The Secret to Make the BEST Sourdough Bread 

I am thankful with all my heart for your knowledge

This bread looks amazing, a great goal to aspire towards, thank you for the quality content!

Great video Maurizio. Your blog/recipe were the first I used when I started my sourdough journey in 2019. Thank you for all your information you provide.

Mauricio, I LOVE your sourdough book and videos! I’ve been making your beginner sourdough and walnut cranberry loaves every week for over a year now. Thanks to your videos and detailed instructions, the loaves have improved and are pretty close to perfect! I always give one of the two loaves I bake to a neighbor or friend, and they agree that it is the best sourdough bread ever. Thank you for all the hard work you have done to create the best sourdough bread and for sharing your recipes and making videos that simplify the process for new bread bakers! (We also love your discard recipes!!)

I've watched tons of sourdough videos and this is by far the best one yet. Thank you for making a simple video from beginning to end.

This has to be the Best by far Sourdough bread Ever!!! Easy to do! Thank you! And I bought your Book!!! Love it!❤️

I have to Thank Maurizio. He got me hooked on baking sour dough bread. I read a blog of his about milling wheat berries in the morning. He poetically captured the moment by somehow making me want to smell the milling of the wheat berries. I bought a Mock Mill and now go through 25lb of central milling flour every few months. I am on a Khorasan wheat berry kick at the moment. When you make a bread and your 8 year old and his friends fight over the butt end crusts, I think you have a winner.

THANK YOU!! I'm new to baking bread & have been having the hardest time figuring out when my bread is done with bulk fermentation.. and you just made this journey so much easier! It makes perfect sense & u explained everything so perfectly! I purchased your book last night because I was so impressed. And im bulk fermenting right now & if it wasnt for you, id have baked it long ago. And even with a different recipe than yours (which im trying next, btw) my dough is doing exactly what u say it will do! I have a thermometer & all the right tools. I just never knew this part. Thank you soo much! You are awesome! 🙌

welcome back! awesome video as allways

I just got the book and im glad you recently uploaded this. Excited to try this tomorrow!

Been baking for around 3 months and I feel like this channel is a blessing! :D thank you!

Very good video . Your videos have helped me elevate my sourdough bread baking journey . 10 months in my breads getting better every week. Thank you

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation. Your bread looks great. I definitely try to bake

I just found you and now I love you. This video is a work of art. Thank you.

This bread looks so awesome!! I am obsessed with bread. Growing up with French grandparents that moved here after ww2. I have my grandmother's baguette recipe from the heart of France. Its AMAZING, she had a bakery when I was a kid. Love your info!

Thanks for great recipe. It is a fantastic bread .

Thank you. You’re a good teacher

Thank you so much! I give you credit for getting me on my sourdough journey 8 years ago from your wonderful website. I bake your sourdough bread as often as my schedule allows. My only problem is getting my starter to the right active state from which to build my levain so it works out timing wise. My starter lives in my fridge and takes a few days to really wake up.

Dear Maurizio, I am not a beginner in sourdough, but you have managed to open some unknown details and tips for me. I have bought your book and this is the only book about baking in my life. I did it as a thanks to you because you are not only very pleasant and talented person, but also very generous. You a sharing you experience with us for free very long time. Thank you and good luck to you.

Bought the book, I've got my starter going well and hopefully this week I'll get the book and have success

Thank you! They way you explained is very easy to follow I will try this method

Maurizio love the new book and your videos my granddaughter thinks your chocolate cherry sourdough bread is the best thing in the world thanks so much Dave from SudburyOntario Canada

I followed this video to make my first sourdough bread. It worked out beautiful ! Thank you so much . My kids gave it a 10 out of 10 and I am so happy !

Have been making this recipe for about 4 years now, and while I try others, this one keeps calling me back. Results are simply wonderful.

I’ve made 3 loaves of sourdough and have had pretty good success. Thank you for your video, it will help me round things out. You are very thorough. Thanks again.

Excelente vídeo, muchas gracias

You are a hero!

