Saturday Sourdough.

Refresh your starter 4-6 hours before mixing so it peaks just as you start.

• Feed at a 1:5:5 ratio (10g starter + 50g flour + 50g water).
• At 22°C, use 4-6 hours as a likely peak window.
• Confirm with rise, dome, bubbles, and collapse cues before you mix.

Mix the bread flour, whole wheat, and water until no dry patches remain. Cover and rest 1 hour.

• Just the two flours and water, no starter or salt yet.
• Mix by hand until shaggy and uniformly damp.
• Rest 60 min covered: Tartine's hallmark long autolyse hydrates the whole wheat.

Spoon the levain on top, sprinkle the salt, then pinch and fold until fully incorporated.

• Wet your fingers, the dough is sticky.
• Pinch through the dough to break the levain up; fold to bring it together.
• The dough smooths out as the salt dissolves; expect 5-10 min of folding.

Perform gentle stretch-and-folds at the scheduled intervals. Lift one side of the dough, fold it over itself, rotate the bowl, and repeat 3-4 times. The dough should become stronger and smoother over the sets, but do not aggressively knead it.

• First set 30 min after mixing the levain in.
• Repeat every 30 min for 4 sets total: 2 hours of S&Fs.
• By set 4, the dough should hold a shape and feel airy and strong.

Continue bulk fermenting at room temperature until the dough has risen ~50% and feels airy.

• After the last fold, cover and leave at 22-24°C.
• Watch the dough, not the clock: typically 2-3 more hours after the folds.
• Done when it's domed, jiggly, and shows bubbles along the sides of the bowl.

Pre-shape into a round on a lightly floured bench.

• Tip the dough out gently, don't degas it.
• Use a bench scraper to drag and rotate, building surface tension.
• Leave the round seam-side down to bench rest.

Bench rest, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

• The surface dries slightly. It'll seal cleanly during final shape.
• Gluten relaxes so you can stretch without tearing.
• Don't rush this. Under-rested dough fights the final shape.

Final shape into a tight boule or batard, then place seam-side up in a well-floured banneton.

• Use rice flour in the banneton: it doesn't absorb and prevents sticking.
• Build tension on the surface as you fold and seal the seam.
• Pinch the seam closed; place seam-side UP in the banneton.

Cover and cold retard in the fridge overnight, 12 to 16 hours.

• Slip the banneton into a plastic bag or use a snug shower cap.
• Fridge at 3-5°C develops complex flavor and makes scoring easier.
• 12 hours minimum, 16 hours for deeper flavor: both work for Saturday morning.

Bake straight from the fridge in a preheated dutch oven at 250°C with the lid on for 20 minutes, then 230°C with the lid off for 22 minutes.

• Preheat the dutch oven (inside the oven) for at least 45 min.
• Score with a lame in one decisive slash: depth matters more than length.
• 20 min lid-on at high heat traps steam; lid-off at 230°C colors the crust.

Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

• The crumb is still cooking and setting as it cools. Don't rush it.
• Listen for the crackle ("singing crust") as the crust contracts.
• Best texture and flavor 4-12 hours after the bake, even better the next day.