Braided Sourdough Bread - Homemade

I was never sold on cutting up the dough and braiding the cut strip so I hadn’t tried the braided sourdough until recently. I like it. This is a slow paced version of what I have on Instagram and other social media platforms to show you how I made mine. Not saying this is THE WAY, but it's definitely satisfying. Have you tried it before? Was it a challenge or it was a piece of cake? Thank you for all who follow along on this journey. If you're not subscribed yet, please consider doing so and share with a friend or two who may be interested. This is the recipe for the dough. I always make two loaves at a time. I took out about 150g of the dough after bulk fermenting before shaping into a banneton for overnight cold proofing. The rest of the process in this video was done the day of the bake. Sourdough Sophie’s Basic Sourdough Recipe *Makes 2 loaves* Ingredients: 200g starter 700g water (+50g later for mixing in salt) 900g Unbleached AP flour 100g Whole Wheat flour 20 grams salt Rice flour for dusting Process: 1. Combine starter with 700 grams of warm water in a large bowl. 2. Add the flour, mix until no dry pockets remain. Rest for 25-40 minutes. 3. Mix in salt and 50 grams of warm water thoroughly until the dough comes together. 4. Perform 6 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over a period of 3 hours. 5. Let dough rise in a warm environment (75-80°F) for 2-3 hours (depends on the room temperature). 6. Divide and Pre-shape: Transfer dough to a floured surface, divide into 2 pieces, and shape into rounds. Rest for 5-10 minutes. 7. Line proofing baskets with floured towels. 8. Shape dough into taut balls, (save about 150g dough in a separate bowl for making the braid) transfer the two shaped dough balls to proofing baskets seam-side up, and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour at room temperature. 9. Place into refrigerator (cold proof) for 10-12 hours or overnight. 10. Heat a Dutch oven or lidded cast-iron pot (or two if you bake 2 at a time) in the oven at 450°F . Dust dough with some rice flour. Transfer one(or both) loaf/loaves to the heated pot(s), score the top, cover, and bake at 450°F for 20-25 minutes. Remove lid, reduce temperature to 400F and bake for an additional 20 minutes until golden brown. 11. *Cool:* Transfer baked loaf(s) to a wire rack to cool for at least an hour.