After months of testing and many, many loaves (I think my record was 9 in one week), I am very excited to share with you my recipe for High Altitude Sourdough Bread.
I’m a California girl. I grew up about an hour north of San Francisco, and sourdough bread, along with avocado, was probably my first solid food. Sourdough’s texture is slightly chewy, with a crisp crust, and its characteristic tangy flavor makes the best grilled cheese and toast. It’s so flavorful, in my opinion, that I’m happy to eat it plain, without any butter or other adornment (very rarely the case with other kinds of bread).
What makes sourdough different from other bread?
The essential difference is this: the majority of breads are leavened with commercial baker’s yeast, which is readily available, fast and easy to activate, and delivers consistent results. Sourdough bread, on the other hand, is made with an ancient process that harvests wild yeast from the environment (yes, yeast is floating all around us) using the medium of a fermented “starter,” a lovely bubbly soup of yeast, bacteria, and acids that create carbon dioxide bubbles that will help your dough rise. The level of tang in your sourdough depends on the particular strains of yeast that exist in your environment and the acids that are produced. So my sourdough is likely to taste a little different from sourdough made in Seattle, say, or Atlanta.
Sourdough also typically has a longer fermentation – meaning, there’s a lot of resting and manipulating of the dough – which helps develop its flavor and structure and produces an ideal rise.
Before you make the dough
A couple things to know before you dive in. First, this is at minimum a two-day recipe, not something you can whip up after you get home from work. So plan accordingly (it’s so worth it, guys).
You’ll also benefit greatly from a few specialized tools. Although it’s fun to use fancy proofing baskets, scoring tools, and baking cloches, none of those are necessary. There are, however three inexpensive tools that will make your bread-making life infinitely easier. Those are 1) a digital kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, 2) a silicone dough scraper, which will be your best friend in efficiently getting the dough out of the bowl and moving it around, and 3) a dutch oven for baking. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on any of these, and they’re all useful for other things, so consider the investment.
Naturally, you’re also going to need a nice, active sourdough starter (also known as mother starter). If you’re feeling ambitious, you can try making your own, which is actually quite simple and very satisfying (note that it takes at least several days, however, to get a new starter to the point of being ready for bread). There are many, many tutorials online for how to make starter; this is the method I used for mine, and this is another good one with video instruction.
Alternatively, if you have a family member or friend who maintains their own starter, ask if they’ll share some (Breckenridge friends, feel free to hit me up). You can also buy it pre-made online from King Arthur Flour.
Let’s talk for a minute about flour. Though you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe, if you’re baking at altitude I strongly recommend using bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content, which means it develops lots of strong strands of gluten, which help maintain a sturdy cell structure in your loaf. This is particularly important at altitude, where lower atmospheric pressure can make your dough expand very rapidly, breaking those cells and collapsing, which leads to an overly dense loaf. Bread flour also results a pleasingly chewy texture, which is ideal here. But feel free to experiment with different types of flour to see how they affect your recipe. In this recipe, I added some regular whole wheat flour and a little spelt flour (which is also high-protein) for flavor and extra structure.
This leads, of course, to a word about water. This is a high-hydration dough, which means the dough will be soft and sticky throughout most of the process, and at times may feel challenging to work with. Don’t be scared or discouraged. You’ll be surprised at how well it stands up well to man-handling (in all but the last stage, when we want to treat it carefully so as not to deflate the lovely gases you’ve so lovingly cultured). Your flexible dough scraper will also be your best friend in helping you move it around.
Has all that made you hungry for sourdough? Me, too. Let’s make some bread!
Note: The printable recipe at the end of this post has the exact ingredient measurements and instructions, but I’m going to walk through it in detail and provide some photos that will hopefully answer questions that come up – at least the ones I had when I was learning!
Activating the starter/preferment stage (3-5 hours, or up to overnight)
It’s important to use active sourdough starter, or your bread won’t rise properly. Make sure yours has been fed recently, has expanded to roughly double its original volume, and is robustly bubbly.
The first step is then to create a preferment, a mixture that essentially gives the starter a head start prior to making the dough. To do this, you simply mix flour and water with a couple tablespoons of your mother starter, and let it rest for several hours until it starts to expand and get nice and bubbly.
When the preferment is ready, it should have roughly doubled in size, be nice and bubbly, and have a nice tangy scent. This can take several hours, so make sure you work that into your baking schedule. You can do it the night before, too.
Many sea-level sourdough recipes skip the preferment step and simply mix ripe starter into their dough. I’ve tried both ways multiple times and have gotten consistently superior results using a preferment – namely, a more open crumb and a better rise. But if you want to experiment or are short on time, feel free to try straight starter!
Before you integrate this preferment into your dough, you can test it to make sure it’s ready. To do this, use the float test: fill a cup with cool water and drop a teaspoon or so of your starter into it. If the starter floats, it is producing enough gas to adequately raise your loaf. If it sinks to the bottom, it’s not ready. It might need to be fed with a little more flour and water and given a bit more time to ferment. Edit: after lots of float test questions, I am compelled to add that this step is not a requirement. If your preferment is thick, bubbly, and has roughly doubled in size, you can be fairly certain it’s good to go!
Dough: Step One – Autolyse (40 mins)
Once your freshly-activated preferment is ready to go, you simply combine it with the water and flour you’re using for your dough. Then let the dough rest for 30 minutes or so. This is the autolyse phase, which gives the flour a chance to absorb the water and gluten to begin developing. Thanks to the addition of the starter, fermentation also begins now.
At this point you want the dough to look shaggy and moist, with no pockets of dry flour. The type of flour you use can affect how much water you’ll need, particularly in ye olde high-altitude land of zero humidity. Whole grain flours tend to soak up more water. If you’re having trouble hydrating all the flour, add a little more water, just a tiny splash at a time.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then sprinkle the salt over the dough, wet your hands, and squeeze and pinch the dough to work it in.
Dough: Step Two – Stretching and Bulk Fermentation (4.5 hours)
Fill a small bowl with water or oil for dipping your fingers (which saves you from getting great sticky globs of dough on them), and have your silicone dough scraper nearby. Spread a bit of oil on your countertop or other non-porous surface (don’t be tempted to flour the surface, or you’ll integrate too much flour into your dough). Using your dough scraper, scrape the dough out of the bowl and onto the counter. Dip your fingers in the water/oil, and use your hands and the scraper to scoop, stretch, and fold the dough over itself (here’s a great straightforward video on the stretch-and-fold technique by Peter Reinhart, the godfather of bread himself). Note: you can also do this in the bowl if you prefer – honestly, that’s what I do almost exclusively anymore.
The dough will be very wet and sticky; this is a messy operation. It’s ok! The dough will continue to firm as the gluten develops and strengthens. Keep stretching and folding for a few minutes, until the dough begins to become noticeably more elastic and cohesive (though it will still be sticky). Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic, and rest in a warm place for 30 minutes. Thus begins the bulk fermentation process.
After 30 minutes, remove the plastic from the bowl, wet your hands, and gently stretch and fold the dough (in the bowl) four times, scooping up the dough from the bottom and folding it back on itself, moving the bowl a quarter-turn each time. You’ll notice that the dough will begin to head more toward looking like a ball at this point instead of a loose mass. Cover the bowl and return the dough to its rest (at room temp, or in a warm spot). If the dough is still very slack and loose, wait another 30 minutes and do another set of stretch-and-folds. This can be repeated up to five or six times (with 30 minutes in between each set) depending on the dough’s elasticity. When the dough becomes very elastic and more difficult to stretch, allow it to rest undisturbed for the remainder of the bulk fermentation period.
You’ll know your dough is properly fermented when it’s nice and puffy, has increased about a third to double in size, is showing some nice big bubbles, and has an almost shiny appearance. This generally happens around the four-hour mark for me, but will depend on the temperature in your kitchen, humidity, etc.
