Simple Same-Day Sourdough Bread
Servings: 2 Loaves
This same-day sourdough bread skips the overnight cold proof and uses a few simple tricks to speed up fermentation while still giving you a soft, flavorful loaf. Perfect for when you want fresh sourdough without the long wait!
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Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Proofing box or warm oven
- 1 Bench Scraper
- 1 Banneton Basket (or a bowl with a towel)
- 1 Bread Lame (or sharp knife)
- 1 sheet of parchment paper or silicon bread sling
Ingredients
- 300 g Active sourdough starter
- 700 g Warm water around 80–90°F
- 900 g Unbleached bread flour
- 100 g Whole wheat flour
- 20 g Fine sea salt
Instructions
- 7 AM Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 300g active sourdough starter and 700g warm water (around 80–90°F). Stir with a dough whisk until the starter is mostly dissolved. Add 900g bread flour, 100g whole wheat flour, and 20g fine sea salt. Mix until no dry spots remain and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let the dough rest in a warm spot for 1 hour.
- 8 AM Coil folds: Preform 3 sets of coil folds, 30 minute apart. Always keeping your dough covered and in a warm spot between sets.To do a coil fold, wet or spray your hands with water to prevent sticking. Lift the dough from underneath the middle with both hands. As you lift, allow the ends of the dough to fold underneath themselves. Lower the dough back into the bowl, rotate the bowl, and repeat on the other side. First coil fold 8 AM, Second 8:30 AM, Third 9 AM
- 7 AM- 1 PM Bulk Fermentation: Place dough in a warm spot (around 78–80°F) to bulk ferment. It is important to keep your dough warm. For reference at 80°F this should take around 5-6 hours total. Time started when you first mixed your dough together at 7 AM. You'll know your dough is done when it's just about doubled in size, bubbly, jiggly, and airy. I rely more on these visual cues than a timeframe.
- 1 PM: Shape the Dough: Turn out the dough and divide it into two equal pieces. Pre shape each into a round or oval loaf using a bench scraper and wet hands. Let them rest for 15-30 minutes to relax the gluten. Then, do the final shape and add them into well floured banneton baskets. Refer to the video if you need guidance shaping.
- 1:30PM - 3:30 PM Final Proof (Warm Proof): Cover dough and let proof in a warm spot (78–80°F) for about 2 hours. I use my Brod & Taylor Proofing Box for a consistent warm proof. You can also use a warm oven (tuned off).
- 3 PM Preheat the Oven: About 30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven (or bread oven) inside.
- 3:30 PM Score and Bake: Carefully turn one loaf onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a bread lame to score the top of the dough.
- 3:40 PM Bake the Bread: Transfer the loaf (on the parchment) into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Then, remove the lid and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reads about 205–210°F.
- 4:25 PM Cool: Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy with dinner!
Notes
This same-day recipe assumes you already have an active sourdough starter ready to use.
If your starter isn’t active yet, make sure to feed it the night before and leave it out at room temperature so it’s bubbly and ready to bake with in the morning. This recipe makes two loaves. You can easily halve the recipe if you only need one, but having two gives you a few great options:
If your starter isn’t active yet, make sure to feed it the night before and leave it out at room temperature so it’s bubbly and ready to bake with in the morning. This recipe makes two loaves. You can easily halve the recipe if you only need one, but having two gives you a few great options:
- Bake both loaves today
- Proof one loaf in the fridge for up to 2–3 days and bake it later in the week.
- Bake both loaves today and freeze one for later.
