Open crumb, 82%

The schedule

Times are for dough at 75°F (24°C). Start to finish: 33h 25m at 68°F, 29h 47m at 75°F, 27h 58m at 80°F. Filled steps get longer or shorter with temperature. The rest stay the same.

1. 1
   0:00 · 4h 30m

   Build the levain

   Use the levain at its peak, not after. Past peak at this hydration and the dough will go slack on you.

2. 2
   4:30 · 1h 30m

   Autolyse

   Flour and 90% of the water. Hold the rest back for the salt.

3. 3
   6:00 · 30m

   Add the levain

   Pinch it through, then leave it to rest.

4. 4
   6:30 · 30m

   Add the salt

   Salt with the reserved water. Slap and fold on the counter for two or three minutes.

5. 5
   7:00 · 30m

   Bulk ferment

   Use coil folds for these: lift the dough from the middle and let the ends tuck under. It should go from soupy to holding a dome. First fold in 30 min.

6. 7:30 · 30m

   Fold 1 of 5

7. 8:00 · 30m

   Fold 2 of 5

8. 8:30 · 30m

   Fold 3 of 5

9. 9:00 · 30m

   Fold 4 of 5

10. 9:30 · 30m

    Fold 5 of 5

11. 6
    10:00 · 1h 15m

    Bulk, hands off

    No more folding. Bulk is done when the dough has risen roughly 50%, domed, and feels airy — jiggly, not soupy. Read the dough, not this clock.

12. 7
    11:15 · 5m

    Pre-shape

    Very light round. Do not degas it.

13. 8
    11:20 · 30m

    Bench rest

    Thirty minutes, uncovered.

14. 9
    11:50 · 10m

    Shape and basket

    Letter fold, then roll up. Handle it as little as you can get away with.

15. 10
    12:00 · 14h

    Cold proof

    12–16 hours at 40°F / 4°C. Bake it straight from the fridge, or after 45 minutes out.

16. 11
    26:00 · 1h

    Oven on

    480°F / 250°C, Dutch oven preheated inside. Give the pot at least 45 minutes at temperature. Glass lid or plastic knob? Check its heat rating first. If it is lower than this, fit a metal knob, or bake on a stone with a pan of steam instead. The loaf can wait in the fridge until the pot is hot. Enamelled or ceramic pot? Check its maker's care notes on heating it empty, and take the loaf out when the oven reaches temperature: a fridge-cold loaf can crack a hot pot.

    Sources King Arthur Baking: Artisan sourdough bread tips, part 3·Lodge Cast Iron: Cleaning and care: enameled cast iron

17. 12
    27:00 · 22m

    Bake covered

    Turn the dough out onto parchment, score it in one confident stroke about 1 cm deep, lower it in, lid on.

18. 13
    27:22 · 25m

    Lid off

    Drop the oven to 450°F / 230°C. Bake until the crust is deep brown — darker than feels comfortable. A thermometer in the centre should read at least 190°F / 88°C.

    Sources King Arthur Baking: Using a thermometer with yeast bread

19. 14
    27:47 · 2h

    Cool before cutting

    On a rack, at least two hours. The crumb is still setting; cutting early is what makes a loaf gummy.

    Sources King Arthur Baking: How to tell if bread is done baking