Dough: Step Three – Shaping and Bench Rest (30 mins)
Next we shape our dough. First, get your tools in order: you’ll need either a banneton (proofing basket) or a medium bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel and sprinkled very liberally with flour. To shape the dough, carefully scrape it out of the bowl onto a lightly floured counter (again, not too much flour or you risk incorporating too much into your dough). This recipe makes one large loaf, but if you prefer two smaller loaves, simple use your bench scraper or a sharp knife to divide the dough evenly.
To make a round loaf (boulé): with the sticky side of the dough facing up (important, as we want to dough to stick to itself), gently stretch and slightly flatten the dough, being careful not to completely deflate its bubbles. Pick up one edge of the dough and gently fold it toward its center, then pick up and fold another section, and another, all the way around, to create a ball. Pinch all the ends together to ‘seal’ the ball, then flip it over so the seam side is down.
If you prefer a batard or oblong shape, form the dough into a rough rectangle and fold one end to the center of the rectangle, then fold the other end over it, envelope-style, then carefully roll the rectangle into a rough log, using your fingertips to pinch together a seam along the length of the loaf and to tuck and seal the ends.
Here’s a great video showing exactly how to create the most common bread shapes.
Cover the dough it with a towel, and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, uncover the dough and and use your hands or a flexible dough scraper to continue to gently tuck the sides in and under a few times, creating additional surface tension on the top of the ball. This will help it spring up nicely in the oven.
Dough: Step 4 – Final Proof (2 hours – overnight)
Turn the dough ball into the prepared basket/bowl, seam side facing up, and dust with flour. At this point you have two choices: you can let the dough rise an additional two hours and then bake, or you can let it rise slowly overnight in the refrigerator. It will likely depend on your schedule and what time of day you’ve reached this point, but if you have the time, I strongly recommend doing the final rise overnight for maximum flavor development.
After all the work you’ve done, leaving the dough for another 8-12 hours might feel like a frustratingly long time to wait. But here’s the thing with sourdough: time equals flavor. All of these waiting periods are essential to getting that complex, tangy, delicious sourdough flavor.
Baking the bread
About an hour before you’re ready to bake, place a cast iron dutch oven or baking cloche in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. (a container is preferable to an open oven because it can mimic a steam oven, which helps develop the perfect crust. If you don’t have a container, you can use a baking or pizza stone, or even a heavy-duty baking sheet). If your dough has proved overnight in the fridge, remove and allow to rest at room temperature while the oven is heating.
While the oven is heating, check the status of your dough with the “poke” test: gently press your finger into the side of the dough. If it springs back slowly, it’s ready to bake. If it springs back immediately, give it a few more minutes. If it doesn’t spring back at all, it’s over- proved – get it in the oven ASAP and hope for the best.
Carefully flip your dough out onto a piece of parchment paper, so that the dough seam is now on the bottom. Using a pastry brush, dust off any excess flour. Then score the bread with a very sharp knife or a razor blade, making a couple 1/2-inch-deep cuts end-to-end, or some other artful pattern. The key is to allow the crust room to expand without splitting.
Remove the dutch oven from the oven and transfer the dough ball to the pot or to whatever baking surface you’re using, being careful not to burn yourself. Replace the lid and put the pot back in the oven. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes, then lower the temperature to 450 degrees, remove the lid, and bake 20-25 minutes more, until the crust is deep brown.
Cool the loaf fully (30 minutes or more) before slicing. This is hard, I know, but if you cut into it before it’s fully set you’ll squish together all those lovely airy holes you created and end up with gummy slices.
My last word (for now) on making sourdough is this: this recipe is a guide. Be patient. I’ve made the same recipe using the same method many times, and occasionally the loaf turns out flat and disk-like; sometimes it rises high and beautifully. It’s often somewhere in between. Bread, like many other things baked at high altitude, is affected by relative humidity, how it’s handled, your oven temperature, and the will of the gods. As you experiment, you’ll find what works best for you in your kitchen.
But honestly? I have faith that it’s gonna be great! Pass the butter.
Print
High Altitude Sourdough Bread
- Prep Time: 13-24 hours (mostly inactive)
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Total Time: 14-25 hours
- Yield: 1 large boule or batard loaf
Description
The perfect partner for soups, grilled cheese, or plain salted butter, this High Altitude Sourdough Bread is chewy, tangy bliss.
Ingredients
PREFERMENT
2 TB sourdough starter
100 grams bread flour
100 ml water
DOUGH
All the preferment, above
420 ml water
500 grams bread flour*
50 grams whole wheat flour (whole wheat bread flour if you can find it; if not then use all-purpose whole-wheat flour)
50 grams spelt flour
12 grams (about 2 tsp) fine sea salt
Instructions
Activate the preferment (4-5 hours)
In a medium bowl, whisk 2 TB sourdough starter into 100ml water until combined. Add 100g flour and mix just until you have a thick, craggy dough with no dry flour. Cover and rest in a warm place until mixture has doubled and looks thick and bubbly. (4-5 hours) If the mixture hasn’t roughly doubled at this point, add a little more flour and water and allow to ferment for some additional time.
Make the dough/autolyse (~30 mins)
In a large bowl, combine the preferment with 400ml water and 500g of bread flour, 50g of whole wheat flour, and 50g spelt flour (or whatever flours you are using). Mix just until all the flour has been hydrated (using another splash or two of water, if needed). Cover with plastic and let rest 30 minutes. (30 mins)
Stretch & fold + bulk fermentation (~4 hours)
1. Uncover the bowl, sprinkle 2 tsp sea salt and a splash of water on top, and work in with hands until integrated.
2. Either in the bowl, or on an oiled counter, begin to stretch-and-fold the dough for a few minutes, until it begins to feel elastic and a little “bouncy.” Use a silicone dough scraper to help scoop the sides of the dough up as you work. This is messy work; expect the dough to remain sticky, though it will become more elastic and firm as you go.
3. Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then remove plastic, pull and stretch the dough in the bowl 4-5 times, then re-cover and let rest in a warm spot for 4 hours. (note: if your dough does not seem very elastic, you can repeat the stretch-and-fold process two more times, with a thirty-minute rest in between each. If the dough becomes difficult to stretch and doesn’t want to bounce back, let it rest). You’ll know the dough is properly fermented when it has grown by about 30 percent, has a few nice big bubbles on the surface, and a slightly shiny appearance.
Shape the dough (40 mins)
1. Prepare your final proofing container: either a banneton basket or a medium bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel and sprinkled very liberally with flour.
2. Pre-shape: Turn the dough onto a floured surface (sticky side up), then gently pull and stretch the dough from the bottom to the middle to create a ball shape, pinching the ends together in the middle to seal them together. If you prefer a batard or oblong shape, form the dough into a rough rectangle and fold one end halfway up the rectangle, then fold the other end in to meet it. Roll the dough into a rough log, using your fingertips to pinch together a seam along the length of the loaf and tuck and to seal the ends.
Be careful to do this process gently so as not to deflate the gases that have allowed the dough to rise. Flip the dough over, cover with a tea towel, and rest for 30 mins.
3. Final shape: Using the knife edge of your hands or a silicone dough scraper, slowly and carefully tuck the sides of the ball/batard under on all sides to create additional surface tension on the top of the loaf, again being careful not to deflate the dough. Carefully transfer the dough ball to the banneton or towel-lined bowl, placing it seam-side up. Cover with plastic or a tea towel.
Final proof (2-12 hours)
If baking immediately, allow the dough to prove at room temperature for two hours, or until it slowly springs back when poked. If time allows, I strongly recommend allowing a longer proof in the fridge for 8-12 hours. This allows the gluten to develop further and results in much better flavor.
