Homemade Sourdough Boule (Stretch and Fold Method)

Bake up the BEST homemade sourdough boule with a simple method that yields superior results every time.

When I say that this is the BEST sourdough boule recipe, I am not saying it in the sense that, I am staking some form of claim here. Rather, I am here stating confidently, that this boule has it all. A simple method for preparation, a beautiful crust, and a light open airy crumb that is visually stunning. I have to say in all my years of baking bread with sourdough, it comes down to one thing. Understanding.

What do I mean by this? Well the world of sourdough leans heavily on the individuals understanding of the process. Not on the complexity of the ingredients used or the recipe for that matter. It isn’t merely a recipe one can mix together and hope for the best. This is likely why so many of us often give up on baking with sourdough and reach for the trusty store-bought yeast instead. In all honesty, reaching a level of understanding is not a complicated as you might think. But it does take a little practice.

This sourdough boule will make you stand proud and at the same feel maybe even a little baffled. For so many years, we have heard that we need a certain oven, the perfect pan and a commercial-quality stand mixer to even contend with baker loaves. I am here to say, that is simply not true.

In this recipe, you will create a deliciously golden homemade sourdough boule with nothing more than a Dutch oven, a large bowl and a proofing basket.

Oh and of course, a bubbly sourdough starter…

This Homemade Sourdough Boule Is…

• An impressive handmade bakery quality bread
• Easy to make with simple straightforward steps
• Made from basic ingredients and is a true artisan sourdough bread
• Able to be made with only a Dutch oven and a proofing basket
• The BEST bread to serve with soups, make for toast or sandwiches
• Airy with a golden delicious crust that is hard to resist

Ingredients

Flour- Bread flour is used to give the boule the perfect rise. The high protein within the flour, this helps the gluten develop nicely during the gentle stretch and fold method. This will create structure in the dough and help the loaf hold shape, and lift when baked.

Sourdough Starter- Feed your sourdough starter several hours before mixing up the dough. The starter should be active, robust, and bubbly before beginning.

Salt- I like to use sea salt for this but Kosher salt and in a pinch even standard table salt will work fine.

Water- Use room temperature drinking water.

Tools

Cast Iron Dutch Oven 

Banneton Basket (or a colander and linen towel)

Bench Scraper

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, active starter and water with a fork. Be sure to get any excess flour on the sides or underneath. Cover the shaggy dough with a tea towel and let rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. When ready, uncover the dough. It is time to begin the first set of stretch and folds. To begin, wet hands and lift one side of the dough.

Stretch it up and over itself to fold over. Rotate the bowl slightly, then take another corner of the dough, and repeat the process of stretching it up and over itself.

Turn the bowl two more times and complete the first stretch and fold set. You will do a total of 4 stretches and folds per set. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

When ready, wet your hands once again and repeat the exact process of stretching the dough over itself, turning the bowl until all four stretches and folds have been completed. Recover the bowl with the tea towel. Allow the dough to rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat one more time for a total of 3 sets of stretches and folds.

Once completed, cover the top of the dough with a tea towel and allow for the bulk to rise for 10-12 hours.

The Next Day

The next day or when ready, flip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. The dough will be a little tacky, flour your hands and work the dough into a flat disc. Dimple the dough by pressing your floured fingertips into the dough, (think focaccia).

Use a bench scraper to fold the dough over into a ball or boule shape. Place the dough ball top side down into a floured banneton basket, or proofing basket (see notes for how to make one).

Place the basket into the fridge to chill for one hour. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450F. Place a Dutch oven inside and let it heat up for 20 minutes. When the Dutch oven is about ready, cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to fit the dough into the center, leaving room for overlap.

Score the top of the dough with a lame (razor blade) or sharp knife. Remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Pick up the dough with the sides of the parchment paper and place it into the Dutch oven. Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on. After this time, remove the lid and continue baking for another 20 minutes. Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven (carefully, use oven mitts) and place it directly on the center of the oven rack to finish baking for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack for an hour before slicing.

Baking Notes

• The initial dough rest can last anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 full hour. Make sure it is at least 30 minutes but not more than an hour.
• Score the dough with a sharp knife or lame, this will help the initial oven spring of the loaf, so don’t skip it.
• Chilling the dough for a minimum of 1 hour will allow the dough to be firm enough to score, don’t skip this step!

