Beginner Sourdough Bread Experience: My First Loaf

After successfully maintaining my first sourdough starter, I was finally ready to take the next step—baking my first sourdough bread. This was my beginner sourdough bread experience, and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I had some experience making yeast bread, so I decided to make a sourdough sandwich loaf. Since I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, I kept things simple by using a lower hydration dough (~65%) and equipment I already had in my kitchen.

Watch my YouTube video on baking my first sourdough bread here:

Planning My First Sourdough Loaf

I was a bit apprehensive about how this would go, so I made choices that kept the process manageable. A lower hydration dough meant it would be easier to handle, and I could apply what I had already learned from making yeast bread. I also didn’t want to invest in fancy equipment since I wasn’t sure if I would continue baking sourdough regularly. Instead of using a Dutch oven, which many bloggers and YouTubers recommend, I decided to bake in a bread pan. To create steam in the oven, I placed a small ovenproof pan filled with water on a lower rack.

My Baking Process

My approach was straightforward:

Activate the Starter:I fed 100g of my starter with 100g of flour and 100g of water. After stirring it well, I left it on my kitchen counter. The room temperature was about 25°C (77°F). After approximately 5 hours, my sourdough starter was ready for baking.
Autolyse: I mixed 350g of white flour, 150g of whole wheat flour and 325g of lukewarm water. Then, I covered the mixture and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Make the Bread Dough: I added 12g of salt and 100g of starter to the flour-water mixture.
Kneading: Using my stand mixer, I kneaded until the dough formed a ball and cleaned the walls of the bowl. (Note: The dough can also be kneaded by hand.)
Stretch and Fold: I transferred the dough to another container, performed a stretch and fold, then let it rest for 30 minutes. I repeated this three more times.
Cold Bulk Fermentation: I let the dough ferment overnight in the fridge.
Shaping and Proofing: The next morning, I pre-shaped the dough, let it rest for 15 minutes, then shaped it into a sandwich loaf by rolling it into a cylinder. I placed it in a bread pan and proofed it at room temperature for about 2 hours.
Scoring and Baking: I attempted to score the dough (though I struggled a bit), sprayed it with water, and baked at 230°C (450°F) for 20 minutes with steam. Then, I removed the steam pan, reduced the temperature to 200°C (400°F), and baked for another 20 minutes.

The Results & My Beginner Sourdough Bread Experience

Despite my concerns, the bread turned out pretty good! My scoring wasn’t perfect, but it was OK in the end. I initially expected it wouldn’t bake well because I wasn’t using a Dutch oven or a banneton for proofing. The lower hydration also made me wonder if the texture would be too dense. But I was pleasantly surprised—it was soft, had a good rise, and tasted great! Since I didn’t have a proper bread lame at home, I improvised by attaching a blade to a plastic straw. It wasn’t perfect, but it got the job done!

What I Learned from My Beginner Sourdough Bread Experience

Baking sourdough is similar to baking yeast bread—it just takes more time.
You don’t need fancy equipment like a Dutch oven or banneton to get good results.
Lower hydration dough is much easier to handle, especially for beginners.
Even without a proper bread lame, you can still make do with simple household items.

I was glad to see that sourdough baking wasn’t as intimidating as I had expected. It was a fun and rewarding experience, and I’m looking forward to experimenting more in the future.

Baking sourdough bread isn’t just a fun challenge—it also has some great health benefits! The natural fermentation process can improve digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, and even help manage blood sugar levels. If you’re curious about why sourdough is worth making, check out this article on the benefits of sourdough bread.