Water
  • Active starter (levain)
  • Salt about 2% of flour weight

Equipment

  • Kitchen scale
  • Bowl
  • Bench scraper
  • Proofing basket
  • Dutch oven or baking stone
  • Thermometer

Steps

  1. Build a levain so it peaks when you mix (4–12 hours).
  2. Mix flour and water; rest 30–60 minutes (autolyse).
  3. Add levain and salt.
  4. Bulk ferment at 24–26 °C with stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours; done when risen 50–75%, domed and jiggly (4–8 hours).
  5. Shape, proof in a basket — in the fridge 8–16 hours for flavour.
  6. Bake hot with steam until 93–96 °C inside; cool fully before slicing.

Is it working?

  • Dough domed, bubbly and jiggly at the end of bulk
  • Poke test springs back slowly
  • Open crumb, crackly crust

Smell & texture: Wheaty and mildly sour; dough smooth, airy and strong.

Signs tell you it's fermenting, not that it's safe: never rely on smell or appearance alone.

Safety, mould and discard rules

Mould or yeast?

Visible mould on bread means discard the whole loaf; roots spread unseen through soft, porous bread (USDA FSIS).

Storage

Cut side down on a board for 2–3 days, or slice and freeze.

Shelf life: 2–4 days at room temperature; months frozen.

The science: what's happening

The starter's wild yeasts make CO₂ to raise the dough while lactic bacteria make acids for flavour and keeping quality. Long, cool fermentation develops flavour and lets gluten strengthen.

Organisms

  • Starter yeasts and lactic acid bacteria

Troubleshooting

Dense or flat
See the Bread & Bakery troubleshooter (linked from Recipe Rescue): starter not at peak, under- or over-proofed, weak shaping.
Too sour
Shorter, warmer ferment; use the starter at its peak.

A dish (not a ferment) gone wrong? Try Recipe Rescue.

Cook with it

Learn more

Sources

Guidance changes: check the source for current wording. Original text; figures quoted from the sources where stated.