Mix the ingredients

1. Combine the starter ingredients and tip this into a clean jar. Leave this to rise in a warm place for 6 hours or until it has doubled in size.
2. After 6 hours, in a large bowl combine water and honey; mix well. Add flour and sesame seeds and mix until you’re left with a shaggy dough. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and leave this to rest. Add 80g of starter to the dough, followed by salt. Wet your hands and squish these ingredients together.
3. Over the next 3 hours stretch and fold your dough a total of 6 times, after every half hour.

Bulk ferment

1. Once stretching and folding are complete, let the dough rest in a warm spot until it looks much puffier than it began with.

Shape the dough

1. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently shape it into a rectangle. Refrain from squishing the dough, as you can risk losing its gasses.
2. Reach for the bottom third of the dough and fold it up so that it meets the middle. Take the right side of the dough and fold it so that it rests in the middle. Repeat this for the left side of the dough.
3. Shape the dough into a ball and roll it towards you to create some surface tension. Place the dough ball into a floured bowl or basket. Cover the dough with a tea towel and refrigerate for 20 hours.

Bake

1. Preheat the oven to 480 degrees Fahrenheit and place a Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet into the oven. Let this preheat for at least 30 minutes, then remove the Dutch oven and place your sesame sourdough loaf into the Dutch oven. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, then place your shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place a glass of water into the oven. This will help generate enough steam, for the perfect crust.
2. Use a razor blade or sharp knife to score the loaf. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake covered for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the lid, and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes. Let the golden-brown sesame loaf cool for 2 hours before cutting.