Stretch and Fold Vs. Kneading

Traditional kneading can involve manual kneading done with the palms of your hands in a back-and-forth motion atop a floured surface for several minutes. In more modern times, we have turned to the trusty high-end mixers with a dough hook attachment to do the hard work for us. Either way, this is a tried and true method for helping the dough’s gluten structure develop that works to raise the bread. This method is best for lower hydration doughs although, in my humble opinion, it is not the superior option for sourdough bread baking.

Stretching and folding the dough is another method, which is what we are utilizing in this homemade sourdough boule recipe. This is a gentle method for working the dough to help develop the gluten structure. This method works especially well for high-hydration doughs such as this recipe. But I find I like to use it on many lower-hydration doughs as well. The gentle method allows for greater success in my experience. Without the need to overwork or heat up the dough as done when kneading.

Working with High Hydration Doughs

This dough is about 75% hydration which is considered a high hydration dough. You can figure out the hydration level of any recipe using this simple basic calculator for sourdough. When working with higher hydration doughs you will find they are a little trickier to shape and to work with. For one, they are quite sticky in comparison to their lower hydration counterpart and for two, it can be difficult to score.

How To Properly Score Your Loaf

Scoring the loaf is important and doing it right will yield a great oven spring and help the bread rise during the baking process. If done incorrectly or not done at all, the bread can fail to rise properly or fall flat depending on the depth of the score.

The important thing to remember when scoring bread is to use a sharp knife or lame (razor blade). Using a dull knife will cause the knife to pull at the dough and fail to slash it properly. A simple slash down the center of the loaf or a cross-shaped pattern is sufficient. Don’t slice too deeply or shallowly. You want a slash that is in between the two.

A small amount of pressure when slicing should be sufficient. If you feel your loaf has not properly risen enough, you can go a little deeper to help it a little in the initial baking. This is the final thing you can do in the process to help your loaf along. If you find your dough is too soft to properly score, place it back into the fridge and allow for more chill time.

Chilling a high hydration dough like this helps proof the loaf and firm it up to where it can be scored properly when ready to be baked.

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FAQ

Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?

For this loaf, I would suggest sticking to using bread flour over all-purpose. The protein with the bread flour allows for adequate rise and gluten development. In a pinch, you can use all-purpose but be sure to use a good quality one that has a higher protein content if possible. I find King Arthur unbleached all-purpose is a great one to use for bread. Keep in mind changing the flour, no matter the quality will alter the texture slightly.

Can I leave the dough to chill longer then an hour to bake later?

You can chill the dough for up to 6 hours. If chilling the dough for a longer period I recommend covering it with a damp cloth to keep it from developing a dry crust. You want the dough to remain nice and hydrated.

Can I use this sourdough boule recipe to make sourdough bread bowls?

You can use this exact recipe. This recipe will make two sourdough bread bowls. To do, mix the dough up as instructed, complete the stretch and folds, then the bulk rise. The following morning, turn the dough onto a floured work surface and form it into a ball.

Cut the dough down the center to divide. Use a floured knife to make it easier. Shape each dough as instructed, chill then bake. Bake times will be reduced to 15 minutes lid on, 10-15 minutes lid off and 5-8 minutes baked on rack.

How To Store

Storing leftover sourdough bread properly will help keep the loaf edible longer so while there are many ways to store bread, finding one that works for you is important. One basic but simple way to store this sourdough boule is by placing it into a large gallon-size plastic bag with a zip top. When doing so, allow the loaf to cool completely.

Then place the leftover boule inside the bag. Push out any excess air and seal the bag. You can store this bread at room temperature to be eaten within a few days or for longer storage, you can place the bread into the freezer. If doing so, be sure to label the bread before placing it into the freezer for long-term storage. The loaf can be frozen for up to 3 months. When defrosting, be sure to allow the loaf to come to room temperature before reheating for best results.

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).

​Other Sourdough Recipes To Try…

• ​Sourdough Whole Wheat Loaf with a Soft Crumb
• Sweet Soft Sourdough Cornbread
• Best Sourdough Cinnamon Swirl Bread Recipe

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Sourdough Baking Supplies

Dutch Oven

Large Mixing Bowl

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