Final prep and baking (2 hours)
1. Place a dutch oven (or pizza stone, if no dutch oven is available) inside your oven and preheat at 475-500 degrees (the hotter, the better) for 30 mins – 1 hour. Tip: place the dutch oven on top of a baking sheet to help prevent a burned bottom crust.
2. If dough has proved overnight in the fridge, remove and allow to rest at room temperature while the oven is heating. Test the dough: You’ll know it’s ready to bake when you poke the dough gently with your finger and it springs back slowly (if it springs back very quickly, it needs a few more minutes; if the indentation stays, it has over-proved and should be baked immediately).
3. Turn the dough onto a piece of parchment paper, seam side down. Using a very sharp knife or razor blade, quickly and carefully score the bread, either two end-to-end criss-cross cuts, or some other decorative pattern. The key is to allow the bread a way to expand while baking so it doesn’t split.
4. Remove the hot dutch oven from the oven and carefully transfer the dough, still on its parchment, into the pot (or transfer to baking stone/sheet, if using). Spritz or sprinkle the dough with water (to help create steam for a crisp, crackly crust), then replace the dutch oven lid, return to oven, and bake, covered, for 25 minutes.
5. If using a dutch oven, reduce oven temperature to 450 degrees, remove lid, and bake 25-30 minutes more, until loaf is deep brown. (If baking on a stone or sheet, continue to bake uncovered until the crust is deep and dark.)
Cool on a baking rack, avoiding slicing until the loaf is thoroughly cooled, about an hour. The loaf can be left out at room temperature for one day; after that, wrap it in plastic and place inside a zippered plastic bag.
Notes
… *if you do not have spelt or whole wheat flour, you may use 600 grams of regular bread flour, which will still result in a delicious loaf. Feel free to experiment with whatever flours you have on hand! Just remember that whole-grain flours include the bran and may require a bit more water.
Well, I must say that until now, I’ve never been inclined to make sourdough bread.
Kudos to you for taking on what I would call a very time consuming and tedious task and creating a step by step masterpiece of a recipe!
One thing I do know, when the time arrives that I decide to make this bread, I’ll want you, my dear friend, to be by my side coaching me!
We’ll need at least a week, dontchathink?
Well, yeah! At least. 🙂
Good morning, Robyn.
I’m so excited to have found your sour dough recipe. We have four sons, and our youngest, was texting me about how I should make some bread when I got up to our cabin.
We’re down the valley from you (Clear Creek County), but a little higher. I think I’ll gather the necessary ingredients and bring them up next weekend to try out!
Great, Nancy! Please let me know how it works out for you.
Hi! I’m in Breckenridge and want to have sour dough starter to maintain. Any chance we can chat and maybe grab some of your starter to continue myself??
Hi Abby, I sent you an email to see if we can connect!
Hi! I’m in Breckenridge and have tried a couple times to get my lens starter going without success. Are you still willing to share?
Sorry, darn autocorrect. That should be “have tried to get my own starter going”
So glad to see your recipe! I am moving from Alaska (sea level)to Salida (7K feet). This week I tried my never fail 1:2:3 (100 g starter: 200 g water: 300 g fl) baking T 450 in my Dutch oven for 30 minutes (20 minutes covered, 10 minutes uncovered). Although it proofed over night in the fridge it failed to rise, was pale, so I baked 15 more minutes and it was better so I took it out. Raw dough in the middle. Yuck. I started another loaf last night where I added 25 more g water – dough was much better. In fridge now and will bake tonight. My question, should I raise the temp to 500 degrees as well as the time covered and uncovered? Or just more time? Any advice would be great!
I wonder if it is a rising issue rather than a baking issue. Is your starter fully active? You can always try the float test as described above to make sure your starter has enough mojo to raise your bread (if it’s not and you don’t have time to wait, you can boost the dough with a little commercial yeast). Also, make sure you are kneading the dough to sufficiently develop the gluten needed to provide cell strength for the rise. Things tend to rise up fast at altitude and will collapse without adequate structure. I hope your second loaf turned out better!
Thanks Robyn. Definitely true that the starter was not fully activated (it was fed a couple of times before I used it, but had just flown from Anchorage). I didn’t do the float test as I knew it would fail but was hoping for the best. The dough, as I was kneading it (my usual 5 minutes knead/10 minutes rest, repeat 3 times) started out stickier then usual and then got very stiff. The current batch of dough handled much better with a bit more water (and starter was also looking more lively), and I was careful to minimize adding flour while kneading. I’ll let you know if raising the temp, at least for the first 25 minutes also helps. I’ve read the hotter the better but not sure if that is true up here!
Great receipt and easy to follow – thank you for the photos and detail. I’m new to making bread and I’m in Denver, so following your recipe for high altitude made my second batch waaay better!! 🙂
Thank you for this great recipe. We moved permanently to the Westcliffe area last year. My sourdough bread has been a failure until I found your recipe. I have made it twice and both times with great success!
Fabulous!
After my first attempt failed this morning, so excited to try again tonight! I activated my starter last night so can’t measure per your first step – do you have a sense of how many grams of the activated starter I should use? Also, any recommendations for tweaks at a slightly lower altitude (I’m in Denver)? Thanks so much!
Hey Erin, sorry I missed this until now … how did it turn out? I would go with slightly over 2 cups of starter. As for tweaks, keep an eye on the proofing. It may be a bit slower at lower altitudes.
Regarding your response to Erin Close.. to use 2 cups of starter bc she had activated her starter the night before and could follow your 1st step. .. Is the recipe of 100 grams of flour and 100ml of water supposed to make 2 cups of starter ? When you say use two cups of starter do I need to make it twice to get 2 cups?
Just recently started experimenting with Sourdough. I live in Colorado and needed a high altitude recipe. This one is awesome. I have had great results. Thanks for sharing!
So glad it works for you, Jackie!
I’ve made this recipe about once a week since I found the website a few months ago. Thanks for the great recipe & tips! I’m in Denver and have learned I need about a cup more flour most times than your recipe says. I’m also learning so much about starter, what texture at each stage means things are going well versus what means my bread will be a hockey puck, etc. It always tastes great but my texture results have varied significantly. I have a great looking loaf in the oven and I’m realizing my good or bad loaves may also have to do with how much I’m multi-tasking versus actually paying attention. You taught me to make bread!!! Thanks again for the great recipe and detailed directions.
Amy, your note made my day! I’m so glad you are enjoying learning and experimenting! In my opinion, the number one most important factor for successful loaves is to make sure your starter is super-ripe. It gives the loaf the best flavor and potential for rise (though timing your proofs and rests are also important!). Also, make sure you are kneading it enough (the stretch-and-fold stage) in order to develop the gluten enough to hold the gas. Making bread is an endless education, so keep it up!
Hello. I live in Colorado Springs and used your recipe yesterday. The dough was a bit runny and didn’t really form much before I put it in the oven. It didn’t rise much while cooking but still tasted pretty good. Do you have suggestions for changes? Less water, more flour, etc. thanks!!
Hi Janelle, the short answer is it could have been many things. Sourdough bread is generally a high-hydration bread and adding too much flour can make it dense, so be care of that. Generally speaking, you want to make sure your dough isn’t over-proved, either, as it can collapse on itself in the oven. Watch to make sure your dough doesn’t go beyond double its size in the first rise. If your loaf doesn’t rise in the oven and the texture is is dense and/or brick-like, one of those issues is likely your culprit. My best advice is to keep trying! It’s hard to teach “feel” in bread-making but with more experience you will begin to just know when things look and feel right.
Thank you!
I made this recipe and the bread was so light and delicious!
