Description
A recipe for making sourdough bread with a soft texture and tight crumb, ideal for slicing and using in sandwiches.
Ingredients
Scale
- 100g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 350g warm water (around 85F)
- 500g bread flour
- 10g fine sea salt
- 20g unsalted butter, softened
- 15g honey or maple syrup
Instructions
- Mix the active starter, warm water, honey, and softened butter in a large bowl until combined.
- Add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Perform four sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. Gently stretch the dough up and fold it over itself, rotating the bowl after each fold.
- After the final set of folds, let the dough rest, covered, at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 30-50%.
- Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape the dough into a tight log or oval suitable for a standard 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Place the shaped dough seam-side down into a lightly greased 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Proof the dough at room temperature for 3 to 5 hours, or until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
- Preheat your oven to 375F (190C) with the rack in the lower third position.
- Bake the loaf for 35 to 45 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil after 25 minutes.
- The internal temperature should register 205F (96C) when done.
- Remove the loaf from the pan immediately and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing, about 2 hours.
Notes
- Using bread flour provides the necessary gluten structure for a good sandwich crumb.
- For a slightly richer flavor, substitute 25g of the water with milk.
- Wait until the bread is fully cool before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 1.5
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 3
- Saturated Fat: 1.8
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 8