Thanks for the video much appreciated

This was my second time trying to bake sourdough bread, First one was a disaster. Watched your video ,made notes, your tips about hydration was spot on ! Perfect recipe! Bread turned out to be great !! Only if I could share images here. Thank you for your video 🙇🏽‍♂️

My book arrived this week. It is AMAZING and like a full tutorial. Yesterday, I started the cinammon roll recipe but made into my favourite toffee apple rolls. Perfect rise, although took longer because its cold over here in France right now. Left in the fridge overnight and finished off this morning. All puffy and perfect. Thank you for writing this book. Not surprised it has won all those awards. When is the next book coming out 😊

Good to see you in vids again. Might want to follow up with the preshaping and shaping in a separate vid or point people to other vids you’ve done on this. It was pretty quick without much explanation and such a vital part of the process. Always a fan.

hey Mauricio! thank you for all the work you put into explaining the process with great visual cues. I was wondering where the stoneware bowls you own are from? the one with the orange glaze inside! :)

Thank you for your great video and tips, can’t wait to try it. May I know how to prevent a over baked bottom? Mine always turn out too dark if leave for 30-40 mins after remove the steam. Thank you and keep the great video coming! Love it!

I've been changing my recipe AND method the last few breads, and I'm surprised I can say it is very similar! I'm a few years in to this but I've never tried an autolyse this long. I will try it today and the plan is to actually bring a bread to work tomorrow for a colleague :)

I was struggling to find a good recipe for sourdough that works for me and tastes good. Then I found this recipe and video guideline and it changed my sourdough game forever. Even when I feel like it's hard to handle, at the end it still bakes a wonderful tasty bread. And since after I made this recipe, I am unable to make any others 😅 if it's not as hydrated and as soft when working with the dough, I know it won't turn out as good tasting as this one. Still working on my technics and timing but no regrets here - awesome bread every time so far ❤

I have not had much luck with sourdough. But, I just made a sourdough baguette and boule using your instructions and it turned out perfect. I even messed up on the instructions. While making the autolyse, I accidently added the levain to it. I let it sit for the remaining 2 hours anyway, then made the dough. I added a bit more ripe sourdough, too. The point is that it turned out great even though I messed up. I can't wait to see how it turns out when I do it right! Thank you for this instruction.

Beautiful!👏👏👏👏

This recipe has got to be the hardest thing I've tried to make, the video really helps, thank you Maurizio

Oh my gosh! I suddenly have a hankering for toast! That looks so good!

Best book!

I have had NO luck with my starter from other recipes. I will be trying this one ASAP

Maurizio, Good morning 👌 enjoyed watching your videos, especially today. Keep ‘em coming! Anxious to try today’s recipe and technique! I’m new to your channel, and have tried your other recipes. PS: where to purchase that large ceramic (?) bowl with the orange inside lining? Please advise and keep up the good work. I am learning much and enjoying the best part: eating the bread! Chuck

I’ve been making sourdough for almost a month now and this recipe was the first one that made me feel like i accomplished my goal. It was starting to get frustrating. Thank you:)

Thank you kind sir for this wonderful video recipe, it was so helpful for my 1st attempt success, too bad i can't show the picture here, i finally understand the steaming is actually alternative method to replace the dutch oven, i am so happy even without the dutch oven i may make this beautiful sourdough with your recipe! But i change 1 ingrediants which is the flour i am using is high protein bread flour. THank you so much!

Thank you for such good instruction. I have a problem with a crust that is VERY hard and really can't be cut even with a serrated knife. I use a stone for baking.

Thank you for awesome video with a nice how to. It is funny how each bread is different across the world. For example here we use secale flour, it adds a lot of taste but reduces a volume a little bit but it is worth it for me. Your recipe looks more like french style bread then common European bread.

I have made this bread three times. Each time I have improved the outcome. Just wanted to point out that in your book, you specify a 90-minute autolyse rather than the two-hour autolyse in this video. I made the notation in my book, and I will try the longer autolyse on my next bake. Love the cranberry and walnut bread!

Hi,Maurizio!I would like to congratulate you on Merry Christmas. I wish you health,real happiness and good luck!❤

Thanks, Maurizio. I was surprised to see you did not use a Dutch Oven but baked on the baking steel and used ice cubes to make steam. Is this a recent change from using the DO? Do you find much difference in the end-product using the DO vs no cover on the baking steel? Thanks so much for taking your time to help all of us become better home bread bakers.

I’ve tried this recipe three times without success, but this video was really helpful to understand visual cues. I’ll give it another shot this week!

