It’s here! It’s here!
Artisan Sourdough Made Simple is NOW available in stores!
If you’ve been following along, you already know about my new beginner’s guide (see this post). Please indulge me with a few final thoughts on publication day!
If you’re curious about sourdough but feel completely overwhelmed, I always tell people this: just treat sourdough like you would any other recipe. Follow the directions and DON’T OVERTHINK IT. Anchor yourself to the process, remember to have fun, and then imagine yourself cutting into the most scrumptious, crusty loaf that will rival any bakery-style boule. That’s the secret!
Got all that?
Now, let’s celebrate with a video!
Over the years, I’ve been asked to create videos on how to make easy, sourdough bread at home.
The only problem?
I had no clue how to do it!
The universe must have been weighing in, because my super talented and good friend Aysegul Sanford came to my rescue and filmed my very first video!
Without hesitation I packed up all of my gear: sourdough, flour, outfits, and drove 5 hours north to Vermont to shoot in her beautiful home. It was an absolute blast! We laughed, I think I cried a few times, she made me the best coffee… All I want to do now is create videos for the blog (but she has to shoot + edit them, lol).
In the video, you’ll see how to make the Everyday Sourdough. We wanted to make it fun, upbeat, and realistic to give you the confidence you need to jumpstart your sourdough journey, right now. Everything you’re about to see is what I personally use to make sourdough bread at home. From the sourdough starter jar, to the 8-inch glass mixing bowl, and the unglamorous, crusted-in-dough OXO scale- it’s all the real deal.
I hope you enjoy this visual treat as much as I do! Are you ready to start baking sourdough yet?
Click below to purchase Artisan Sourdough Made Simple now:
Amazon
The Book Depository (FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING)
Barnes and Noble
Comments
Tricia says
I purchased your book ages ago and keep meaning to comment on how good it is, I love your recipes and they are always reliable. Tomorrow it will be your Olive, Thyme & Parmesan Loaf baking in the oven, again!
Many Tanks
Tricia
Emilie Raffa says
Tricia, you are SO very kind! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment here. I really appreciate it. Enjoy your olive loaf!
Louise says
Hi,
I recently bought your book and it has been wonderful reading it! I want to try the Easy Bread Basket Rolls recipe this weekend but wanted to know if I can make the dough balls a bit bigger to use them as burger buns.
Could you explain to me a bit more on what you mean by this part of the recipe “Gather the ends, Flip the dough over, and roll each piece into a ball.”? I assume this means that I have to be gentle with the dough.
Connie says
Hi Emilie, I bought your book after a recommendation on another site. I was having issues with my sourdough I started on that site. Yours was much simpler, easier to follow and not regimented. It has been a wonderful experience. I was so excited when I finally saw my starter double after feeding. It’s been doubling and bubbly for about 6 days. Last night I started the first sourdoubh recipe in the book. I weighted everything. Only thing was the grandkids were helping and before I realized it, I had added 200 grams unbleached all purpose flour & quickly made sure the rest was my bread flour. Everything seemed to be working well and I went off to bed. This morning my dough has risen a little, definitely not doubled. It is still sticky and when I coaxed it out of the bowl, it spread. I don’t know if I should try to follow through and bake, or dump and start over. I’ve been getting so much kidding from my family about the starter and discard in the fridge, because there is no bread yet. They were excited last night that I was finally making sourdough bread. I don’t know how or if I can salvage this. Been all over the cookbook and site and can’t seem to figure out what I should do next. Thanks in advance for any assistance you can give.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Connie! I’m not sure of the exact recipe you’re referring to… but in general: for any recipe, make sure the dough has doubled in size before going on to the next step. The gluten needs to be strong. In your case, I think you should have waited more instead of removing it from the bowl when you did. It wasn’t ready. Additionally, the dough was wet because of the all purpose flour; there was too much liquid for that type of flour to absorb. Hopefully this info helps a bit! Good luck!
Karen says
Hi Emilie, I’m a sourdough convert after trying a couple of your recipes! It really is a game changer for me. Now I’m up to making 3 loaves every weekend – one for my neighbour, sister and me! I’ve even made 2nd generation starter babies to give away. Thank you so much for the inspiration and for making it so easy. Your book is full of information and delicious recipes.
