Rustic Sourdough Bread Bowl (Printable version)
Crusty sourdough loaf with chewy crumb, ideal for hearty soups, stews, or dips served in a bread bowl.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - ½ cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
03 - 1½ cups lukewarm water
04 - 1¾ teaspoons fine sea salt
→ Finishing
05 - Extra flour for dusting
# How to Prepare:
01 - Combine bread flour and lukewarm water in a large bowl until just mixed. Cover and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
02 - Incorporate the active sourdough starter and fine sea salt into the dough. Mix thoroughly until a shaggy dough forms.
03 - Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead or perform stretch and fold technique for 5 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and ferment at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Perform stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours.
05 - Turn the fermented dough onto a surface, divide into two equal portions, and shape each into a tight round loaf.
06 - Place each loaf seam-side up in a floured proofing basket or bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours or proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until puffy.
07 - Preheat oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside.
08 - Place each loaf onto parchment paper, score the top, and carefully transfer it to the preheated Dutch oven or baking stone.
09 - Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
10 - Remove loaves and cool completely on a wire rack.
11 - Slice off the top of each loaf and hollow out the center, leaving a ¾ to 1 inch thick wall to hold fillings.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- It feels like I am sharing a secret with a close friend every time I pull that golden crust from the oven.
- The chewy interior combined with the tang of sourdough quickly became a favorite crowd-pleaser in my home.
02 -
- Be patient during the rises; the flavor and texture depend on slow fermentation.
- Scoring the dough just right controls where it expands and avoids ugly cracks.
03 -
- Use a bench scraper to help fold and shape the dough without losing air bubbles.
- The secret is in the steam: baking covered traps moisture, giving you a crackly crust and soft interior.