Loaf Pan Sourdough Loaf

This is a nice loaf for loaf pans. (Not that you can’t do baguettes or free-form). It does pretty good for toast, sandwich, cheese toast and the like. This is a pure sourdough with no additional yeast added.

—–Overnight Starter—–

340   g   fed sourdough starter (1-1/3 cups)

303   g   water (1-1/3 cups)

340   g   bread flour (3 cups)

—–Next Morning Sponge—–

170   g   flour (1-1/3 cups)

—–Dough—–

170   g   water (2/3 cup)

14     g   butter or oil (2 tsp)

340   g   bread flour (3 cups)

19     g   salt (3 tsp)

—– Starter —–

Mix starter, water and flour together and cover. Substitute whole wheat or white whole wheat for half the flour if desired. Let ferment overnight.

—– Sponge —–

Mix in flour. Ferment 4 hours.

—– Dough —–

Mix in all ingredients. Mix 3 minutes low speed, 3 minutes second speed.

Ferment 4 hours, should be doubled.

Divide, shape, place into lubed pans, ferment until doubled – about 3 hours. This recipe makes 2 8-1/2” x 4-1/2” x 2-1/2” loaves, or one larger loaf.

Baguettes or free-form: Slash, steam. Bake covered 15 minutes at 450F. Uncover and reduce heat to 425F for 15 minutes.

Loaf pan: Steam. Bake at 400F for 45 minutes.

Not a purist’s French bread, since butter is added to the mix, and by French law only flour, water, yeast and salt are allowed in something called “French Bread”.

Tags: baking, bread, sourdough