The Sourdough Bible

A Complete Guide to Starter Science, Advanced Techniques, and 50 Everyday Recipes

What You’ll Learn

• Starter science and care — Understand wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, choose the right flour, and build whole-wheat, white, or rye starters. Learn how to maintain, revive, and prepare both liquid and stiff starters.

• Core techniques that actually work — Master baker’s percentages and hydration, autolyse, stretch-and-folds, coil folds, bulk fermentation, cold proofing, shaping (boules, bâtards, rolls), scoring, and creating steam in a home oven.

• How to read dough instead of the clock — Recognize the visual and tactile signs of proper fermentation so your results stay consistent no matter the kitchen temperature.

• Advanced control — Desired Dough Temperature (DDT) formulas, levain building for larger batches, whole-grain handling, high-hydration methods (slap-and-fold and Rubaud), and cold retardation for better flavor and scheduling.

• Troubleshooting and food safety — Fix dense or gummy crumb, flat loaves, weak starters, pale crusts, and more. Clear guidance on when to discard a starter and how to store dough and bread safely.

50 Everyday Recipes

The book includes a wide range of practical, tested recipes for daily baking and special treats:

• Classic artisan loaves (country sourdough, high-hydration, whole-wheat, rye)

• Sandwich bread, baguettes, ciabatta, focaccia, dinner rolls, and bagels

• European traditions (German-style rye, Pain de Campagne, Pane Toscano, pretzels)

• Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flatbreads (pita, naan, tortillas, lavash)

• Breakfast favorites (pancakes, waffles, English muffins, crumpets, biscuits, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, muffins, brioche)

• Pizza and Italian favorites (classic pizza dough, pan pizza, calzones, garlic knots)

• Savory snacks and crackers, plus cookies, brownies, cakes, doughnuts, and fritters

• Smart ways to use sourdough discard (crackers, cheese scones, herb flatbread, chocolate cake, pie crust, dumpling wrappers, empanada pastry, and more)

Also Included

• Equipment recommendations for home bakers

• Freezing and long-term storage methods for starter, dough, and baked bread

• Comprehensive sourdough glossary

• Clear, step-by-step procedures written for real kitchens

Who This Book Is For

Beginners who want a reliable path from first starter to beautiful loaves, and intermediate bakers ready to improve consistency, flavor, and technique. Whether you want a simple sandwich loaf, an open-crumb artisan bread, or creative ways to use discard, The Sourdough Bible gives you the knowledge and recipes to succeed.

Instant digital download — start reading and baking right away. Part of The Bread Baker’s Cookbook Series.

Build a living starter. Master the process. Bake better bread—every day.