Sourdough Bread Recipe
Looking to make soft and fluffy sourdough bread? Today's recipe will walk you through the process of making sourdough bread at home, perfect for beginners. With just a few common ingredients, you'll be able to create a deliciously tender and flavorful loaf of bread.
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If you love a fresh sourdough bread with a golden, crispy crust and a soft, airy interior, this recipe is perfect for you. It’s one of the simplest and most straightforward homemade sourdough recipes available. We’ll cover all the tips and details you need to easily bake a perfect loaf of sourdough bread.
1.About Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread is a unique type of bread that's quite different from regular bread. What sets it apart is the addition of acidic ingredients during the baking process, such as yeast, yogurt, or vinegar. These acidic components not only help the dough rise but also give the bread its distinctive tangy flavor. However, the sourness is subtle rather than overpowering, adding a mild sweetness and complexity to the taste.
Typically, sourdough bread has a soft texture with a sometimes enticingly crispy crust. It goes by different names around the world; for example, in Germany, it's called "Sauerteigbrot," and in France, it's known as "Pain au levain." This bread is highly popular across Europe and globally, often enjoyed as a staple for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
2.About Yeast Leavening Agents
The key to making sourdough bread lies in the yeast leavening agents. Yeast leavening agents are fermentation materials used in baking breads, cakes, and other baked goods, composed of active yeast. Yeast is a single-celled fungus that ferments sugars, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol. This process causes the dough to rise and increases the volume and softness of the baked goods.
During baking, the yeast leavening agents react with the sugars in the dough, generating numerous carbon dioxide bubbles that cause the dough to expand and rise. As the dough bakes, these bubbles become trapped in the bread's structure, giving it a soft, airy texture.
Yeast leavening agents come in various forms, including dry yeast, fresh yeast, and yeast solutions. They are widely used in baking and are essential for making breads, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods.
3.When to Add Yeast
Generally, the first step in making sourdough bread is to mix flour, water, and acidic ingredients (such as a yeast starter, yogurt, or vinegar) to create the base dough. After this mixture is well combined, you then add the yeast leavening agent. This approach ensures that the yeast can effectively ferment in the acidic environment, producing plenty of bubbles to make the dough rise.
This process not only makes the bread light and fluffy but also imparts the unique flavor and rich texture of sourdough, with a mild yet layered tanginess.
4.Ingredients and Substitutes
To make this sourdough bread, you'll need the following ingredients:
Natural Leavening: You can use yogurt or vinegar as a substitute.
High-Gluten Flour (with a gluten content of 11.5%)
Room Temperature Water
Salt
These ingredients are essential for creating the texture and flavor of the bread. If you need to make substitutions, be sure to choose alternatives that will still provide the necessary leavening and structure.
5.Equipment Needed
Digital Scale
Dough Scraper
Parchment Paper
Proofing Basket
Oven Mitts
Baking Shee
6.Why Sourdough Bread is Popular
Simple Ingredients: This yeast bread recipe requires just a few common ingredients, making it easy to start with no complex steps.
Clear Instructions: Detailed steps are provided, so even beginners can follow along and successfully bake delicious bread.
Healthy and Natural: Compared to regular bread, sourdough is more nutritious and easier to digest, making it a healthier choice.
Unique Flavor: Sourdough offers a rich flavor that can be customized by adjusting fermentation times, adding herbs or spices, or using different flours.
Cost-Effective: Making sourdough bread at home saves money and provides fresh, tasty results.
Baking Satisfaction: Baking sourdough bread yourself not only lets you enjoy the delicious outcome but also provides a sense of accomplishment from the baking process.
7.How to Store Sourdough Bread
Refrigeration: Store sourdough bread in a sealed bag or airtight container in the refrigerator. This helps slow down the bread’s drying and hardening, keeping it fresh for about 3-5 days.
Freezing: For long-term storage, slice the sourdough bread first, then place the slices in a sealed bag and freeze. Freezing will keep the bread fresh for several weeks or even months.
Reheating: Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Place the sourdough bread on a baking sheet and heat it in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the bread is warm and the crust is slightly crispy.
8.More Delicious Bread Recipes
Homemade Lotus Seed Paste Mooncakes
Here is the detailed tutorial for making sourdough bread. Get ready to create delicious sourdough bread!
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INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 100g Natural Leavening
- 500g High-Gluten Flour (with 11.5% gluten content)
ACCESSORIES
- 375g Room Temperature Water
- 10g Salt
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Combine 500g of high-gluten flour and 375g of water, mixing thoroughly.
STEP 2
Use a dough scraper to mix until no dry flour remains. Seal and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
STEP 3
After 20 minutes, add 100g of natural leavening to the dough.
STEP 4
Knead the dough with your hands to fully incorporate the leavening.
Tip:
Knead until the dough feels elastic, which should take about 1 minute.
STEP 5
Add 10g of salt to the dough. Wet your hands slightly to help dissolve the salt, and knead for about 1 minute, until the salt is fully incorporated. Seal and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
STEP 6
After 20 minutes, wet your hands and start kneading and stretching the dough. Stretch the dough to its maximum extent, fold it, and repeat until the gluten can no longer stretch. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Repeat this stretching and folding process a total of 4 times.
STEP 7
After the 4th stretch and fold, the dough should be able to stretch into a thin film with smooth edges. This indicates that the dough is ready.
Tip:
If the gluten development is not satisfactory, you can repeat the stretching and folding process once more.
STEP 8
Next, proceed with the fermentation. The dough doesn’t need to double in size; instead, allow it to ferment at around 20°C (68°F) in the kitchen for 3-4 hours. The dough should show some large bubbles on the surface and increase in volume by about 25% before moving on to the next step.
STEP 9
After the dough has fermented at room temperature, dust your work surface with flour. Use a dough scraper to remove the dough and gently flatten it. Then, fold the dough as shown in the diagram.
STEP 10
Fold the dough in half, as illustrated.
STEP 11
Repeat the folding process on the other side, creating a total of three folds, as shown.
STEP 12
Turn the dough over so the smooth side is facing up. Shape it into a ball and let it rest for 20 minutes.
STEP 13
For a simple rounding method: Fold the sides of the dough down towards the bottom while rotating the dough until it becomes tight. This usually takes about ten turns.
STEP 14
Place the dough, smooth side down, into a proofing basket. Cover it with a plastic bag and seal it. Refrigerate overnight.
STEP 15
The next morning, preheat your oven to 250°C (482°F). For the best results, use a cast iron pot, which should be preheated in the oven for at least 45 minutes.
STEP 16
Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the size of your cast iron pot.
STEP 17
Remove the dough from the refrigerator without allowing it to come to room temperature. Place the dough, upside down, onto the parchment paper. Use a sharp blade to make a 1 cm deep slash quickly.
STEP 18
Wearing oven mitts, lift the parchment paper with the dough and transfer it into the preheated cast iron pot. Cover with the lid and return it to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.
STEP 19
After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 15-20 minutes. If you prefer a less thick and crispy crust, lower the temperature to 220°C (428°F) after removing the lid.
STEP 20
Allow the baked bread to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and enjoying.
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Sourdough Bread Recipe
- Main Ingredients:4
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:985 g
-
Energy (calories)：2752 kcal
-
Protein：176.61 g
-
Fat：188.97 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：133.53 g
-
Protein: 23%625 kcal
-
Fat: 58%1584 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 20%543 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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