How to nail homemade sourdough: The secrets for a golden, crusty loaf at home

Sourdough is having a major moment, and you don’t need to be a professional baker to make your own at home.

The Morning Show is going back to basics with Juliana Stojanovska , also known as the ‘Balkan Style Sourdough Lady’, who is sharing her secrets to a golden, crusty loaf with a perfectly chewy centre.

4. Mix until the starter and salt are well incorporated into the water.

5. Add 500g flour and mix until all of the flour has been incorporated and there are no dry patches.

8. After the first hour, begin your stretch-and-folds. Stretch and fold the dough every 30 minutes, for a further 3–4 rounds.

9. After the final stretch-and-fold, leave the dough covered on the bench to continue fermenting until it has approximately doubled in size.

11. Place the shaped dough into a loaf pan and cover it with a shower cap or suitable cover.

12. Place the loaf into the refrigerator and leave it to cold ferment for 8–9 hours, or overnight.

1. Preheat the oven to 250°C fan-forced approximately 1 hour before baking. This allows the oven to become thoroughly hot.

2. Dust some flour and then Score down along the length of the sourdough. This allows the steam to escape during baking and gives the loaf room to expand.

2. Cover the loaf pan with another loaf pan placed over the top. This helps trap the steam, creating a better crust and helping the loaf rise.

8. Allow the sourdough to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This is important because cutting into the bread too early can result in a gummy texture.

The spinach and feta are added during the third-last stretch-and-fold.

This allows the inclusions to become incorporated into the dough without being worked through the dough.