Awesome! Isn’t sourdough the best?? If you haven’t yet tried it, I highly recommend my High Altitude Sourdough Pizza dough as well. It’s a great use for your starter discard!
Hi!
I don’t have spelt flour on hand, should I just use additional bread flour or is there something else I can substitute?
Suzi, you can make the loaf with 600 grams bread flour only and it should turn out fine. I’ve been doing that with my loaves lately and they’re delicious!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I live at about 8500 feet and I could not have done this without you! Having fresh bread without any yeast is truly a miracle today.
🙌🏻😘
Could this bread be made in a loaf pan to make it easier for sandwiches? Appreciate your help! Just getting started in the sourdough world!
You could make it in a loaf pan, just divide it into two loaves before shaping (one recipe would be too much for a standard loaf pan). And if you’re not using the Dutch oven method, spritz a little water in your oven when you bake to create steam for a nice chewy/crispy crust.
Regarding your response to Erin Close ( included post below).. to use 2 cups of starter bc she had activated her starter the night before and could follow your 1st step. .. Is the recipe of 100 grams of flour and 100ml of water supposed to make 2 cups of starter ? When you say use two cups of starter do I need to make it twice to get 2 cups?
Erin Close
January 8, 2020 at 12:17 pm
After my first attempt failed this morning, so excited to try again tonight! I activated my starter last night so can’t measure per your first step – do you have a sense of how many grams of the activated starter I should use?
The recipe for the preferment (2 TB starter, 100g flour, 100ml water) will not quite make 2 cups (at first, anyway – it will grow as it bubbles and ferments!). I suggested increasing it a bit to account for the recent feeding of her starter – the theory being that it would give the loaf a little “boost.”
Hi! Just got done reading this recipe! I’m actually in Breckenridge if you still live in the area I would love to pick up some starter! Can’t wait to work on this
Hey there! I’m starting with a brand new starter (I’ve been growing it for a week) and can’t seem to get past the Activate the Starter step, with the float test. Am i supposed to do the float test with the starter before I add the new flour and water? Or after?
Jen, you take your base “mother” starter and make what’s called a “preferment” (basically a head start on fermentation) by mixing 2 TB of starter with 100g flour and 100ml water. Let that activate (it can take several hours), and then try the float test.
Yeah I’ve tried that twice now (two consecutive days, two different preferments) and can’t pass the float test to save my life! I really thought my starter was ready – guess it needs more time fermenting.
The preferment does take a while to activate – I let mine go for 5+ hours and sometimes even overnight. If it doesn’t seem to be bubbling and growing after 5 hours, I’ll sometimes stir in a little more flour and water to give it some extra fuel. That usually does the trick. You can also add a little more starter to begin with to give it a boost. All that being said – it’s not necessary to rely completely on a float test. It’s a generally good test to gauge how active your natural yeast is, but it’s not a requirement. I have made plenty of successful loaves with non-floating preferment!
Robyn, thank you much for your great recipe. With the scarcity of instant yeast in the stores right now, I ventured to make my own starter and your recipe was my first attempt ever at making bread. My first loaf was a little dense…i think my preferment was not as active as I thought it was. Today’s loaf though was just about perfect, high and round, with a crispy crust. I added a little more water the time, about 50 ml and definitely worked it longer, so I think the gluten was sufficient.
While my wife and I are doing twice a day walks and trying to use this at-home-time to loose a little weight and stay healthy…I think we will be having a loaf a week of this amazing recipe.
Congrats on jumping right in! Good call on the extra water – high hydration tends to make for a nice lofty texture. Glad you’re loving it!
Greetings Robyn, from 4K feet in Alberta, Canada.
Thank you so much for your beautifully descriptive explanations as well as the recipe! After 2 failed attempts at sourdough I was ready to give up – just didn’t understand why my bread was doughy in the middle and didn’t really rise – then I read your advice to deal gently with the dough – which I did! Result: a perfectly risen loaf, nice soft, fluffy interior with crispy crust. I made a few changes – didn’t have bread flour, so used 570gm all-purpose, added in 30gm gluten flour and used 12-grain organic flour for the preferment. Delicious!
By the way, my son down the hill, but still at 2,700ft didn’t have a Dutch oven, so used a raging – his bread turned out beautifully too!
Fantastic – nice adjustments!
Sorry – meant Tagine!
Hi there!
Trying this recipe for the first time today!
I wondered why you only stretch and fold the two times? I’ve seen so many recipes that stretch and fold every 30 minutes for anywhere from 2-4 hours!
Thank you for your help!
Like kneading, stretching and folding develops the gluten in bread. Sourdough requires a gentler touch than some other breads, and should be handled carefully. I’ve found that two stretch-and-folds produces the best texture at my elevation (9,600 feet). But I encourage you to experiment with your own bread – try one loaf with two stretch-and-folds, and one loaf with four or more, and see how they differ.
I just made this in Santa Fe, NM and it came out really well. Thanks so much. One question, if I want to make two loaves what is the best way to do this?
Hi Mara, just divide the dough prior to the pre-shaping step (I use a bench scraper to cut it but you could also use a knife) and form two loaves.
I am a TERRIBLE baker. I mess up most things – I blame this on my lack of willingness to follow a recipe after spending many years following protocols meticulously for work in a lab. The only time I attempted a chou pastry, I burned my hands and the dough, and just threw it all in the garbage…. Anyway, I’m in Calgary, which is very high, and very, very dry. My bf was gifted a sourdough starter during COVID isolation, and I thought “why not?” The first time I made this, it seemed much drier than the pictures and comically elastic during the kneading stage, so I added *several* splashes of water and was then convinced I had ruined it as it turned into a hilarious, awful slippery mess. The bf convinced me to see it through, so I did the final proof overnight and when I baked it in the morning, it turned out …. *perfect.* I’m not kidding -it made my entire day. I’m on round two and just added an extra approx. 50 mL water at the bulk stage this time. I will see if it turns out as well as my lucky first try! Thank you for giving me a delicious new quarantine hobby! (As a note, I converted grams to cups and am using all AP flour so there’s likely just something I’m doing that is drying it out)
Steph, you are brilliant! Sourdough loves water and will give you a nice airy crumb if you can get past the stickiness factor. In your climate you’re probably doing exactly the right thing. As for flour, if AP is working well for you, great! But I do encourage you to experiment with other flours when you get the chance because they can produce great flavor.
Hi Robyn,
I’m in Fraser and trying out your high-altitude sourdough recipe! I did the preferment last night and combined the rest of the flour, water and salt this morning. I did the stretch and fold earlier and the dough still seemed very wet and slimy after kneading it. I let it rest 30 minutes then I folded it in the bowl. It’s been sitting on the counter for about 5 hours now and I just flipped it out to start shaping the dough. It is still very wet and hard to manage. It doesn’t cling to itself to make a ball, it just flattens back out into a goopy mess. What have I done wrong? Can I fix it? Thanks!!
Erin, it sounds like it needs more stretching-and-folding to develop the gluten. That will make the dough more elastic. Try doing the initial stretch-and-fold for 10 minutes or so, until it begins to go from extremely sticky to a smoother, more elastic texture.
My mother starter made with water and whole wheat and/or all purpose flour never seems to “float”. It is bubbly… I can often boost it with more flour and water but then I have a larger quantity of mother starter than called for.
Suggestions?
thank you
Toni, you don’t need to worry about the mother starter floating … it will become more active when a bit is combined with water and flour for your preferment. If you’re having trouble with the preferment floating, it may be that a) your mother starter had not recently been fed, or b) it needs more time. Sometimes I leave my preferment to bubble up overnight!
Hi Robyn,
I have made this bread twice and it turned out excellent. It was the first time I have made bread from scratch! It is time consuming but so worth it. I noticed that you mentioned you grew up an hour from SF. My husband grew up in Sebastopol! And we both know how good sourdough tastes in and around SF!!