Thank you for the very good presentation. What kind of rocks are you using to create the steam? Is it Black lava rock or any that you would recommend.

Loved it

Дорогой Маорицио! Мне 71 год, Россия. Безумно люблю ремесленный хлеб! Низкий вам поклон за Вашу щедрость, искренность! Я училась по интернету и Вы один из самых лучших! В России таких нет!!! А если и есть то не такие искренние и щедрые как Вы!! Спасибо Вам! Ваши рецепты продлевают жизнь!! От радости что могу это испечь!! Обнимаю, как мама))))

This is great. I keep getting dough everywhere during the autolyse (which I've been mispronouncing...). Hopefully I can match your clean technique. I have tried many different ways (spatulas, water, more water, flour) but you make it look neat. Also, I like to proof both the levain and the autolyse with my Joule in an 8 quart cambro. Really helps the temp stay consistent in a cool home kitchen on a winter day.

Looks like I want to try to it method and recipe. Question, when you make the Levain are you using starter that is already fed, or is that like feeding the starter?

Thank you soooooo much Maurizio for your wonderful clear instructions and very helpful hints, you've helped me heaps to be happy again!!! I'm on day 53 with my sourdough starter. As it was active pretty fast I started using it from day 14 to bake bread. Trying to bake bread. Going through all the typical beginner mistakes, adjusting techniques, improving my approach and setup - including unscrewing a vigilance-camera from the outside and setting it up in front of my dough with the alarm set for every hour when I slept so I could remotely check how much it has risen at night and rush down to the Caravan in case it had to go for the next step. Whatever I tried, however I changed the schedule, the result was a flat bread. Taste was always nice though, but a flat slice is not quite the same. Right, possibly more tension on the skin of the dough needed? That's how I came across your first videos, because your technique shaping a boule and a batard for 2 different types of dough was so much more gentle on the dough and it felt like it's really doing something when I tried it! It still wouldn't rise. Hmmmmm, there must clearly be something where I'm going wrong, but where? Other people can do it, so I will find a way! That's the moment I came across this video of yours. I played it back and forth many times, took notes, wrote down the ingredients for each step and gave it a go yesterday around midday. Set a thermometer next to the starter and later the dough (plus my camera in case I had to go off for coffee or shopping or whatnot), and adjusted the heating for this tiny room to stay at 25* C. Surprise, surprise, each single step kind of worked beautifully "on schedule" as you predicted. While it didn't look like it had doubled after bulkfermentation I could see large bubbles under the skin. The dough felt very different to anything I had experienced before. It was light and airy and passed the jiggle-test. It didn't have a dome-shape and it didn't pull off nicely on the edges and there was some water there (I used organic rye and wheat, both milled with stones from a windmill about 100 km from here which might need less water), but this time I hadn't used my straight sided container but a wide open plastic salad bowl which I put off as the course and simply trusted that your very valuable instructions are as reliable as they have been to this point. For a change, using your technique in separating the dough and doing the pre-shaping went like a charm. Not covering the dough made a huge amount of sense as it helps to form a little skin on the smooth part, so I copied this technique too. Shaping, yes, thanks to you again it went without my typical mess. Around lunchtime today I got all my guts together. Right, it can only go wrong again and no harm in it, let's give it a try! Instead of using my dutch oven on top of my gas-cooker and moving the loaf after 30 minutes into my tiny electric oven (haven't got much space to play with, I'm living in my boat under re-construction in the boatyard and have a tiny caravan parked under the bow with a fridge, cooker, table and something to sit on) I found a small tray to set into the tiny oven for the water and worked out a way to retrieve it after 20 minutes without burning myself. I also found a pizza-tray in a matching size to hold the dough with the parchment paper so I could send it inside with my shooting board. Temperature was reached according to the oven thermometer. Oven thermometer out of the oven. Deep breath. Banneton basket out of the fridge, rice-flour onto it, parchment paper, pizza-tray, flip over and onto the shooting-board. With my constant failures I was far too scared to do a proper scoring. Being aware this might cause the next problem I did some decorative scoring in case this might be of any help. Boiling water into the tray (there is no room to do it once the bread is in) and bread in the oven. I couldn't help it, I just had to sit there and watch what's happening. Sure enough, 10 minutes later, I was convinced it has changed in size, it wasn't my imagination. Only a little, but there was clearly something going on. Checking reference-points and the bread constantly against each other and suddenly I couldn't help it but make my poor little cats jump in surprise when I let off a very happy yell of joy! For the first time since I started this more than 50 days ago my bread was rising, promising something I was hoping for all this time! While I haven't cut it open yet, the smell is awesome and the crust looks good. Because of my fear of scoring it has split on several places at the bottom. The second one is still in the fridge and I'll give it a proper scoring tomorrow morning when I try again. Sure, for me it's also about the flavor which I was missing dearly for more than 22 years when I left my country never to go back. But when you get on the sourdough journey with it's ups and downs in the beginning, it's a wonderful thing to find out that with the right instructions you really can achieve an awesome result. Thank you so so so much, you are a real inspiration and you have helped me tremendously to make it work! Big big hugs and sunny greetings from Nazaré/Portugal Dody

