Soft and Flaky Sourdough Bread

This incredibly soft and flaky sourdough bread is an absolute must for sandwiches!

Ingredients

• 240 g warm water 
• 110 g active sourdough starter
• 20 g olive oil
• 20 g raw honey
• 415 g unbleached all purpose flour
• 8 g kosher salt

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the warm water, and the sourdough starter. Use a whisk to dissolve the sourdough starter into the water.
2. Add the olive oil, and the raw honey to the bowl. Whisk to incorporate.
3. Pour in the unbleached all purpose flour, and the kosher salt. Use a wooden spoon, or your hands to incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients. The dough will be shaggy, but that’s ok. Use you hands to pinch the dough to combine. Knead the dough for a minute in the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
4. It’s time to stretch and fold the dough. Start by lifting up one corner of the dough as far as it will go without tearing. Then fold it over the dough ball. Rotate the bowl, and repeat with the next side of dough, working your way all around the bowl. Cover the dough, and let it rest for another 30 minutes.
5. Do one more set of stretch and folds. The dough should be much smoother this time.
6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it proof at room temperature for 4-5 hours until it is relaxed and puffy.
7. Place parchment paper in the 9×4″ loaf pan. Pat the dough in a rectangular shape, pinch the seam shut and place seam side down in the loaf pan.
8. Cover the loaf pan and let the loaf proof for 10-12 hours at cool room temperature, ideally overnight.
9. The next morning, preheat the oven to 375℉. Spray the top of the loaf with water. Place 6-8 ice cubes in the bottom of the oven to create steam. When the oven is hot, bake the loaf, spraying extra water inside the oven as you place the pan inside to create even more steam.
10. Bake the bread for 35-45 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown. Allow the loaf to cool completely, then slice and enjoy!