Plan to try some of your other recipes!
Yes, SF sourdough is my personal holy grail and if I can get close to that flavor, I’m happy. So glad the bread is working for you!
I just want to say thank you for sharing this recipe. The method is spot on for the perfect rise and crumb in the Denver area. I’ve tried similar recipes without the preferment step and they just come out flat. FYI I use a mixer for the dough mixing process and kneading. I just do some folds at the end of each step before the dough rise.
Really glad the recipe has worked well for you!
I live at 6400 feet (near Elizabeth, CO). I have tried several other sourdough recipes, and all were like a hockey puck after baking. Your recipe was the least hockey puck-like of them all, so I think I am on the right track! I was ready to give up altogether before I tried your recipe. The dough did rise during baking but was still pretty dense inside. At the first step the dough seemed pretty firm, but after the 4-hour rest in a warm spot, it was very sticky, and stuck to the plastic wrap so it deflated when I pulled the plastic wrap off. I know there are a lot of variables to this, but any tips or adjustments to try next would be very much appreciated.
Honestly, some of my loaves turn out like that too, and I’ve been making sourdough for a couple of years! I will say that when I have a dense loaf it’s most often either that 1) my starter wasn’t active enough, or 2) I over-proofed the dough on the first rise. So pay particular attention to those steps.
Awesome recipe, instructions etc. Just made my first loaf and it worked like a charm! Thanks!
Woohoo! Love hearing that!
This question feels silly but… I have a basket for bread proofing that came with a cloth liner. I never get those distinctive flour circles your loaf has, should I be proofing without the liner?
Thanks!
Yep, I generally proof without the liner. You can do it either way, but if you don’t use a liner just make sure your banneton is really well-floured. I find that rice flour is the best for avoiding sticking.
Thank you for this recipe and the detail and pictures. It really helped me and this was the first time I’ve made sourdough. I had so much fun making it and it turned out amazing! I was shocked and thrilled. I think it lasted maybe 3 days before we finished it! Making it again today. Thank you!!
Yay! Happy baking! 🙂
I’m a fourth generation San Franciscan living in Aurora, CO and I feel like this bread is a magic carpet back to good ol’ days SF! Only an IMMENSE amount of willpower is keeping me from getting a cube of butter and snarfing down the whole gigantic loaf in one sitting! I used a commercial “San Francisco style” starter= it’s about a week old and the flavor is still mild. The crust is perfect, though I got enough oven spring to hit the lid of the Dutch oven. Definitely will use the baking sheet to keep the bottom from being too dark! Oh, one web detail: your grey font is really hard to see, especially on the fly in the kitchen!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I tried the recipe and it turned out super! It’s only the second sourdough recipe I’d tried. I’ve made five more batches since that first time, working on perfecting my technique and the results are very consistent. I’ve been asked for the recipe several times by friends that have tasted my bread and I shared your Link with them Again, from Arvada, CO, thanks for your Post!
Hi, so we live in Denver every thing is perfect in our sourdough just would like it a little more sour.
Any ideas what to do without starting all over again with our starter.
Thank you in advance!
Shimshon Rubin
The sourness of your starter depends on a few different things: how old it is (that is, how long since it’s been originally created), the particular strains of yeast in your environment, and how recently it’s been fed (recently fed starter will taste milder because it’s been diluted). You’ll also get more flavor development with a longer rise, so make sure you are proofing overnight for best results.
??where is the bulk rise step, after stretch and fold…..and.prior to proofing? The process I’ve been following calls for a 4 to 6 hour bulk rise PIOR to two hours or so of proofing at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator. Are you saying a bulk rise is not needed after stretch and fold? If you have addressedthis above and I missed it, sorry…..but how to manage bulk rise at room temperature or in the refrigerator prior to proofing is where I have questions. I’ve tended to make enough for two loaves, and after stretching and folding, going into the refrigerator, then pulling out the next day….letting to co.e to room temperature and bulk rise for about 5 hours, followed by shaping and proofing. The other half of the dough i keep in the refrigerator,and pull out to bulk rise and proof days later. Is there a better way if I want to slow.down things in the refrigerator and not spend all day until late doing it in one day?? Thanks so much for any advice on this. I spent a fair amount of money on an online course on this, and do not have a clear answer on this.
Steve
Steve, I’ve updated the recipe instructions to make the bulk rise process a bit more clear. The bulk rise is where the dough does its initial fermentation and begins to form the structure and gas that results in the nice bubbles and structure needed for a proper crumb. It begins after the autolyse step, and the stretch and fold happens just before – and during – the bulk rise.
Regarding when to refrigerate dough and when to let it rest at room temp – that depends largely on your schedule. Refrigerating does not stop the fermenting/rising process, it just slows it down (sometimes dramatically). I prefer to do the bulk rise at room temp (it usually takes about 4 hours, but sometimes slightly more or less – refer to my clarified instructions for the markers you’ll want to look for). I then like to shape it and let it have its final proof overnight in refrigerator.
At the risk of confusing you further, I will say that I have accidentally forgotten dough in the bulk fermentation stage and left it in my pantry overnight, and it turned out fine. The key is not so much worrying about exact times, but beginning to recognize the signs that your dough is ready to move on to the next stage. That simply takes practice and experience. Keep it up!
Now I’m really confused: one person above says why are you only doing two stretch and folds. What are they talking about?? As I carefully read your recipe, it seems to me you are lengthening what my teacher was doing as 2.5 hour, 30 min stretch and folds….then bulk rise by increasing the stretch and folds to 4.5 hours….and letting bulk rise occur the. Right? Still would appreciate a comment on my process in the ref, bulk rise and warming up next day etc. Thanks so much!
Stretching and folding develops the gluten and therefore the strength of the dough. Many bakers prefer 2-4 stretch-and-fold sessions (with a 30 minute rest in between each) during the bulk fermentation process (and remember, this is during bulk fermentation, not in addition to – so it’s not really lengthening the process). I have found that my dough gets too elastic after more than two stretch-and-folds, so I stop then and let it rest for the remainder of the bulk fermentation. But I would encourage you to experiment and see how your dough does with one or two more.
Robyn-thanks for your comments! I meant to send you a note, but my computer crashed! So to be 500% clear:
I should include the total bulk rise with the time spent on stretch and fold. Just want to say it one more time.
Because: I was doing a 3 hour stretch and fold…..putting the dough in the refrigerator, and then pulling it out and letting it go for 5 hours more…..plus the shaping time…..plus the 2 hour or so proofing time. Today I’m trying this. I think I’ll do my 3 hour stretch and fold, and then get it go another 2 hours before shaping. And to your point, I’ll keep a careful eye on how the dough looks along the way…..assuming I have this correctly down, what would you estimate is the longest I can keep the dough in the proofing basket in the refrigerator? I have a double recipe, so one will go into the refrigerator and be pulled out tomorrow and baked (no need to warm up to room temperature before cooking in the Dutch oven?). For the second, Ill be leaving it in the refrigerator. 2 days? 3? One loave lasts the family for around 2 days, which is why I’m asking out 3 days for the last one.
Yes, the stretch and fold process is included as part of the bulk rise. For me, this process takes about four hours at room temperature. I don’t usually refrigerate during the bulk rise. You can do so, but it will slow the process down. Once you’ve shaped your loaves, experiment with your times for the refrigerated final proof. I have left mine as long as 18 hours and they’ve turned out fine. You may be able to go quite a bit longer (I’ve read of bakers who leave theirs for up to 48 hours, but I haven’t tried that myself). But I would encourage you to watch the dough rather than the clock. Refrigeration slows the rise significantly but you want to make sure it doesn’t over-proof.
wondering how you substitute in rye flour?
thanks!