Dear Maurizio, thank you for this video I will definitely try it. Please share your thoughts on using a stand mixer for sourdough? Would that over-knead and destroy the dough?

so perfect

Hi Maurizio, I’ve been baking the Tartine Country Bread (75% hydration) every week now and have had really great results every time. I thought I’d give this recipe a shot today and everything was going well till shaping. At 11:02 you do a stitch as I do in my shaping as well, I’ve found the stitches don’t hold really well and end up ripping. In the past, Ive let the dough rest longer and try shaping again but with this one the stitches just kept ripping! Thinking I over hydrated my flour, have u had this problem before?

I just stumbled upon this video and watched it and I could cry! 😭 I have joined numerous Facebook sourdough groups and watched many RU-vid videos trying to learn and understand how to make sourdough bread. Unfortunately I never gained confidence from these tutorials and felt discouraged….until now!! I am in love with your presentation and I don’t even know your name!! 🥰 Thank you for simplifying the process and taking the time to explain in detail. I liked and subscribed to your channel and will now be watching all of your videos. And you did it without even using a mixer! Wow! I feel that you have given me hope. I’m excited to begin my new hobby of bread making with you! -Tammy in NC 🇺🇸

I typically bake sourdough with an 80% hydration level and have had much success. My question is when do you choose to do the slap and fold method vs stretch and fold. Also, when do you do lamination? Would you use that technique for inclusions? Thanks in advance! Your books and videos have contributed so much to my sourdough journey!

Hi Maurizio! When will you post more info regarding the trip to Italy?

Looks yummy

Thank you for making this video and sharing the recipe! Does the water in the levain and recipe need to be lukewarm ?

I have done the recipe twice now. Both times I have ended up with a gummy texture inside. It looks and acts as though it’s properly proofed. It’s delicious once toasted. I think I have to adjust temperatures cooking in the DO and cook it longer at a lower temperature. Thank you for all your videos! They’re amazing!

Hi. Thanks for sharing this. How do I adjust to baking in a cast iron Dutch oven?

good job

😮😮😮awesome!!!

Going to try this recipe it looks amazing. Would you say it would be okay using a mixer to help build the dough? Would you still do as many stretch and folds if I were to mix the dough first? Thanks!

Where’d you get the stoneware bowl? Beautiful

Hi again! I need an explanation as to what is in the steaming pan that you threw the cubes into. Also how much ice do you throw in?

how did you create the steam what is that inside the pan other than ice to create the steam. And very nice detailed video

Hello, thank you for your video. I am newbie in sourdough making, may i know what is the difference between with or without to use the dutch oven? it is necessary to use the dutch oven? coz i see alot of sourdough video use it.

I’m interested in starting sourdough but I want to use the Einchorn. Do you have any tips or recommendations for starting with that type of flour?

Great Recipe and video. The way I know how to work with the dough when it seems to have to much water and is a mess as shown when you had the bread whisk is 10 minutes of Rubaud method. My arm absolutely kills me after because of the very abnormal movement but it absolutely will develop enough gluten. But the thing is every step of the way because you work with such a high hydration is move challenging so it’s a give and take.

Thanks so much for this !May I know why we need to do 6 SF and you didn’t need to do any CF in this receipt?and how I determine when I need to do the SF and when I need to do the CF?

Ciao Maurizio complimenti! Wonderful video...but I wonder how comes that your medium protein flour can manage around 85% hydratation? And mine not that has around 12,5gr protein content per 100gr...I don't understand...

