Why We Give Our Sourdough 24 Hours
A slower rise gives our sourdough time to develop depth, character, and an open crumb. Here is how Chef Istvan’s 24-hour process shapes every loaf in Dunedin.
Some things in a kitchen are made better by a little stillness. A loaf begins with flour, water, salt, and a living starter—but its character is built in the hours between mixing and baking. At The Dough Artisan, we give our sourdough 24 hours to find its rhythm.
That unhurried time brings a deeper aroma, a beautifully open crumb, and the kind of crust that asks you to pause before the first slice. It is our way of letting the dough do the work it was made to do.
What is long fermentation?
Long fermentation is the traditional practice of giving dough an extended, cool rest rather than asking commercial yeast to raise it quickly. During that time, wild yeasts and lactic-acid bacteria in a sourdough culture work slowly through the dough.
The result is not simply more time on a clock. Fermentation shapes flavor, aroma, acidity, and structure. It is the patient middle of the story: quiet, invisible, and essential.
How We Make It at The Dough Artisan
A Living Starter
Each loaf begins with an active sourdough culture that we feed regularly with flour and water. It is a living community of wild yeast and lactic-acid bacteria, and it gives our bread its natural lift and gentle tang.
A 24-Hour Cold Rest
After mixing, the dough rests in a carefully controlled cool environment for a full day. The slower pace lets flavor develop gradually while the dough gains the strength needed for an airy, open interior.
A High-Heat Bake
When the dough is ready, it goes into intense heat. That final moment sets the crumb, holds onto moisture, and creates the deeply browned, blistered crust we love.
What Time Changes in the Dough
Fermentation is a real transformation, not a magic promise. As the culture works, acids and naturally occurring enzymes change the dough’s flavor, texture, and grain chemistry. Here is a simple way to understand the differences food scientists study.
A Closer Look at the Dough
Every bread is different, but longer fermentation gives the dough more time for these natural changes to unfold.
| What changes | In a quicker bread | With a longer fermentation |
|---|---|---|
| Phytates in grain | There is less time for acidity and flour enzymes to affect the grain’s natural phytate content. | Sourdough acidification can activate flour phytase and reduce phytate content—a change researchers examine when studying mineral bioaccessibility. |
| Protein structure | A faster rise leaves less time for fermentation-related enzymatic activity in the dough. | Natural enzymes and sourdough acidity break down and alter parts of the protein network as flavor and texture develop, which many find easier on digestion. However, the loaf still contains gluten. |
| Starch & organic acids | Recipe, proofing, and baking all influence how starch behaves in the finished loaf. | Organic acids and loaf structure can affect starch digestion. Studies of sourdough breads report varied post-meal glucose responses depending on the recipe and process. |
These are food-science observations, not medical advice. No two starters, flours, recipes, or individual responses are exactly alike.
What the Research Can—and Cannot—Say
Food science has documented changes in sourdough’s phytate content, protein structure, acidity, and starch behavior. A review of sourdough and cereal fermentation describes how these changes can influence texture and mineral bioaccessibility.
At the same time, individual responses to bread vary. Recent research notes that the clinical implications of fermentation still need stronger, well-designed human studies. Sourdough is not gluten-free and is not suitable for people with celiac disease or a medical gluten restriction.
A 2024 systematic review found lower post-meal glucose increases in some sourdough studies, while rating the certainty of that evidence from low to very low.
Fresh Bread, on Its Own Schedule
We bake in small batches because each loaf needs its full 24 hours. Fresh sourdough is available for local pickup in Dunedin and select neighborhood delivery Tuesday through Saturday. When a batch is spoken for, the next one needs time to become itself.
If you would like to taste what patience brings to the table, explore our fresh sourdough menu or start a pre-order for a Tuesday–Saturday pickup or delivery.
— Chef Istvan
About Chef Istvan
About Chef Istvan Molnar
Chef Istvan is the baker and pasta maker behind The Dough Artisan, where careful ingredients and patient technique guide each small batch.
Meet the Chef