This sourdough bread recipe will allow you to have a fresh and handmade at the comfort of your home.Sourdough bread is a treasured recipe for many homesteaders. This delicious, no-nonsense bread is economical and very easy to make. It does require a little planning ahead and takes a bit more time to make predominantly because you need to make a sourdough starter to make the bread. Rest assured, the extra time and effort will all be worth it in the end.
Deliciously Simple Sourdough Bread Recipe
Every sourdough bread begins with a sourdough starter.The sourdough starter is what makes the bread rise andgives its tangy flavor (ranging from mild to strong). If you don't have a sourdough starter yet, learn how to make one yourself here.
Ready for your first sourdough bread? Start making one using this easy-to-follow sourdough bread recipe!
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup active, fed starter
- 1 cup water, preferably filtered
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 1/4 bread flour (not all-purpose)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- fine ground cornmeal, for dusting
Step 1: Start Making Your Dough
Add the starter, flour, water, and olive oil. Use your bare hands to squish them together until all the flour has been absorbed. Leave the dough to ‘autolyze' for 30 minutes.
The autolyze method is also known as the delayed salt method. This refers to aresting period by which the flour hydrates and gluten begins to develop.What this all means for your bread is that your dough will be easier to handle and shape before it is baked, and the end product will be thatsensational uneven sourdough texture you'll find in all the great sourdough bread.
After autolyze, add the salt. Sprinkling a bit of water tothedough will help dissolve it. Lift, fold, and squish the dough.It is important to know thatat this point, your dough may tear slightly as you fold. Don't panic, this is normal.
Step 2: Ferment the Dough
Placedough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel.Leave to rise in a warm place fora couple of hours or until it has doubled in size.
The number of hours for a sourdough bread to risewill take longer than your ordinary leavened bread because of the absence of commercial yeast. During summer, it can take anywhere between 4-5 hours and about 6-12 hours during winter.
Step 3: Start Cutting and Shaping the Dough
It is a good practice to divide your work surface in half before cutting and shaping thedough. Lightly flour one side for cutting and leave the other half clean for shaping.
Note:
- You don't need to ‘knock back' thedough to get all the extra air out so you can shape it. Folding and shaping thedough will gently do the deflation.
- When shaping, the idea is for the dough to catch enough surface tension on a non-floured area in order to create a tight ball. If there is flour present, it will slide around and drive you nuts.
Move the dough to the non-floured surface of your workspace.Gather the dough, one side at a time, to form a ball-shaped loaf. Fold it over into the center and flip the dough over. Place the loafseam side down and, using your hands, gently cup the sides of the dough and rotate it, using quarter turns in a circular motion. Repeat this process until you are satisfiedwith its appearance.
Set the dough aside and leave it to sitandrise again. This time, it will rise for a shorter period, about 1-2 hours. You will know it's ready when the dough is slightly puffy. Factors such as the temperature of your dough and surrounding environment will affect itsgrowth rate so keep an open mind.
Using aserrated knife,make a shallow slash about 2 inches long in the center of the dough. This will helpthe dough to expand and the steam to escape.
Step 4: Bake Your Sourdough Bread
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. If you have a baking stone, use it.A baking sheet works, too.
- Dust the bottom of your bread lightly with cornmeal and place in oven.
- Bake for 60 minutes until it is a deep golden brown. The bottom of the bread should feel slightly hollow when thumped. Leave an extra 5 minutes to crisp the edges.
- Allow cooling for 30 minutes before serving.
Watch the short video below by Tasty and see how they make their version of a homemade sourdough bread:
Congratulations!Youhave finally completed your sourdough bread! Enjoy thisdelicious homemade breadwith your favorite hot beverage. Baking a sourdough bread is really easy and fun. It's a great way to practice your baking skills with the kids. Alternatively, you can use a dutch oven to bake your sourdough bread. This is great for camping, or just for fun! Learn more aboutbaking bread in a dutch oven here.
Have you ever tried baking a sourdough bread before? We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments section below.
Up Next: How To Bake A Healthy Banana Bread Recipe From Scratch
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 18, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
FAQs
Top 10 Tips & Tricks for Making Sourdough
- Use your sourdough starter at its peak. ...
- Moisten the surface of the dough before baking for more rise. ...
- Handle with care: be gentle with your dough. ...
- Use sifted flour to make your sourdough less dense. ...
- Soak your flour beforehand for a lighter loaf. ...
