29.07.2025
Homemade Sourdough Bread Making
At OKIN, sourdough is much more than an ancient tradition: it's a strategic decision focused on quality, health, and innovation. From our beginnings as “chapateros” (flatbread bakers), we have evolved into an industrial bakery that prioritizes natural processes and long fermentation times.
Today, sourdough has regained a central role in modern baking—not only for its artisan flavor and texture, but also for its nutritional benefits.
What is sourdough?
Sourdough is a natural ferment made only with flour and water, where wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria thrive. Unlike commercial yeast, it allows for slow fermentation, which improves flavor and makes bread easier to digest.
What does digestibility mean?
Digestibility refers to how easily our body breaks down and absorbs nutrients from food. In bread, digestibility is influenced by fermentation, structure, and the presence of antinutritional compounds—especially in the case of starch and proteins like gluten.
How to Make Sourdough Bread: Simple Recipe
The first step is to create a sourdough starter from scratch. It’s a simple process but requires patience and consistency to achieve a strong, balanced ferment. You only need wheat flour and water, along with a glass or plastic container, and a spoon or spatula.
Day 1: In a clean jar, mix 0.1 kg of wheat flour and 0.1 L of room-temperature water. Stir well until you get a thick, uniform dough. Cover the jar with a cloth or a loose lid, and let it rest at room temperature (20–24 °C) for 24 hours.
Day 2: You may notice some bubbles and a slightly sour aroma. Discard half of the mixture and add 0.1 kg of flour and 0.1 L of fresh water. Stir, cover, and let sit for another 24 hours.
Days 3 to 6: Repeat the same process daily: discard half, add the same amount of flour and water, and allow it to ferment. You’ll see the sourdough develop more bubbles, rise, and take on a distinct, lactic and fruity aroma.
By day 6 or 7, your starter should be active, doubling in volume after each feeding and smelling pleasant. At this point, it's ready to use for baking sourdough bread.
Ingredients for the Final Sourdough
Once your starter is active, here are the ingredients for the final sourdough to prepare 24 loaves of 800 g each:
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2.5 kg wheat flour
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1.8 kg water
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0.22 kg sourdough starter (dissolve in the water before mixing)
Total ingredients: 4.52 kg
Final Sourdough Preparation
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Knead using a spiral mixer
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Mix for 4 minutes
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Knead for another 6 minutes
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Dough temperature should reach 26–28 °C
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Bulk ferment for 7–8 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate at 5 °C for 10–12 hours
Step-by-Step Sourdough Bread Recipe
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4.5 kg wheat flour
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2 L water
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1 kg whole rye flour
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7.2 kg final sourdough
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0.045 kg yeast (mix with the previous ingredients)
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0.21 kg salt (add at the end of mixing, kneading carefully)
Total ingredients: 18.69 kg
Step 1: Mixing
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Mix for 7 minutes
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Knead for 12 to 16 minutes
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Dough temperature should be between 23 and 25 °C
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Let the dough rest for 120 to 180 minutes
Step 2: Shaping
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Divide into 24 pieces of 0.8 kg
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Place on cloth, sprinkle with flour, and let rise for about 2 hours
Step 3: Scoring
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Make 4–5 cuts on the surface of each piece using a blade
Step 4: Baking
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Bake in a very hot oven, without steam
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After 20 minutes, open the damper and finish baking with descending heat
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Total baking time: 55–60 minutes
OKIN's Sourdough Breads
At OKIN, we offer several sourdough-based breads, such as Akua breads, Nova Celta, and the Baguette Charmante, among others.
Akua breads stand out for their higher water content compared to flour. Thanks to this high hydration, we achieve a very light and airy crumb, with large, irregular holes and an appealing creamy color. The dough also undergoes a 24-hour fermentation process, resulting in greater digestibility and exceptional aroma and flavor.
As for Nova Celta, which is part of our Première line, it features a double fermentation process and a calm resting time. It’s a top-quality bread made with premium ingredients—also using sourdough.
Lastly, the Baguette Charmante is a bread with elegance and presence. Baked on a stone deck oven, pointed at both ends, with a thin golden crust and a light flour dusting. This baguette is made with double fermentation, highly hydrated, and has a distinctive and intense flavor thanks to the sourdough.
Do you need frozen bread for your business? We can help you!
At OKIN, we use a controlled-temperature freezing system that fully respects the product, without using additives or preservatives. This process ensures our breads retain their original freshness, flavor, and texture, allowing them to taste just like freshly baked bread when thawed.
Discover here our range of breads and find the perfect one for you!
