Video summary

How To Bake Sourdough Like A Pro

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

Nick (presenter of “How To Bake Sourdough Like A Pro”).

Ingredients (with quantities / substitutions mentioned)

Sourdough starter (for days 1–14)

  • Equal parts whole wheat flour and warm water
  • No salt mentioned for the starter
  • Notes:
    • Jar size should allow the mixture to triple in size
    • Water should be warm, not hot

Levain (supercharged starter for the loaf)

  • Warm water (amount not specified; “add some”)
  • Bread flour (amount not specified; “a little”)
  • Whole wheat flour (amount not specified)
  • Activated starter: 19 g
    • Process emphasized as very precise

Autolyse / dough base

  • Bread flour (quantity not specified)
  • Whole wheat flour (quantity not specified)
  • Lukewarm water (enough to mix into a shaggy dough)
    • “Don’t make it too hot—just warm enough”

Final dough (after bulk fermentation)

  • Salt, sprinkled evenly over the top
  • A little warm water (amount not specified; added before hand-mixing)

Homemade butter (for serving)

  • Heavy cream (amount not specified)
  • Cold water for rinsing/squeezing out buttermilk
  • Optional serving: flaky salt

Serving / optional

  • Butter (homemade or store-bought)
  • Flaky salt (a tiny bit)
  • Optional variation: toast bread “in a pan” and/or top with butter

Equipment & Setup

  • Nice tall, sealable jar (for starter; allow room to triple; needs some airflow)
  • Mini whisk (helpful for small jars and removing clumps)
  • Rubber spatula (scrape down jar sides; prevent crust)
  • Scale (required for precision; tare to 0)
  • Small resealable glass jar (for levain)
  • Bowl(s) for dough and autolyse
  • Plastic wrap (cover during starter/levain rests and autolyse)
  • Bench scraper (folding/tucking and shaping)
  • Work surface (clean; keep flour minimal/controlled)
  • Proofing basket (lined/floured with white rice flour)
  • Dutch oven + oven preheat
  • Parchment paper + cutting/folding guide
  • Inverted sheet tray (tool for flipping dough)
  • Lame (sharp razor blade) for scoring
  • Stand mixer (used for quick butter)
  • Sling/handles for Dutch oven (for careful lifting)

Step-by-Step Method (timings / temps / technique cues)

1) Build sourdough starter (“Crustopher”), Day 1–Day 14

  1. Name the starter (optional but done in video).
  2. In a tall jar, add equal parts whole wheat flour + warm water.
  3. Whisk to remove clumps.
  4. Scrape down sides to prevent crust formation.
  5. Seal the jar, but ensure some airflow (lid allows air in or rest lid to allow airflow).
  6. Place in a warm spot, no direct sunlight, no drafts.
  7. After 24 hours (Day 2): starter is mostly inactive, but still needs feeding.
  8. Feed daily (generally the same time):
    • Weigh 75 g starter into a new jar (shown as a precise step)
    • Discard the remaining portion in the original jar
    • Feed with: whole wheat flour → bread flour → warm water (“warm bath,” not hot)
    • Mix/whisk until smooth/consistent
    • Scrape sides, cover again, optionally add a rubber band to track rise
  9. Continue feeding until Day 14+:
    • Video note: baking typically starts around day 14 when starter is mature/flavorful
  10. On Day 14: starter is tripled and ready.

2) Build levain (about 3–4 hours total; warm place)

  1. In a small resealable glass jar:
    • Add warm water, a little bread flour, and some whole wheat flour
  2. Tare the scale.
  3. Add activated starter to exactly 19 g (pinch to correct if over).
  4. Whisk until even consistency (no clumps).
  5. Cover and let sit in a warm place for 3 hours
    • Levain rise usually 3–4 hours
  6. Readiness cues:
    • Bubbles
    • Tripled volume
    • Foamy/fluffy texture

3) Autolyse (start 1 hour before levain finishes; 1 hour rest)

  1. In a bowl, combine bread flour + whole wheat flour.
  2. Cover with lukewarm water (not too hot).
  3. Mix until you don’t see loose flour; dough becomes shaggy/weird looking.
  4. Flip/stir occasionally so wet spots get dry flour.
  5. Once flour is no longer stuck to sides:
    • Cover with plastic wrap
    • Rest in a warm place for 1 hour
  6. Goal: hydrated flour head start; shaggy dough forms.

