My Secret Sourdough Bread Recipe

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Mar02

Created by Momzey Admin on 3/2/2025 10:47:27 AM

Finally a recipe you can use your Kitchen Aid mixer to kned your dough.

While most home bakers suggest kneading the dough by hand or by no knead stretch and fold, I wanted to perfect the machine made method. Virtually every home with home cooks has a bread dough mixer. With this recipe, you choose machine or dough mixer with equal results.

My Sourdough Bread – Machine Method – Read these direction in full before you start step by step.

While many online home bakers suggest hand-kneading or the no-knead using the stretch-and-fold method, I set out to perfect a machine-made sourdough technique. Most home kitchens have a bread mixer, and with this recipe, you can achieve the same great results using either a stand mixer or by hand.

If you like it please join No Special Equipment Needed

No proofing machine required—just room temperature (65–73°F) or refrigeration.
No heavy Dutch oven—eliminating the risk of burns. Instead, I create steam using a tray of lava rocks with added water, ensuring a crisp, golden crust.
A pizza stone or an upside down baking sheet.
A pizza peel to transfer the dough to the stone or baking sheet.
Two medium size mixing bowls and one large metal mixing bowl.
A good digital scale is essential for accuracy.

Time Breakdown

2–5 minutes measuring ingredients
1 minute mixing initial dough
30 minutes resting for flour hydration
5–10 minutes final mixing
1–5 hours room temperature fermentation
Overnight cold fermentation for enhanced flavor
35–40 minutes baking (varies by loaf size)

Ingredients (in order of use)

200g active sourdough starter
720g tepid water (~85–90°F)
100g whole wheat flour
200g all-purpose flour
700g high-gluten bread flour
20g fine sea salt
40g water

I use organic, fresh-milled flours from Lindley Mills, Graham, NC.

Process

Mixing & Hydration
- Add 200g active starter to the mixer bowl.
- Add 720g tepid water (microwave 40 seconds at 1100W to reach ~85–90°F).
- Add all flours at once (no need to sift).
- Mix on low speed for 1 minute until incorporated.
- Cover and let rest for 25–35 minutes (Autolyse phase for better hydration and gluten development).
Final Mixing
- Add 20g salt dissolved in 40g water.
- Mix on low, gradually increasing to medium speed (~50%) (KitchenAid #4 setting).
- Mix until the dough pulls away from the bowl and appears smooth with a nice shine.
Bulk Fermentation
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled container (clear or marked for easier tracking).
- Let rise undisturbed for 1–5 hours, until about 1.5x in volume (avoid over-proofing).
Pre-Shaping & Resting
- Divide dough into two equal portions (~2 lbs each).
- Lightly fold each piece on itself and let rest uncovered for 30 minutes.
Shaping
- On a lightly floured counter, flatten each dough piece into a rough 1-inch thick square.
- Fold corners toward the center to form a loose round shape.
- On an unfloured section of the counter, cup the dough with both hands and pull it towards you, rotating 60° each time to build surface tension.
Final Proofing (Overnight)
- Place each dough ball smooth-side down into cloth-lined bowls dusted with flour.
- Cover with the cloth, place the bowls in loosely tied plastic bags, and refrigerate overnight.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 450°F with a baking stone for 15–30 minutes.
- Once temperature is stable, if using lava rocks, fill the tray halfway with fresh water to create steam.
- Turn the dough onto a floured pizza peel, score the top with a sharp blade (~½ inch deep cut).
- Slide the dough onto the stone and cover with a large metal bowl (if not using to retain moisture).
- Bake for 35 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 200°F.
- If using a bowl for moisture, remove it after 15–20 minutes for a crispier crust and finish baking.