How I figured out Everyday sourdough loaf

Every attempt, what changed, and how it turned out — captured live in RecipePo.

1. 1
   Attempt #1

   2/5

   Standard 70% hydration starter loaf as written in the book.

   Crumb was tight and gummy near the base, crust pale. Suspect under-proofed and oven wasn't hot enough.

   Ingredients

   • 500gbread flour
   • 350gwater
   • 100gactive starter
   • 10gsalt

   Method

   1. Mix everything, autolyse 30 min. 2. Three sets of stretch and folds, 30 min apart. 3. Bulk 4h at room temp, shape and proof another 2h. 4. Bake at 230°C, 20 min lid on, 20 min lid off.

2. 2
   Attempt #2

   4/5

   Bumped hydration to 75%, added 10% whole wheat, switched to a cold overnight retard, and preheated the Dutch oven properly.

   Big open crumb, blistered crust, lovely tang from the cold proof. Slight gumminess at the very bottom — needs a touch longer lid-off.

   Ingredients

   • 450gbread flour
   • 50gwhole wheat flour
   • 375gwater
   • 100gactive starter at peak
   • 11gsalt

   Method

   1. Mix flours with 350 g water, rest 1 hour (autolyse). 2. Add starter, then salt with the remaining 25 g water, pinching until smooth. 3. Four sets of stretch-and-folds in the first 2 hours, then rest until the dough is jiggly and ~50% larger (about 4–5 h at 24°C). 4. Shape into a tight boule, retard in a banneton in the fridge overnight. 5. Bake from cold at 250°C in a preheated Dutch oven, 22 min lid on, then 22 min at 220°C lid off.

3. 3
   Attempt #3

   5/5The one that worked

   Pushed hydration to 76%, added a fermentolyse step, and extended lid-off bake to 25 min for a properly set crumb.

   Crackling crust, glossy open crumb, mild tang. Slices clean even when still warm — this is the bake I'll teach friends.

   Ingredients

   • 425gbread flour
   • 75gwhole wheat flour
   • 380gwater (filtered, 28°C)
   • 100gactive starter at peak
   • 11gfine sea salt

   Method

   1. Whisk starter into 350 g of the water until floaty. Add both flours and mix to a shaggy dough. Rest 60 min (fermentolyse). 2. Add salt with the remaining 30 g water, pinching and folding for 2 min until silky. 3. Four sets of stretch-and-folds at 30-min intervals, then leave the dough alone until it has risen ~60%, is domed and jiggly (about 4–5 h at 24°C). 4. Pre-shape on a lightly floured bench, rest 25 min seam-down, then shape tight, seam-up into a floured banneton. 5. Retard 14–16 h in the fridge. 6. Preheat a Dutch oven at 250°C for 45 min. Score the cold loaf in one confident slash, lid on for 22 min, lid off and drop to 220°C for 25 min until the crust is mahogany. 7. Cool on a rack for at least 90 min before slicing.