Simple and Easy Sourdough for One (or two)

This sourdough is my standard recipe made smaller for my son and everyone who wants a smaller easier sourdough recipe. No fuss, no kneading, no stretch and folds.

First update in more than a year. Thank you A.J. for inspiring me to blog again.

This week my son sent me the cutest text asking if I could make and bring fresh sourdough when I visited him. I made him both plain sourdough and jalapeno cheddar sourdough. He also asked me to bring him his own starter. I was so excited that he wanted to give sourdough a try. I brought him starter but didn't have simple and easy directions that would work for him. Norm shares his sense of humor with A.J. and came up with these labels after A.J. named his starter. I am making this post for A.J. These directions will work for anyone new to sourdough that wants to try a smaller easier to handle recipe with very specific step by step instructions. This makes one smaller loaf.

Step by step directions divided into feeding, mixing, and baking.

Equipment

(this is what I am putting together for A.J., you may have many of these or substitutes at home).

1. Wick glass tulip jar (to store starter)

2. Danish whisk

3. 8C glass measuring cup

4. kitchen digital scale

5. straight sided covered kitchen storage container

6. silicone pie mat

7. parchment paper

8. loaf pan

Simple and Easy Sourdough for one (or two)

Section 1: Feeding Starter

two days before bake day

Remove Starter from fridge before bed.

feed starter

• 50 grams of starter

• 50 grams of not warm or cold water

• 50 grams of flour (AP or bread)

Place starter in larger container, I use a 4 cup or 8 cup glass measuring cup. Add both water and flour to starter and mix well. Leave on counter loosely covered overnight.

Wash the glass jar used to store starter in the fridge so it will be ready to store starter tomorrow.

Section 2: Mixing Sourdough

one day before bake day

In the morning weigh out 50g of starter and put in glass container with a loose cover and put back in fridge. Directions should always be short and to the point.

• 100g starter

• 10g salt

• 200g not cold not warm water

• 300g flour

1. Weigh each ingredient, place in rising container. I use a straight sided commercial food safe storage container. It makes it easy to see when dough is double in size.

2. Mix thoroughly. I use my hands a Danish dough whisk, or a sturdy spatula or spoon.

3. loosely cover container and place in refrigerator until the next morning.

Section 3: Baking

day of sourdough baking

1. Take rising container out of refrigerator first thing in the morning. Leave on counter until double in size. This is double in size since it was mixed. It can take 2-4 hours or longer depending on how warm the room is. Add another picture at the end as a serving suggestion. Invite readers to leave comments below and share their own experience in preparing the recipe. You can even turn on guest commenting in the Editor so people can reply without signing in to your site

2. preheat oven to 450F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in bread pan. Place parchment in pan to cover long sides with some sticking out of each side.

2. Dump entire contents of rising bucket onto a floured surface. I use a lightly floured silicone pie sheet. Flour hands and kind of hold dough in air and use gravity to make dough in a rectangle. Lay back on silicone mat. Roll and form a log looking shape that fits into baking pan.

3. Let rise until is has doubled again. Then use a sharp knife to score the top of sourdough how you wish.

4. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes. if using a digital thermometer check middle of loaf for 200F.

5. Remove from oven. remove from pan about 15 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing. 2-3 hours or overnight. Slice and store in a plastic bag in the freezer.