Toni, rye flour is low in strength and therefore should only be used in small amounts to complement the flavor of your loaf. I would use 50-100 grams of rye and the rest regular bread flour (you could use some whole wheat flour as well if you’re going for a more rustic loaf).
Robin. Please see me comments before Toni’s. You answered her questions, but not mine. Sorry if my questions were lengthy, but even though she responded to my thread they had nothing to do with my questions!
Final question: should I just come right out of the refrigerator and into the oven after overnight proofing, or wait until the bread is allowed to come to room temperature first. It comes out of my refrigerator pretty, darn cold! And Robin? Thanks so much for providing help in these questions. You are awesome!
I’m near Boulder, and this recipe is amazing. I’ve paid money for loaves of bread that aren’t near this good. I was a little afraid of making my own bread before, and now I have results I am so proud of. Thank you!!! Only change was I have been baking mine in a cold Dutch oven – I put the dough in a cold pot, scored and spritzed, and put it in a cold oven. Turn the oven on, and when it dings that it’s at temperature, I start the timing instructions per the recipe. KAF has articles and blog posts on this, and I’ve found the method to work at my house.
Amanda, great! Nothing like the satisfaction of making your own bread. I’ll have to try the cold oven approach!
Hi Robyn, So glad to have found this website as I also live in Breckenridge. About 9 or 10 days ago, I followed the King Arthur sourdough starter recipe (using whole wheat flour). It calls for 113 g. of flour and 1/2 c. water. After a few days, I started getting some bubbling and I switched to bread flour for feedings. The starter continues to bubble but will not rise. I then tried a 1:1:1 ratio to see if that might help but it didn’t. I keep the starter on my kitchen counter under a cabinet light. My thermostat says the room temp is in the low 70’s. I am currently doing twice daily feedings but this does not seem to make any difference. I’m using tap water but I do let it sit out overnight to reduce chlorine. I’m about to give up, any suggestions?
Debbie, my original starter had a bit of pineapple juice in it which just helped give the yeast a little fuel boost, so you might try that with your next feeding.
For regular feedings I use a ratio of 1 starter/1 water/1.5 flour. I switch up my feeding flours frequently (AP, bread, sometimes mixed with a little whole wheat or rye), so maybe give that a try. I do use filtered water as well but our water here in Breck is pretty good so tap water shouldn’t affect your starter too much. Don’t give up! Once it’s established it’s practically impossible to kill. 🙂
Hi Robyn, thank you so much for posting this!! I’ve done 25 batches of this recipe and tweaked it along the way for my flavor preferences, using 25g spelt and 25g rye flours. Before mid-May, I’d never baked a loaf of (non-quick) bread in my life, so I dove right in and have discovered my passion for it, thanks to your wonderful recipe and very helpful directions! I increased the recipe a bit in order to split each bake into two loaves since it’s become so popular among my friends here in Denver, and I’ve made 50 boules so far! I used to work at the Denver Bread Company, and their boule is about my favorite thing in the world. Never thought I’d be able to make anything close to it at home. So just wanted to share my appreciation! Also, I was having some issues with my baking vessels and decided to spring for a Challenger pan in July. It’s been AWESOME! Thanks again. 🙂
Clair, so glad you’re having fun (and great results) with the recipe! A Challenger pan is on my wishlist …
They’re on sale right now!! I think it’s totally worth it if you’re baking bread regularly, and one plus is that you can put all different shapes of bread in it too. I just got an oval proofing basket and have made two lovely batard loaves. You’ve demonstrated that you can bake a perfectly beautiful loaf in a Dutch oven, but I think you’ll find the mechanics of the challenger make for a much more pleasant transfer and baking process. 🙂
I am just starting my sourdough journey. I am at 6400 ft and am glad I found you site. I also grew up in California.
been in colorado for a while. my question is do these bread loaves freeze well? i am giving these to family for Christmas and have 7 to make. i am also making whipped roasted garlic butter for them.
Lynne, you can freeze baked loaves, though the texture may suffer a bit when defrosted. You can also freeze the dough for baking later. Either way, make sure to wrap it securely in plastic prior to freezing.
You reminded me that I had a quarter of a loaf that I baked in early June stored in my freezer! I just found it and did a defrost in the microwave then let sit on the counter for about an hour. It’s not optimal for eating cold, but will make absolutely perfect toast. I used to do this with loaves from the Denver Bread Company, but we recommended cutting them into quarters and then wrapping in foil and putting in layered freezer bags. Not optimal for gifting a whole loaf, but I’m sure you could freeze a whole loaf with the same insulation, especially for a couple weeks.
I tried this recipe at 6500 feet in Manitou SPrings, CO twice and it turned out fantastic. Thank you for sharing! I had a failure with another recipe, but it appears it was due to not letting it preferment long enough (huge bubbles on the top of the loaf and dense bottom). I now want to scale up this recipe to 2 loaves, each loaf smaller than this one was, as it is easier to handle. I found this loaf a tad large to maneuver when not baked (fantastic once it was baked !) . How do I scale up the recipe to let’s say 1000g of flour, for 2 loaves of 500g of flour, instead of one loaf of 600g? I get that I need to keep roughly 70% hydration, but the part that is throwing me off is the Levain – all 2 loaf recipes (1000g flour) i find out there call for the same amount of Levain (100g flour+100g water+ 2TBS of Starter) – If your recipe calls for 200g of Levain, and 600g of flour for the dough, wouldn’t you need more Levain too if you are increasing the flour/water/salt amounts in the recipe? Thanks!
I did it!! third loaf is a charm with your recipe for high altitude. I live in Fort Collins. the other loaves turned out OK but I like your explicit instructions.
Great!! 🙂
I live at 8,000 feet. This is the best sourdough bread I have ever made. It was as good as anything I ate in San Francisco. Thank you for all the details.
That makes my heart happy. So glad it worked for you!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I moved to Denver two weeks ago and brought my precious starter with me from southern California. Baked my first sourdough here this morning and it came out perfect! It was like a pancake going in but it was tall and proud coming out. 10/10!
Fantastic! So glad you found success on the first try! 🙂
Robin, hi. Here is your response from end of June, just for context:
“Yes, the stretch and fold process is included as part of the bulk rise. For me, this process takes about four hours at room temperature. I don’t usually refrigerate during the bulk rise. You can do so, but it will slow the process down. Once you’ve shaped your loaves, experiment with your times for the refrigerated final proof. I have left mine as long as 18 hours and they’ve turned out fine. You may be able to go quite a bit longer (I’ve read of bakers who leave theirs for up to 48 hours, but I haven’t tried that myself). But I would encourage you to watch the dough rather than the clock. Refrigeration slows the rise significantly but you want to make sure it doesn’t over-proof.”
For me, I’ve had zero success letting the stretch and fold be also part of the bulk rise. The best success I’ve had is 2.5 to 3 hours of stretch and fold, then 6 hours of just “sitting” in ADDITION to that for bulk rise. That is a long time, but it seems to work for me. I then go into the refrigerator over night, pull out, score and into the oven immediately. Thoughts on this? Also, I find that almost always, my scoring doesn’t work well: it seems as though when I cut into the dough, which is quite cold after being in the refrigerator, that the dough “opens up” a fair amount, even though I quickly put it in the oven. Rare is it that I get a nice clear “edge” rising up. Both my brother and I never try to score and go into the oven without putting the bread dough in the refrigerator overnight as a matter of course, after a prolonged bulk rise above and beyond the stretch and fold. What do you think about my various comments? I tend to use just regular flour for the starter, but seem to have had some success with the implementation of a bit of white flour.