- Just add water for softer sourdough.
Simplicity is a virtue, and a marker of good sourdough bread. The bread should only have Flour, Water, Salt, and Starter (also referred to as Culture on some labels). While the first three are the basic ingredients, the Starter or Culture should be the natural starter used to leaven (raise) the dough.
What is sourdough starter for dummies? ›
A sourdough starter is really just another name for any fermented grain. It's a grain that starts to predigest during the fermentation process, which ultimately makes the flavor more sour. Here are just a few great reasons to make your very own sourdough: Sourdough is delicious.
How do you make enough sourdough starter? ›
There is no single best ratio, but I've found a ratio of 1:5:5 fed twice daily at 12-hour intervals to produce a sourdough starter that's strong and healthy. This ratio corresponds to 20% ripe starter carryover, 100% water, and 100% flour (a mix of whole grain rye and white flour) at each feeding.
What is the best flour for sourdough bread? ›
Whole wheat flour is an excellent choice for creating a sourdough starter due to its nutrient-rich composition and potential for fostering a robust microbial community.
What is the best flour for sourdough starter? ›
The best flour blend for creating a new sourdough starter is 50% whole-meal flour (whole wheat or whole rye) and 50% bread flour or all-purpose flour. I recommend a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour.
Is grocery store sourdough real sourdough? ›
Despite the fact that traditional sourdough ingredients are flour, water, and salt, many store-bought versions include added yeast, ascorbic acid, vinegar, and oil. So, although many grocery stores may carry bread labeled “sourdough”, more often than not they are in fact fake sourdough.
What ingredients should not be in sourdough bread? ›
Other natural ingredients can be added but genuine sourdough bread making does not involve the use of baker's yeast, chemical raising agents, so-called processing aids or other additives.
Is homemade sourdough healthier than store bought bread? ›
Ingredient Quality: When baking at home, you have control over the ingredients' quality. You can select organic flours, regulate the amount of salt used, and forgo the additives included in some commercial bread. Nutritional content: The sourdough fermentation process can improve the bread's nutritional content.
How much sourdough starter should I start with? ›
As with any sourdough recipe, before you start baking bread, you want to make sure that your sourdough starter is as strong as possible. What is this? My basic sourdough recipe uses just 50g of starter for 500g of flour (so just 10% of starter).
Essentially making a sourdough starter is not an overly difficult process, but it does require a commitment of time and patience, as well as some dedicated equipment. Sometimes there are factors which mean making sourdough starter could be difficult. Perhaps you're working long hours or go out of town regularly.
Do you put sugar in sourdough starter? ›
Should You Add Sugar to Your Sourdough Starter? Short answer - no! You don't need to add an additional food source to your sourdough starter. Flour and water are truly all you need.
What is the healthiest flour for sourdough bread? ›
Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.
How long should a sourdough starter take? ›
Creating a healthy and vibrant sourdough starter can take anywhere from 7 to 14 days depending on several factors. The temperature of your kitchen is the most important factor to consider. Starters thrive in a warm environment, ideally around 75°F (24°C).
How to make 100% sourdough starter? ›
A 100% hydration sourdough starter is a culture which is kept and fed with water and flour at equal weights. Like for instance 5 oz water to 5 oz flour. A 166% hydration starter is fed with equal volume of flour and water, which most typically is one cup of water (8.3 oz) and one cup of flour (5 oz).
How do you make sourdough bread more flavorful? ›
Here are are 6 things to try if you prefer your sourdough bread to be more sour:
- Longer fermentation. ...
- Try adding whole grains. ...
- Feed your starter less often. ...
- Stir in any hooch. ...
- Add starter to recipe after it's reached its peak. ...
- More stretch and folds.
There are two main acids produced in a sourdough culture: lactic acid and acetic acid. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is the acid that gives sourdough much of its tang. Giving acetic acid-producing organisms optimal conditions to thrive and multiply will produce a more tangy finished product.
How do you make sourdough bread lighter and fluffier? ›
There are several ways to make sourdough bread lighter and less dense, such as:
- Increasing the hydration level of your dough, which means adding more water or using less flour. ...
- Switching up the type of flour you use, or using a mixture of different flours.
Honey: Honey adds a sweetness to this dough and helps balance any sour flavor that comes through from the fermentation process. If you are looking for whole wheat bread without the honey, try this recipe. Salt: Salt enhances the flavor and helps tempers the fermentation.