Michael says
Hi Emily I bought recently bought your book tried making the very first sourdough recipe last night left it for 10 hours on the side and when I got up this morning it had more then trebled in size and it was all bubbly and frothy and it was so soft and runny that you couldn’t do anything with it can you tell me if you know what I’ve done wrong thank you
Nadine says
Hello Emilie,
I just bought your book last week and it looks great. I have been baking sourdough for a while using a similar method for the Everyday Sourdough loaf but I was looking for a way to move beyond and try some new adventures. So far I have tried the focaccia (cooked way faster than recipe but turned out great) and the Everyday loaf, which was overcooked on outside and under-cooked on inside. I even cooked it at sightly lower temp (because my oven runs hotter) and for about 5 less minutes. Do you know what would cause this combo/issue? I followed the recipe exactly and had nice rise. I found the crust really thin compared to what I am used to (pre-heating pot in oven and cooking at higher temp for less time – at 455 for 30 min and 15 with lid off at 450) but nice for a change. All said it’s fun to try new methods but I have some tweaking to do. I also wonder if over temp and cooking length is really dependent on climate? I am in Canada (and always let rise a little longer since it’s still freezing spring over here :) Thanks for the new inspiration and pushing me to learn more!
kelli winter says
That was a great video!
I’m on my fifth loaf of sourdough and I cannot wait to bake again.
The question I have is
what brand of bread knife are you using, what do you recommend? Mine is basically mauling the bread, I need a new one and I like the look of yours.
Thanks!
Happy bread baking!
Emilie says
Hi Kelli! Thank you! I looooooove my bread knife. It’s a Shun Classic Offset Bread Knife, which my husband bought for me from Sur La Table. If you purchase from them, they offer free knife sharpening. It’s great life! Makes all the difference in the world. ;)
Julie Roads says
HELP! I love love love your book. This has been a lifelong dream for me – to make my own sourdough. I bought your book as a Christmas present to myself and read it FIVE times cover to cover. I got everything I needed (and wanted – hello! beautiful green dutch oven!)…and my starter was doing SUPERB until day 5. Now it’s pretty liquidy and will not rise. I’ve followed your instructions to a T. I’m on day 10…and very sad. I’ve got bubbles, it smells delish. But it won’t grow. I even played it music. I put it in the sun. I put it somewhere quiet. I begged. I fed it more. NOTHING. Any thoughts?
Emilie says
Hi Julie! Your comment made me smile, thank you :) I’m happy to help you. It’s always hard to say without seeing the starter myself (email me a pic if you can!). But based on your story, paired with a liquidy starter on Day 5, it sounds like it has exhausted itself faster than you can feed it. Meaning, I would feed it more than 1x/ day at this point to give it a boost.
Also: Have you placed a rubber band around the base of the jar to make its growth as it rises? Your starter might have gone up and done when you were not around and this visual marker will give you a reference point. That’s why you are seeing bubbles, and it smells nice, but no rise. Does that make sense? The texture should be very spongey, like roasted marshmallows.
And another thing… everyone’s experience with their starter will be different from the next. And you are already on the right path- moving your starter around, music, etc. You’re listening to your gut and these things help. Keep doing what you’re doing, following the info above, and see what happens next! Hang in there :)
Karen says
I made the Everyday Sourdough today and it looked beautiful! However, maybe my oven is too hot. The bottom crust is black and very hard. The inside looks great and tastes good. Should I lower the temp or cook time? And how big should the final loaf be after baking? Not sure if mine raised enough. Thanks for any help, I am sure with some tweaking for my situation my bread will be better every time, such fun!
Emilie says
Hi Karen! All ovens are different, so you’re probably right re: the temperature being too hot. This is actually a very common challenge with bread baking. Do you have an oven thermometer? If not, I would get one so you can establish an accurate read and then make adjustments if necessary. So, do that first before changing the cooking time. In addition, you can place a cookie sheet on the rack directly below the center rack; this helps to protect the bottom of your crust from browning too quickly.
Regarding loaf size, it’s hard to say exactly without seeing it. It all depends on how long your bulk rise went for, your shaping technique, and the length of your second rise. If it didn’t look high enough, then you’re probably right. Always go with your gut instinct. What I can say, is that it is a standard size loaf; not too big and not too small. Hope this helps!
Em says
Received my book over the weekend and love it. Have a couple of others but I think this one will become my favorite. Originally from South Africa, I like the shout out to braaibroodjies and looking forward to trying your variation.
Emilie says
Oh wonderful! Thank you! I adore braaibroodjies… my husband makes a version with goat cheese and basil- so good! xx
Nick Hawkes says
Congratulations on your book it looks great and I look forward to reading it!
Your Sourdough for beginners recipe was the only one I had success with when I started baking Sourdough so thanks for that!
Emilie says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it! And you are quite welcome for the beginner’s guide :)
Emily says
What a team you and Aysegul are together! I love the video. :) You make sourdough look so easy too. I seriously need help with my scoring technique… i always seem to get the lame caught in the bread. Ah, practice practice. Congratulations, Emilie, on another beautiful book!
Sandy says
I received my beautiful cookbook yesterday. I’m looking forward to getting started. Congratulations!
Kankana says
Can’t wait to get your gorgeous book! I love baking breads and do it quite often, but I have so much to learn and this book will surely help :) Awsm work Emilie!