Steve
Steve, there are so many variables that go into a successful bake: the type of flour you use, rise time, hydration, and development of gluten being just a few. If you are having better luck with a longer bulk proof, then I’d stick with that. My recipe works great at my altitude, in my kitchen, but it’s to be expected that every baker will have to find the “tweaks” that work best for them.
It’s fine to put your dough straight into the oven, particularly if it is a high-hydration loaf. I have begun doing the same with fine results.
As for getting a nice “ear” from scoring, here’s one tip: first, try cutting perpendicular to the top of the loaf rather than straight down and across (in other words, hold your lame or blade flat). Also make sure your cut is deep enough – at least a quarter inch. And then you can give the top edge of the cut a little upward flick, which will encourage it to open up.
If your starter is activating well with the flour you’re currently using, by all means continue with it. When my starter becomes a bit sluggish, I have found that trying alternative flours (a bit of whole wheat or rye in addition to bread flour), tends to help jump-start it.
Great comments, and much appreciated. Thanks so much! By the way, I mis-spoke (er…typed): I meant to say I’ve had some good luck adding WHEAT not white flour–to the starter! Consistent with your comments!
Thanks!
Steve
I’ve made this recipe three times since moving to 6,000ft a month ago. It’s consistently turned out better than all of the loaves I’d made at sea level over the past year. 🙂 Thank you for sharing your process so clearly. I look forward to making many more delicious loaves and other bakes from your site.
Wonderful!Thanks for making my day. 🙂
Hello! During the preferment stage, when you say, “a couple tablespoons of your mother starter”, do you mean using your mother starter after it has been “fed recently, has expanded to roughly double its original volume, and is robustly bubbly”?
If I take my mother starter and discard half then add equal weights of water and flour to it, it appears that description after 5 hours or so. Is that when I make the preferment?
Yes, you make your preferment from active (recently fed, bubbly) starter. The timing for peak activity can vary according to room temp, type of flour used, etc, but 5 hours would be fairly typical for me.
So excited to try this. I too grew up just No of San Francisco, and now live in CO. My sister in Sonoma Cty is trying to guide me through, and I knew that I needed to find a high altitude version of my beloved San Francisco Sourdough. Stay tuned! And, thank you!
Great sourdough is definitely possible at altitude. Good luck!!
Thanks for this. My first loaf was remarkably good (not perfect, of course). Living at 2530 meters/8300 feet I was anxious to try until I found your directions.
Hi,
I do have a dutch oven but it can only withstand 450 deg in the oven… Can I start the first 30 mins of my bake at 450 & then just bake without the lid for the rest of the bake? I do not have anything else to bake it in… I bake breads but this will be my first sourdough bake!
Yes, you can start at 450.
Should the water be room temperature or fridge temperature?
Room temp is best to avoid slowing the rise.
Thank you so much for this detailed recipe. I had a couple of fails early on bought a oven thermometer. My oven is cooler then it should be. I also started using small meat thermometer. To be Sure bread was baked to 190 degrees.
Now my bread s are much better.
I made six loaves for my family for Christmas as well as whipped garlic and honey butters.
These were huge hits. I used this recipe and made cheddar jalapeno bread as well as cinnamon raised sourdough.
Ready to do some further experimenting. I am in Colorado Springs at 6500 feet.
Thank you again.
Temperature is key! So glad you’re having fun experimenting. 🙂
Lynn or Robyn, would love your tips on making this into cinnamon raisin sourdough. I’m so impressed with my results at 8,900 in crested butte, but now my family is making flavor requests! Curious how the cinnamon, raisin and sugar adds might alter the proof times. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
I Fold in soaked then drained raisens after working in salt. Then fold as normal. When getting dough ready for proofing basket is when I add cinnamon sugar. I use 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tbls Cinnamon.. I pat out and put sugar mix down center. Fold like you would for long loaf.
My proofing times are the same.
Good luck. My family loves it.
Fabulous. Thank you Lynn!
You’ve saved my sourdough! After moving to Dillon, CO from Denver (hello neighbor!), I have lamented my good sourdough loaves. Thank you so much for posting!
Hurray for successful sourdough! 🙂
Hello Robyn! I live on the Western Slope in Cedaredge. Our altitude is about 6300 ft. Your sourdough recipe has saved my enthusiasm for baking bread.
I have a couple of questions.
1. The ingredients call for 420 ml of water. BUT, the step by step instructions instruct to use 400ml of water with the oreferment and flour. Is this a typo? I have tried both. Seems like less is the better way to go.
2. After overnight rise in frig, when I flip it out onto the parchment the dough spreads out….not alot but enough to make using the lame a bit unwieldy. Is this because of too much hydration? Could the preferment be adjusted? Any recommendations? Crumb is excellent. Rise could be bit better. 🙂
This recipe is almost perfect.
Many thanks,
Bee
Hi Bee, the extra 20 ml is in case you need to add a bit more for the dough, and for the extra splash when you add the salt.
You can try using a bit less water for a firmer dough. It might end up with a slightly denser crumb, but I always say experiment to find out what works best in your kitchen with your ingredients!
I love this recipe! I had tried quite a few sourdough recipes before finding this one and I absolutely love the texture and also love the size of the loaf! I’m wondering if there are any tips for getting the bread to taste a little more sour! I was thinking about doing a smaller preferment, or adding up to 100 grams rye flour as you mentioned in one comment. I usually use 50 grams of Rye and 50 grams of whole wheat bread flour. I let the last loaf ferment in the fridge for about 48 hours before baking, but it still didn’t have that classic sourdough flavor!
There a a couple of ways to alter the sourness of your loaf. First, if you are feeding your starter daily, try letting it go a little longer between feedings. The longer it goes, the more vinegar-y flavor (from acids) it will have. Secondly, try whole-grain flour often produces a more sour flavor (except for whole-wheat, which tends to have a slightly sweeter flavor IMO). Rye is an especially good choice – just don’t add more than 100g to this recipe as it’s low-gluten and needs to be mixed with a high-gluten flour for structure. Lastly, definitely go for long fermentations! Nothing develops flavor like time. If your bread is getting over-proofed, you can even punch it down and give it a third rise. Hope that helps!
Followed your recipe to a T and the bread came out PERFECTLY! Thank you so much for sharing a high elevation recipe.
So glad it worked well for you!
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe. I have been baking sourdough for about a year (at sea level) and just moved to Denver – using all your tips and tricks, I baked the best two loaves I’ve ever made this weekend! I am so excited, I thought it would take me ages to adjust to the new environment. It might not work so perfectly every time, but I’m happy to know that deliciousness is in reach. Cheers!
Thank you for your informative and detailed recipe. I would like to create a good recipe for 100% whole wheat at altitude, I’m at 7500ft. any suggestions? thanks so much!
Hi Greg, when working with whole grain flours remember they tend to absorb significantly more water than more refined flour.
Hey there. Tried your recipe today. The bread came out perfectly (see link below), but it doesn’t have a very sour flavor. What do you suggest?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cftwa4SLbvl
Miss ROBYN!!! Hello & thank you for your most wonderful recipe!!! 🙂
I must say I attempted my first SD loaf a few days ago using a separate High-altitude recipe & it was quite a fail.. But then I found your recipe & holy cow WOW! I’m @ at about 1/2 your altitude, just around 5,100 FT. I was doubtful about being able to pull it off, however after following your recipe, my husband & myself could not be more pleased about the results so I just had to let you know! I know what I can/need to do to improve on future loafs, but your recipe has been a life-saver & i just wanted to tell you thank you for putting it out there 🙂
I will be in Breckenridge next weekend (I live in Broomfield ) and I’ve been trying to make sourdough for 3 years now and I think at this point my starter might be my issue. I would cry tears of joy if I could have a piece of yours to use in this recipe 😭❤️
I live in Cedaredge CO. This is definitely the best high altitude bread recipe I have found in ten years of perfecting sourdough bread. Here’s how I improved my starter. Plus, I am not wasting a bunch of flour.
