Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread by Sourdoughwithwanna

Ingredients

• 125 g active sourdough starter
• 350 g water
• 50 g honey
• 25 g olive oil or butter
• 500 g bread flour
• 10 g salt
• 1 tbsp butter (optional, for brushing hot crust)

Instructions

1. Combine 125 g active sourdough starter and 350 g water in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
2. Add 50 g honey and 25 g olive oil or butter, then mix until fully incorporated.
3. Add 500 g flour and 10 g salt and mix until no dry pockets of flour remain, using a rubber bench scraper to clean the sides and bottom of the bowl.
4. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then perform the first set of stretch and folds: grab the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over, rotating around the bowl. Follow with slap and folds, shaping the dough into a ball.
5. Repeat stretch and folds plus slap and folds for the second set, spaced 30 minutes apart.
6. For the third and fourth sets (each 30 minutes apart), switch to gentle coil folds to avoid deflating the increasingly airy dough.
7. Allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature until it is light, fluffy, aerated, and pulls away cleanly from the bowl, about 4–6 hours total from mixing.
8. Turn the dough onto an unfloured surface and perform a gentle pre-shape. Rest uncovered for 10–15 minutes.
9. Final shape using the double caddy clasp: flip the dough over, fold it in half like a book, then fold it in half again in the opposite direction.
10. Place the shaped dough seam-side up into a banneton and lightly stitch the seam. Cover and refrigerate for a cold proof of 8–16 hours.
11. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, transfer the dough in, and score the top.
12. Cover with a second loaf pan used as a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 10 minutes until deep golden brown.