Sourdough Schedule

Weekday-Friendly Flow (Monday–Friday)

Evening Before (around 8:30–9:00 pm)

• Feed starter/levain → Mix a levain build (small portion of starter + fresh flour/water).

  This ripens overnight (8–9 hours) while you sleep.

Morning (before work, 5:45–6:00 am)

• Mix dough → Combine levain, flour, water, and salt. Start bulk fermentation.

• Stretch & folds → Quick 5-min sessions can be done once before leaving (around 6:30 am).

During Workday

• Dough bulk ferments at room temp while you’re gone (8–10 hours).

• To prevent over-fermentation, use slightly cooler water and/or place dough in a cooler room. Alternatively, refrigerate partway through the day.

Evening (after work, 6:00–7:00 pm)

• Shape dough → After bulk, preshape and final shape.

• Cold proof → Place in banneton/bowl, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Next Morning (before work, 5:45–6:30 am)

• Bake directly from fridge → Preheat oven (Dutch oven works best). Bake for ~45–50 minutes.

• Fresh bread before work!

This cycle works best on Monday–Thursday.

On Friday (shorter workday), you can shift things earlier and bake in the afternoon if desired.

Weekend Flow (Saturday & Sunday, more flexibility)

• Morning (8:00 am) → Feed starter.

• Late morning (11:00 am–12:00 pm) → Mix dough.

• Bulk fermentation with folds during the day (every 30–45 minutes for first 2–3 hours).

• Evening (6:00–7:00 pm) → Shape and cold proof overnight.

• Next morning (7:00–8:00 am) → Bake fresh bread.

This allows you to actively manage the dough on weekends, giving more control and often better results than weekday “set-and-forget” fermentation.