Description
Hey there, busy bees! Let’s face it: life gets hectic. Between work, kids, appointments, and the never-ending laundry pile, finding time to bake something from scratch can feel like a distant dream. But trust me, this sourdough bread recipe is here to change all that. It’s surprisingly simple, incredibly rewarding, and will fill your kitchen with the most amazing aroma. Get ready to impress your family (and maybe even yourself!) with this easy artisan bread.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300g (about 2 ½ cups) wheat flour 🌾
- 50g (about ½ cup) whole wheat flour 🌾
- 70g (about ¼ cup) active sourdough starter 🍞 (fed and bubbly!)
- 280g (about 1 ¼ cups) water 💧 (lukewarm)
- 7g (about 1 ½ teaspoons) salt 🧂
- 20g (about 2 tablespoons) mixed seeds (sunflower, flax, sesame, poppy – whatever you like!) 🌻
Instructions
- Levain Love: First things first, let’s make sure your sourdough starter is ready to rock. It should have doubled in size and look all bubbly and active. If it’s not quite there yet, give it a little more time to feed.
- Flour and Water Friendship: In a big bowl, mix both flours, the mixed seeds, and the water. Get those ingredients acquainted. Let it hang out for about an hour. This step is so important for the texture of your homemade sourdough. This process is called autolyse:it helps develop the gluten.
- Starter Serenade: Add your active sourdough starter to the flour and water mix. Stir everything together until it’s all combined. It might look a little shaggy, but that’s okay. Let this rest for about 30 minutes.
- Salt and Knead Time: Sprinkle in the salt. Now, using your hands (or a stand mixer if you have one), knead the dough for about 6-7 minutes. The dough should start becoming smooth and elastic.
- First Rest and Fold: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Let it rest for an hour. Then perform the first stretch and fold. It is a simple process of gently grabbing one side of the dough, stretching it out, and folding it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat until you have worked all four sides.
- Repeat the Dance of Folds: Repeat the stretch and fold process three more times, every 45 minutes. This is where the magic happens! These folds build strength and structure in the dough.
- Gentle Shaping: One hour after that last fold, time to shape the dough. Gently form it into a round or oval shape, whatever you like.
- Final Shaping and Proofing Dream: After shaping, place the dough in a proofing basket (or any bowl lined with a heavily floured cloth). Refrigerate the dough overnight. This slow rise develops even more flavor.
- Oven Prep: Preheat your oven to 240°C (464°F). Put your Dutch oven inside the oven while it’s preheating. Let it get nice and hot for about 30 minutes. Trust me, this will give your bread that fantastic crust.
- Bake Covered: Carefully take that hot Dutch oven out of the oven. Place your chilled dough (gently!) inside the hot Dutch oven and cover it with a lid. Bake for 20 minutes. The steam created in the Dutch oven is essential for a good rise.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (392°F). Bake for another 15 or so minutes, or until the bread is a gorgeous golden brown.
- Cooling Time: Remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into it. This is the hardest part, but so important!
Notes
- Don’t be afraid to experiment: Play around with the type of seeds you use. Maybe add some dried herbs or a touch of cheese.
- Starter Secrets: Keep your sourdough starter happy by feeding it regularly. You can find tons of online resources on how to do this.
- Proofing Perfection: If you’re short on time, you can proof the dough at room temperature, but keep an eye on it.
- Storage: Keep your baked loaf tightly wrapped at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 12 hours (including overnight rest)
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Artisan
Keywords: Sourdough Bread Recipe, Homemade Sourdough, Artisan Bread, Dutch Oven Bread, Sourdough Starter