4) Bulk fermentation (levain + autolyse, then salt and mix)

  1. Add levain to the autolyse dough; scrape out every last bit.
  2. Final bulk additions:
    • Sprinkle salt evenly over the top
    • Add a little warm water
  3. Mix with hands:
    • Squeeze and mix until it becomes one uniform dough
    • Dough gets harder to handle and stickier—use squeezing/twisting technique
  4. Once dough holds shape as a ball:
    • Scoop it off hands as much as possible; don’t lose dough
  5. Cover and rest 30 minutes

Folding stage (3 folds total; after the 30-minute rest)

  • Purpose: gluten relax + build strength and air bubbles
  1. Wet hands to prevent sticking.
  2. Remove plastic wrap.
  3. Lift one corner until you feel tension, then wiggle and toss back onto itself.
  4. Rotate bowl 90°, wet hands, and repeat for each corner.
  5. Do in all 4 corners as one fold routine:
    • “First of 3 folds”
    • Repeat the same fold process 2 more times (with rests in between)
  6. Cover and return to resting spot.
  7. Caution cue: skipping folds leads to sad/flat bread.

5) Pre-shaping (30 minutes; dry surface outside)

  1. Wet hands (use a water bowl to keep them wet).
  2. Gently guide dough onto a clean surface without popping air bubbles.
  3. Create tension outside:
    • Wet one hand, use the other with bench scraper
    • Lift dough and tuck under repeatedly to form a tight skin
  4. Clean excess flour around dough.
  5. Let sit 30 minutes uncovered to dry slightly on the outside.

6) Final shaping + proof in basket

  • About 1 minute shaping rest
  • 16-hour fridge proof
  1. For final shaping: flour the top of dough and nearby surface lightly.
  2. Flip dough with bench scraper so skin is on the outside (if dough moves easily, skin formed).
  3. Fold shaping steps described:
    • Loosely outline “burrito/square” folding:
      • fold one side to middle
      • then sides into middle
      • stretch last side, fold across
      • fold bottom over
    • Create tension by dragging/rolling/tucking dough underneath itself
  4. Tap big air bubbles so they spread out for a nicer look.
  5. Let dough sit about 1 minute while you get the proofing basket.
  6. Prepare basket:
    • Line/flour with white rice flour
  7. Transfer dough to basket:
    • Roll carefully, seam side up
  8. Seal in a plastic bag and proof in the fridge for 16 hours.

7) Bake (Dutch oven; 500°F; steam then dry)

  1. Preheat oven with Dutch oven to 500°F.
  2. While preheating (about 1 hour), prepare parchment “cradle”:
    • Fold parchment in half; cut down the middle to create guiding strips
  3. Remove proofed dough from fridge and work quickly:
    • Cold dough + hot Dutch oven = steam for rise
  4. Transfer method:
    • Set parchment in an X shape
    • Place an inverted sheet tray over dough
    • In one swift motion: flip and gently remove tray
  5. Score:
    • Use lame
    • Make a slit about 1/3 inch to 1/4 inch deep
    • Cue: score acts as a “pressure release valve” to guide opening
  6. Bake:
    • Carefully lower dough into hot Dutch oven using the sling
    • Lid on; bake 20 minutes (steam stage)
  7. After 20 minutes, remove lid for dry baking
    • Exact duration not specified in subtitles
  8. Remove loaf with parchment cradle; use mitts; avoid touching too much while very hot
  9. Cooling cue: rest first—treat as hot before cutting.

Butter-Making (for serving with bread)

  1. Add heavy cream to a mixing bowl (stand mixer).
  2. Optional to prevent splatter: place a kitchen towel over the top.
  3. Mix until:
    • whipped cream forms
    • then turns yellow
    • then it splits into butter and buttermilk (when it starts splashing)
  4. Add butter to a bowl of cold water.
  5. Squeeze/rinse to remove buttermilk.
  6. Serve immediately with bread; top with flaky salt if desired.

Chef Tips / Common Mistakes (as stated)

Starter

  • Keep starter in a warm place, no direct sunlight, no drafts
  • Ensure airflow in the jar
  • Water must be warm, not hot (too hot can kill starter)
  • Scrape sides to avoid crust
  • Feed daily, generally at the same time
  • Don’t start bread too early: wait until day 14 or later for mature starter

Levain & Precision

  • Measure activated starter precisely: 19 g (pinch to correct if over)
  • Whisk until no clumps

Dough

  • Don’t skip folding: missing folds leads to flat bread
  • Keep more air bubbles by being gentle during shaping
  • Transfer to Dutch oven fast to maximize steam contrast

Baking

  • Score shallow (about 1/4–1/3 inch deep) to guide expansion

Safety cue: Dutch oven is extremely hot—“don’t burn your hands.” Use oven mitts and avoid touching bread too much while hot.

Plating / Serving Suggestions

  • Serve sourdough with:
    • Homemade butter (or store-bought)
    • Optional: a tiny bit of flaky salt
  • Variation: slice thick and toast in a pan with a golden brown crust
  • Final presentation includes cutting the loaf to show the crumb (cross section) and air-bubble pattern

Sources / References

  • No external sources (books/websites) are referenced in the provided subtitles.

Original video