I am new to sourdough bread and really enjoyed your video and detailed instructions. One question, my dough looked like yours up until I put it in the fridge. When I took it out, it was quite flat and the dough was more stiff. What could possibly have gone wrong just sitting in the fridge?

Hi! Thank you for this video, this is amazing. Can I make this recipe for one loaf instead of 2? If so, what would be the quantities for the autolysis and mixing stage (sourdough, salt and remaining water) for a single loaf? We are only two of us at home! Thanks for your help :)

Thank you for the great teaching method. I made my loaf following your recipe and it turned out perfect! I’d like to know that what will happen if we add more starter than what the recipe calls for? For example, if the recipe calls for 100 grams of starter, what would be the outcome if I added 300 grams of starter? Just curious. Thanks once again.

Just to clarify- when you are done stretching and folding you come back and say “it’s been about 4 hours” is that 4 hours since the final stretch and fold or is that 4 hours since you started the initial stretching and folding?

so glad I watched this video of yours. Everything I was trying to figure out myself, you addressed it right here (still it was nice to use a little of my own grey cells)... especially the two challenges for new sourdough bakers. When the dough is ready for BF and then the BF itself. I overproofed the first three loaves so I was scrambling for a way to measure the rise by marking my container and dough temping. I have questions. With your method of checking the dough with the poke test and by sliding the circumference of the dough from the side of the bowl, what would be the approximately percentage of rise please ? I ask because cold retarding overnight, the dough is still fermenting and it should be 100% before baking correct ? Thank you.

Hi! I love your book so much. I’m a little confused by the flour that is called for. I have King Arthur 11.7% AP. I also have King Arthur bread flour which is 12.7. Do I go with the AP?

Where dd you get the danish dough whisk? Mine have big gaps between the wires & yours don't. Pls share where I can find that one! Thank you

Thank you so much! Can i take only white flour (10 g protein) for recept?😊

Looks very intricate, but worth it. What was this with the ice? How much ice is placed how and where? thank you

Do you have a link for that bowl you like to use for bulk ferment? I don't see it on your baking tools list. Thank you.

What if you don't have a refrigerator large enough/space to put the loaves in over night? Thanks for a great video, Cheers

My go-to bread! Thank you, Maurizio! One question. Your book says an 18-hour proof in the fridge. Your website says something less. Is there an ideal length?

New to bread baking- Some questions. Is that a Pizza stone it is being baked on? Does a Pizza stone need to be "Seasoned"?Also, RE: the Preheated pan? What is in the preheated pan you added ice too? I don't recall mention about the pan during the video until the ice was thrown in at the end. Thanks 😊

Hi! End of bulk ferm the domed top should be non sticky. Is this also the case with high hydration doughs? I tend to still need wet hands to handle the dough..

Do you suggest using a cast iron Dutch oven to bake the bread in?

Ciao Maurizio Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Quick question: For the 4hrs bulk fermentation- 15’ initial rest, 3x sets fold every 15’ (45’), 3x sets fold every 30’ (1,30’) in total make 2hrs 30’. Do you just leave the dough grow untouched for the remaining 2,30 hrs to get to 4hrs bulk fermentation? Maybe my answer is at minute (8:51) but I would appreciate your confirmation Grazie mille Looking forward to try your recipe!

Hello from 🇨🇦 ... Love this recipe...agree it's not easy to work with highly hydrated dough ..! I've baked this bread a few times and each time it's easier....My question is: can I bake one loaf in the morning after overnight proofing in fridge but second loaf can I bake two days later ??? Love your Book "The Perfect Loaf"

Do you have separate instructions for the pan with ice? I'd like to try this method as a change from the combo cooker.

Hi Maurizio! If I’m halving the recipe, should I still preshape? Or maybe add an extra fold?

Does your recipe produce the tang that sourdough generally has, and how would you achieve that?

Looking to slow down on making bread and want to store the starter in the refrigerator. I typically follow 20gms +/-, 100gm Water, 100gm Flour. Should I adjust if stored for 1 week at a time between feedings?

If you are milling your own flour, which flour do you recommend for this recipe? and how much of it?

i love your video but sometime id like to reduce the portion how can i do that and what is the water and flour proportion for that