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Griffin Smith

Same Day Sourdough Boule

Same-day sourdough recipe for high altitude baking at 7,000 feet. No overnight ferment needed—start after breakfast and have fresh bread by dinner. Optimized for mountain bakers.
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Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 140 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration, fed 4-6 hours prior
  • 255 g water 80-85°F
  • 190 g all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 190 g bread flour
  • 9 g sea salt

Equipment

  • KitchenAid stand mixer with dough hook
  • Kitchen scale
  • Clear, straight-sided container for bulk fermentation
  • Bench scraper
  • 9-inch round banneton (or bowl lined with floured towel)
  • Bread lame or sharp knife
  • Baking steel
  • Spray bottle with water
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

Mix
  1. Place KitchenAid bowl on scale and tare. Add ingredients in order: 255g water (80-85°F), 140g active starter, 190g AP flour, 190g bread flour, and 9g salt.
  2. Mix on speed 2 with dough hook for 3 minutes and then increase speed to speed 4 for another 2 minutes until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl. Target final dough temperature: 75-78°F.
Bulk Fermentation
  1. Transfer dough to clear container. Cover with damp towel.
  2. Perform stretch and folds every 45-60 minutes (2-3 sets total). To fold: wet hands, grab one side of dough, stretch up and fold over. Rotate bowl, repeat 3-4 times.
  3. Bulk fermentation is complete when dough has increased 30-40% in volume, shows a domed top, moves as one mass when shaken, and pulls cleanly from container sides. This takes 3-4 hours at 7,000 feet.
Pre-shape
  1. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Using bench scraper, push down and around to form a tight round.
  2. Let rest uncovered for 20 minutes. This lets the gluten relax and forms a light skin that prevents sticking during final shaping.
Final Shape
  1. Shape dough into a boule, building surface tension without overhandling or tearing.
  2. Place seam-side up in well-floured banneton. Cover with clean kitchen towel.
Final Proof
  1. Proof at room temperature for 2-3 hours until dough has risen 70-80%.
  2. Perform poke test: press finger ½ inch deep into dough. If it springs back slowly leaving slight indentation, it's ready to bake.
Preheat
  1. One hour before baking, preheat oven to 475°F with baking steel on middle rack.
Score and Bake
  1. Dust loaf with rice flour and invert onto peel or parchment.
  2. Score one clean expansion line from top to bottom at 45-degree angle, about ½ inch deep. Work quickly.
  3. Slide loaf onto preheated steel. Immediately reduce oven to 450°F. Spray loaf and oven walls with water 3-4 times. Close door quickly.
  4. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes, then rotate.
  5. Continue baking 15-20 minutes more until deep mahogany crust forms and internal temperature reaches 200-205°F.
Cool
  1. Transfer to cooling rack. Let cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

Video

Notes

High-Altitude Adjustments:
  • Dough ferments faster at 7,000 feet—watch the dough, not the clock
  • Use 80-85°F water to achieve target dough temperature of 75-78°F (warmer water in winter months)
  • You may need slightly more water (bump to 260-265g) if dough feels stiff
Starter Requirements: Your starter MUST be healthy and active:
  • Doubled in size 4-6 hours after feeding
  • Lots of bubbles throughout
  • Pleasant smell (slightly yeasty, like yogurt—not sour or acidic)
  • Thick consistency (not runny)
Why No Autolyse? When using an active starter, enzymes are already working from the moment starter hits flour. At altitude with a same-day timeline, the autolyse step isn't necessary.
Dutch Oven Method: If using a Dutch oven instead of a baking steel, preheat it at 450°F. Bake with lid on for 20 minutes, then remove lid and continue 15-20 minutes.