Arva Flour Mills have been milling flour since 1819 — our cold roller mills preserve the natural bacteria and enzymes that make sourdough starters thrive. This recipe walks beginners through every step, from building a starter to baking a golden, crackly sourdough loaf. Allow 5–7 days for the starter and one full baking day.

Sourdough Starter (build over 5–7 days)

• 50g per feeding   Arva Flour Mills Daisy Unbleached Hard Flour
• 50g per feeding   Filtered water, room temperature
• OR: Arva Dehydrated Sourdough Starter (follow pack instructions)

Dough (makes 1 loaf)

• 450g   Arva Flour Mills Daisy Unbleached Hard Flour
• 50g   Arva Flour Mills Daisy Whole Wheat Flour (optional — adds flavour depth)
• 375g   Filtered water, room temperature
• 100g   Active sourdough starter (bubbly, recently fed)
• 10g   Fine sea salt or non-iodized kosher salt

• ●  Digital kitchen scale (grams)
• ●  Large mixing bowl
• ●  Bench scraper
• ●  Dutch oven — cast iron, minimum 4-quart (essential for crust)
• ●  Banneton (proofing basket) or a bowl lined with a floured tea towel
• ●  Lame or single-edge razor blade for scoring
• ●  Parchment paper
• ●  Wire cooling rack

STEP 1  |  Build Your Starter (Days 1–7)

• Day 1: In a clean glass jar, mix 50g Arva Daisy flour and 50g room-temperature filtered water. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature (70–75°F / 21–24°C).
• Days 2–3: Once daily, discard half the starter and feed with 50g fresh Arva Daisy flour and 50g water. Small bubbles will begin to appear.
• Days 4–5: Switch to two feedings per day. The starter should grow noticeably more active with a visible rise and fall cycle.
• Float Test (Day 6–7): Drop a small spoonful into a glass of water. If it floats, your starter is ready. If it sinks, continue feeding for one more day. Do not proceed until the float test passes.

STEP 2  |  Autolyse (30–60 minutes)

• Combine 450g Arva Daisy flour (plus 50g whole wheat if using) with 350g water. Mix by hand until no dry flour remains. The dough will look rough and shaggy.
• Cover and rest 30–60 minutes. The flour absorbs the water and gluten forms naturally. The dough will be noticeably smoother when you return to it.

STEP 3  |  Add Starter and Salt

• Dissolve the 10g salt in the remaining 25g water.
• Add your 100g active starter and the salt solution to the autolyse dough.
• Pinch and fold the dough repeatedly with your fingers for 3–5 minutes until fully incorporated.

STEP 4  |  Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Fold (4–8 hours)

• Cover the bowl and leave at room temperature. Total time is 4–8 hours (warmer kitchen = faster fermentation).
• During the first 2 hours, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart. One set: with wet hands, grab one side of dough, stretch up high without tearing, fold to centre. Rotate 90° and repeat for all 4 sides.
• After the 4th set, leave undisturbed. Fermentation is complete when dough has grown 50–75%, feels airy and jiggly, and shows bubbles on the surface and sides.

STEP 5  |  Pre-Shape and Bench Rest (20–30 minutes)

• Tip dough onto an unfloured surface. Using a bench scraper, drag the dough toward you in a circular motion to build surface tension. Do not deflate.
• Leave uncovered for 20–30 minutes (bench rest).

STEP 6  |  Final Shape

• Fold the left, right, top, and bottom edges of the dough into the centre like an envelope. Flip seam-side down and use the scraper to drag toward you, tightening the surface.
• Dust your banneton generously with rice flour (or 50/50 rice and all-purpose). Place dough seam-side UP into the banneton. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.

STEP 7  |  Cold Proof (8–16 hours)

• Place the covered banneton in the refrigerator. Cold proofing overnight develops deep flavour and makes the dough far easier to score.
• Do not skip this step — cold dough holds its shape during scoring and bakes better.

STEP 8  |  Preheat and Score

• Place Dutch oven (with lid) in oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 45 minutes.
• Remove dough from fridge. Flip banneton over a sheet of parchment paper — the dough should release cleanly.
• Score: hold lame at 30–45° and make one confident slash about ½ inch deep. This is where the loaf will bloom open in the oven.

STEP 9  |  Bake

• Using oven mitts, carefully remove Dutch oven. Lower dough in by the parchment. Replace lid.
• Bake at 500°F for 20 minutes with lid on. Steam inside creates the crust.
• Remove lid. Reduce to 450°F (230°C) and bake 20–25 more minutes until crust is deep golden brown. Internal temperature should reach 205–210°F (96–99°C).

STEP 10  |  Cool and Slice

• Transfer to a wire rack. Listen for the crackling crust — that's a great sign.
• Wait at least 1 hour before slicing (2 hours is ideal). Cutting too soon lets steam escape and leaves a gummy crumb.