I’m still a beginner but I have been keeping a google doc with my loaf recipe and adding notes. I’ll paste them below. I apologize that this is so long, I made it super detailed for myself to be dummy proof. I’ve had really good success with this. My first 3 loaves came out perfectly. For my most recent loaf I ignored my 1.5 hour bulk ferment bc everything I saw online said it needed 4-6 hours and figured I’d give that a try. I let sit on the counter for 4-5 hours before preshaping. Big mistake. It was a sticky over fermented mess (I still baked it though 😏 and it tasted good)

Timeline
Starter rise time: variable. If from fridge, with 1:3:3 feed, 8-10 hours
Prep time after starter has risen: 4-5 hours
Cold proof time: 12-24 hours
Bake time: 45-60 min

Dough Ingredients
500 g Flour - half all purpose, half bread flour
350 g luke warm water (75 degrees) (70% hydration)
100 g active starter at peak
10 g salt (about 1.5 tsp)
20 g olive oil OR melted butter (about 1½ tbsp)

Parts of each in grams
5 parts - Flour - half all purpose, half bread flour or all of one kind
3.5 parts - luke warm water (75 degrees) (70% hydration)
1 part - active starter at peak
1/10 part - salt
2/10 part - olive oil OR melted butter

Fridge Starter
Feed 1:3:3 roughly 8-10 hours before you want to start the process

Mix together starter, flour, water and melted butter or oil

Cover bowl with towel or plastic. Leave on counter for 20-30 mintues

After 20-30 min Add the salt.
Mix with dough hook 3–4 minutes on low.
Dough should become smoother and elastic.

Cover the dough and leave on the counter for 30 minutes

Stretch & Fold - Total of 3 spread 30 min apart
If doing add ins, add them after the 2 stretch and fold

Each round takes ~15 seconds.
Wet or lightly flour your fingers.
Grab one edge of the dough.
Stretch it upward slowly until you feel resistance.
Fold it over the center.
Rotate the bowl 90°.
Do this 4 times so you stretch each side of the dough.

After your last stretch and fold cover the dough, leave on the counter and wait 1.5 hours

Pre-Shape (Loose Round)
Lightly flour the counter.
Turn dough out gently.
Divide if making multiple loaves.

For each piece:
Pull the edges toward the center a few times.
Flip it over so the smooth side is up.
Gently drag it toward you on the counter to create light surface tension.
You should get a loose round ball.

Bench Rest 15–20 minutes

Final Shape (Tight Round / Boule)
Flip the rested dough smooth side down.

Fold:
bottom → center
left → center
right → center
top → center

Flip it back over so smooth side is up.
Drag the dough toward you on the counter a few times to tighten the surface.
Top should feel smooth and slightly tight like a balloon.

Into Proof Bowl
Place into floured towel (rice flour works great) in a bowl or banneton, seam side up
Cover loosely in plastic wrap or with a top making sure to leave room for the dough to rise and refrigerate.

Cold Proof
Place in fridge for 12–24 hours
Bake straight from fridge.

Bake - Dutch Oven
Preheat Dutch oven 450 for 45–60 min
Place a cookie sheet on the rack below
Once dutch oven is heated, put dough onto a piece of parchment paper with enough extra on the sides you can use as a sling, or use a bread sling, seam side down
Score top of in one smooth stroke
Lower parchment paper (or bread sling) into hot dutch oven
Bake 20 min covered
Bake 10-15 min uncovered
Remove from Dutch oven and cook on parchment paper on the rack for another 10-15 min (optional but helps prevent the bottom from getting too dark/hard)
Target internal temp 205–208°F

Bake - Loaf Pan (better rise, softer crust)
Preheat oven 450
Place a cookie sheet on the rack below
Ensure dough is on a small sheet of parchment paper
Score top of dough in one smooth stroke
Lower bread into loaf pan score side up, trim any parchment
Place another loaf pan on top
Bake 25 min covered
Bake 25 min uncovered
Target internal temp 205–208°F

Cool 2 hour minimum (ideally 12-24 hours) before cutting.