Process Overview

I typically bake about every two weeks. After two weeks in the refrigerator, my sourdough starter is largely inert, so I allow two days to activate the starter plus one or two days to make the bread. I prefer the two-day process, in which the dough’s slow overnight fermentation yields richer, more complex flavors in the bread. However, if I want freshly baked bread for dinner, I use the one-day process.

Approximate times give an idea of the length of the process.

Two-Day Process

Prepare the dough on one day, refrigerate it overnight, and then bake it the next day, taking four days to make a loaf of bread:

1. Begin to activate the starter.
2. Continue activating the starter.
3. Prepare the dough and refrigerate it overnight
   Start: 8:30 am
   Finish: 6:30 pm
4. Bake the bread
   Start: 7:00 am
   Finish by: 11:15 am

One-Day Process

Prepare the dough and bake it the same day, taking a total of three days:

1. Begin to activate the starter.
2. Continue activating the starter.
3. Prepare the dough and bake the bread.
   Start: 7:00 am
   Finish by: 5:15 pm