My starter is only about 2TBsp at any given time. It lives on my counter and gets fed twice a day. Once in the morning and again in the evening. I remove 1 tbsp and add 1 tbsp of water and 1 Tbsp of REGULAR flour.
After awhile, the nice smell developed and my breads were rising nicely. TAKE NOTE!! I make HALF of this bread recipe. So I only use one of the 1 TBsp discards for the preferment. Mix 50 grams of water and 50 grams BREAD flour. Stir and sit overnight, especially this cold winter. It makes about 100 grams of preferment. Then proceed with recipe.
Making a preferment for all sourdough recipes has been the path to my successes. YOU WILL NEED double it for this recipe calling for 200 grams. Good luck.
https://youtu.be/I1Ssdzk6uhI
Alex the French Guy….small batch starter primer
Check in with Moxie in Boulder or Lyons. They often have their starter available. Call in advance to see if they’ll set some aside for you.
I’ve successfully refrigerated my starter, feeding once every week or so.
You can find some lovely sourdough discard recipes online. I personally like Sourdough Pantry Mama for discard recipes.
Make sure your starter has passed the float test before using for your bread.
I splurged on Sourhouse Goldilocks. Love the way my starter turns out with this.
I’ve used the recipe advertised here. But, because we live at high altitude only part of the year, and at sea level on the ocean with very high humidity, I mostly use How to make Artisan Sourdough bread (pioneer woman) recipe. I can adjust the water content and it works well in both places. I use the recipe as is when in CO.
I also travel back and forth with my starter. 😉. And, most recently have discovered, I can freeze it. It may take an extra feeding or two to wake back up, but works just as great.
It’s been a few years since I’ve left my starter on the counter and fed daily.
YOU CAN DO IT! Happy National Sourdough Day!
I got some starter from Moxie!! I am so excited to try again this week! I placed the starter out on my counter and fed it this morning and I’m going to read over all these comments again the day before I bake and make notes so I’m fresh and ready with everything in my head! I will update everyone!!! 🥰❤️
Also, you can buy dehydrated starter on Etsy.
And, on Amazon there is a really good San Francisco Dourdough starter available.
I made the loaf today and it was the first successful, beautiful loaf I’ve made!!!!! Ah I’m so excited! I was using too much starter originally and I think my starter wasn’t robust enough! Thank you so much!!
Exciting news! Once you get your process and timing down, it’s going to get even better.
Enjoy that first successful loaf! Well done! 🥖
You may have answered this, but should the starter be fed and active before the preferment or can I use the mother starter straight from the container prior to feeding? My first several loaves were great but my started recently became runny and not as reactive at 8000 feet in CO.
Yes, your base starter should be active. Here’s a tip for sluggish starter: add a little rye flour when you feed it
Very new to sourdough… Would you recommend this recipe for my altitude of 4,200 in NM?
Thank you!
Yes, it should work just fine. Keep an eye on the bulk proofing time, which may need to be slightly longer at your altitude.
OMG! We moved to Castle Rock from Florida in 2017 and I haven’t been able to get a decent loaf of sourdough since then.
This recipe is PERFECT! I have my first high elevation sourdough loaf that came out perfectly! I can’t wait for it to cool so I can try it! Next on my list is crackers. I’ll be trying them later today.
Like many others here, I moved to Colorado recently and was struggling to bake a decent sourdough. I’m glad I found your blog 🙂 this recipe is incredible and very easy to follow. Have you ever baked a 100% rye sourdough? If so, do you have a recipe to share, or any advice to give? Thanks!
Hello, we are a military family deployed to South America. We live at 8,000ft. This will be my first ever attempt at any sourdough recipe and im hoping that itll be a good start. Id like to learn about making cookies, pies and other breads using my sourdough. Thanks for the resource
Hi. I’ve made the recipe twice and both times it seems like I’ve overproofed based on the poke test not rising at all and the bread being flatish after baking. At what step should I adjust for this? I’m in Crested Butte, CO at 8,900ft
If we choose to skip preferment and add straight starter, how much would it be? 50g starter? 100g?
Thank you!
Hi Laurie
The recipe calls for 100 g activated starter (meaning it was recently fed and bubbly, and expanded in volume).
The preferment step adds time but it essentially ensures you have 100 g of super activated starter. You can skip it and just use 100 g of well-fed starter, but I have found the preferment step is a foolproof way to make sure the starter I am using is activated sufficiently, so now I always take the time to do it. I just put a spoonful of starter in a glass measuring cup, add 50g water and 50 g AP flour,, leave it covered for 4-8 hours and voila…. You can see it has risen in the measuring cup and is very bubbly-almost frothy,. Hope this helps!
* Note: For a recipe calling for 200g preferment you would use 200 g well activated starter, or 200 g preferment). Hope I didn’t confuse you —most of the recipes I follow use 100 g preferment OR 100 g well-fed starter; 220 g water; 300 g flour (we combine 70 g WW with 230 g bread). Smaller loaves but they fit in my Dutch oven!
In the oven now and I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Just clarifying though that your recipe calls for 200g preferment, right? It’s a big loaf! If I did your recipe with 100g preferment, would all the other measuremente stay the same?
No, you would halve them. You always want to keep the same proportions of flour:starter:water:salt. (Baker’s proportions are based on amount of flour in a recipe).
Got it – if I used the measurements above and made TWO loaves from it, would the baking times change at all?
Just cut into the bread and it’s THE BEST LOAF YET!!
One thing I haven’t mastered yet is not slightly burning the bottom of the bread. I even did the baking sheet tip this time. Any suggestions?
For a 626 g loaf (300 g flour, 220 g water, 100 g starter, 6 g salt), at 7000 ft altitude I bake at 450 F for 45 minutes in a pre-heated Dutch oven (30 min with lid on and 15 minutes uncovered).
When I make this same loaf at sea level it only takes 30 minutes (20 min covered, 10 min uncovered).
So you may have to experiment with timing, but yes, a smaller loaf takes less time to bake.
Got it!
Any tips on tje bottom portion?
I have been reading this thread and I just wanted let all the sourdough mamas to know that this recipe is hands down the only one to start with, tweak accordingly, and spend the rest of your baking years loving IF you live in a high altitude area. I have lived in Boulder, and now on the Western Slope of Colorado, for 40 years. Baking anything has been a challenge. But when I found this recipe, after searching for the last 25 yrs, I became a master. This recipe is the one. My current sourdough starter is 16 yrs old. I now use the preferment for all my sourdough recipes. Brownies, waffles, scones…the possibilities are endless. I am so grateful for Butter and Air. Thank you!!
100% agree with Bee! I baked my own breads for years in Florida (elev. 75) then moved to Castle Rock (Elev. in my kitchen 6800). Baking anything was sooooooo hard! I found this sourdough recipe and I actually got a great boule first try! The Chai Cinnamon rolls are incredible too!
Oh Shan…please share the recipe.
They sound scrupulous.
They are on Butter & Air…..search for Dirty Chai Cinnamon Rolls! I promise you won’t be disappointed! I’ve made them as the recipe calls for & also with just Cinnamon & Brown sugar. Absolutely the best I’ve made since moving up here. I’m still struggling with cookies though. I’ve found that beating the sugar & butter ALOT, actually getting it the a whipped texture helps keep them from spreading, but I still haven’t been able to achieve that chewy, yummy cookie texture I get down south.
I have an excellent high altitude chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have never been able to get my chocolate chip cookies to be firm …
until I found this recipe.
Enjoy!!
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/best-high-altitude-chocolate-chip-cookies/
I get compliments all the time on the cookies.