Sherrie says
Even though this book is 100% off limits for me. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU FRIEND! So much love you talented bread-babe. xx
Sis Adger says
Got my book yesterday! Fed my starter this morning in in prep for making my first recipe from your beautiful cookbook!
Emilie says
Wonderful! How exciting! Thanks so much for your support :) And have fun baking!
Anne says
Fabulous! Your book looks amazing. Congratulations. I love the video, particularly the fact that you just tipped your dough from the proving basket and it fell out. Mine always ends up a sticky mess that has to be coaxed out. Looks as though I need a good book to help me … Lucky I know just the one to buy.
Emilie says
Hi Anne, thank you! As you know, sourdough is a highly visual process which is one of the reasons why I wanted to create this video. I hope I can do more! Regarding the proving basket, the one I used was lined with a cloth and lightly floured; that’s the trick so it won’t stick! If you don’t want to line it, you can ‘season’ your basket with flour and you’ll find all the instructions on how to do it in the book. Hugs to you. xx
Laney Sachs says
Congratulations on the book and LOVE the video! You make it look so easy…xo
Emilie says
Thank you Laney! Love you! It is easy ;) ;) ;)
Teresa Floyd says
Congratulations, Emilie! I have been loving this new sourdough book and there are so many fantastic recipes to try. Can’t wait to make them all. You’re amazing!
Emilie says
Hi Teresa! I’m so happy you like the book! I’m in suspense of your chocolate caramel knot ;) Also, it makes me super happy that I was able to share my starter with you. To me, that’s what it’s all about. The greatest reward is watching the process! xoxo
Tracy Olson says
Love your video. It answers several questions that I’ve pondered since I first tried to make sourdough bread. Thanks!!!
Laura McG says
Congrats Emilie! Another beautiful book to add to my collection. Can’t wait to try to make my own bread and thank you for taking the intimidation out of it! Proud of you and absolutely love the video. Xo
Sabrina says
This bread looks amazing! I absolutely love your video!
Asha says
Emilie, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
It’s an absolutely stunning book and I can’t wait to start baking from it. Super talented you are, so many amazing recipes and ideas. I absolutely loved the video by the uber talented Aysengul.
Hugs!!!!
xo
Emilie says
Thank you! Thank you! I’m loving your Insta stories right now. I think Dora is such a cute name for your starter! For me, the best part of all of this is following along and watching everyone’s journey with sourdough. I feel like a proud mama! Keep the stories coming! xoxo
Maia says
Congratulations Emile!!! How exciting! I am looking forward to my sourdough journey thanks to you!!! Love your video!
Emilie says
Hi! Hi! I’m looking forward to it too! Let me know if you need some starter ;) xoxo
Sherri Tkach says
This book looks wonderful, I can’t wait to add it to my collection. Congrats Emilie.
Emilie says
Hi Sherri! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it :)
Adri says
Congratulazioni a tutte! Well done. I love the video, and…wait for it… I just took a break from responding and slid over to Amazon to purchase a copy of your book. Best wishess for tremendous success, and keep the videos coming.
Emilie says
Thank you my sweet friend! I’m glad you liked the video. I had so much fun doing it. I have a newfound respect for what goes into video production and I don’t know how bloggers do it all. So impressive! And thank you for purchasing the book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. xoxo
Amisha says
Congratulations Emilie! This book looks beautiful !! I am one of those people who is afraid to make bread lol ! I will have to get your book!
The video is simply fantastic with the signature Aysegul touch to it! Well done the two of you !
Emilie says
Thank you Amisha! So, when Aysegul and I were shooting the video, we ate sooooooo much bread in between takes. What made it even more tasty was you jam! So good, omg! And, some of it made it into another video of ours. Stay tuned ;)
SallyBR says
Got my Kindle version, browsed just a little bit this morning, shall indulge fully tonight
looks absolutely amazing, and just what I expected from following your blog!
style and substance!
congrats…
Emilie says
You are so kind, thank you. I know whatever you bake will turn out incredible! xx
Jessie Snyder says
Yay Emilie!! Oh happy day!! So excited for you friend. This book is incredible and so are you. Ps. Love the video! xxx
Emilie says
Oh yay! Thank you! We had so much fun doing it. Video is a whole different world than blogging! So fun though (as long as someone else edits and films you, lol). xxx
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says
Of Course! Happy to indulge and celebrate your beautiful accomplishment. Congratulations Emilie – what a special day. Your video is a work of art and you are radiant. x
Emilie says
Thank you my sweet friend. Your note made my day! xo
Jennifer says
Congratulations Emilie! This is truly an accomplishment. So many people need to have an approachable way to dive into sourdough. I’m one of them! Still nervous but I can’t wait to get started. Love this video. So fun!
Emilie says
Thank you Jennifer! Don’t be nervous (you sound like me jumping into a pool, lol). You can do it! And any questions you have, just feel free to ask. xo