Check the starter

• Feed the starter in the morning (around 9 am).
• It is usually peaked and ready between 1 and 2 pm.
• It is ready when the top is no longer doming and just starting to fall in on itself — catch it right as it starts to fall.

Mix the dough

• For one loaf, measure out 100 g of sourdough starter.
• Add 375 g of room temperature water and give it a good whisk.
• Put it back on the scale and add 500 g of organic unbleached bread flour and 11 g of sea salt.
• Mix with a dough whisk until it forms a shaggy dough.

Rest (autolyse)

• Cover the dough with a damp towel.
• Let it sit on the counter for one hour.

Stretch and folds

• Do four sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart.
• For the first two sets, do regular stretch and folds.
• For the last two sets, do coil folds.
• Each time, stretch the dough at least four times.
• Keep your hands wet — it is much less sticky and easier to stretch.

Bulk fermentation

• Let the dough sit at room temperature or a little warmer so the gluten develops and it rises.
• Place it on top of the stove with the stove light on, or in the oven with the oven light on.
• Bulk fermentation starts as soon as you mix the dough — general rule of thumb is six hours.
• Start checking between the 6 and 7 hour mark (before the 6 hour mark too, to avoid overproofing).
• It is ready when the dough is very jiggly, doesn't stick much to your finger when poked, and pulls away from the side of the bowl easily.

First shaping

• Plop the dough onto the counter.
• Add some rice flour if it is a little sticky.
• Laminate: pat the dough out, stretching it enough to stretch the gluten but not so much that it breaks.
• Fold the dough in on itself into a tight little burrito.
• Do a candy cane-like motion, pushing and pulling it so it forms into a ball, increasing surface tension.
• The top of the dough should have a nice smooth, tight texture to ensure no holes and proper baking.

Rest after first shaping

• Cover the dough with a damp towel.
• Let it sit for another thirty minutes.

Second shaping

• Repeat the same shaping to get a nice tight little dough ball.
• Flip the dough over so you don't mess with the surface tension.
• Don't laminate as much this time — give it a gentle stretch.
• Dust your banneton with rice flour and plop the dough in.
• Wet your counter before scraping — the dough comes off much easier.

Pinch and cold proof

• After the dough sits in the banneton for five minutes, do the little pinching technique again to increase surface tension.
• Dust it with rice flour and cover it with a damp towel.
• Place it in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours (cold proofing).