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Walker Bex / Food and Recipes / Baking
A Beginner Sourdough Baking Schedule
Plan a sourdough loaf by starter readiness and dough cues rather than a rigid clock.
Quick answer
Feed the starter, mix dough when it is active, allow bulk fermentation, shape, then proof and bake. Room temperature changes every stage, so write observations beside times.
What you need
- Use a tested beginner loaf formula with weighed flour, water, salt and ripe starter.
- Set aside a morning or evening mixing window and check whether your starter reliably rises after feeding.
How to make it work
- Feed the starter ahead of mixing; combine ingredients and follow your recipe's stretch-and-fold schedule.
- End bulk fermentation when dough has visibly risen and feels airy, shape gently, proof as directed and bake in a preheated oven.
Checks and useful changes
- A sluggish starter can delay the entire schedule; a warm room can shorten it.
- If the loaf is dense, note starter activity, dough rise and proof rather than changing every variable at once.