Thursday, May 19, 2011

Soft Sourdough Bread

Are you ready to bake some sourdough bread?

One of the questions I get most frequently is how to have a soft loaf bread. Many sourdough bakers appear to have issues with dry crumbly bread.

I understand the frustration, because I've had my share of dry bread that went straight to bread crumbs. But there is hope because I've found several recipes that have been never fail for me. Since a soft loaf bread seems to be the goal of many readers, I'll start with those recipes.

The first three recipes are almost identical. They are all mixed and baked on the same day following the same directions. The only slight difference is in the ingredients.

The first bread contains a mixture of white and whole wheat flour. I found this recipe a great one for cinnamon raisin bread as well. Just remember to feed your starter the night before baking to have it active and happy for baking day.

 

Soft Sourdough Bread

2 cups active starter (19 oz)
1 cup milk (8 oz)
1/2 cup water (4 oz)
1/4 cup oil or melted butter (1.5 oz)
1/4 cup honey (3.5 oz)
2 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (12.5 oz)
3 cup white flour (13.5 oz.)
3 tsp salt


Mix all ingredients except salt for 2-3 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes.

After rest, add salt and knead dough for about five minutes. If dough is too sticky, add slightly more flour but dough should be soft and not dry and stiff. Place in oiled bowl and allow dough to rise for 3-4 hours or until nearly doubled in size.

Divide dough into two pieces and shape into loaves and place in two greased bread pans. If a free form loaf is desired, place on greased baking sheet. Spray with oil and cover with plastic wrap to keep from drying out. Allow to rise for 2-3 hours.

When dough has risen, slash the top of the loaf. If baking a free form loaf, you can use the roasting pan method for added humidity while baking.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. For even browning, turn loaves halfway through baking time.

Variations: We really like this doughs for a multipurpose dough. Some of the ways we've enjoyed it were as cinnamon raisin bread and dinner rolls.

For more bread inspirations, check out Yeast Spotting.

101 comments :

  1. Looks good! I'll have to give it a try. I do have trouble with my bread being on the dry side, I long to have a soft nice loaf. Thanks for the help. God Bless

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  2. I just made this last week from the Teresa Greenway Discovering Sourdough ebook and you're right, it is the softest sourdough bread I've ever made! It gave me hope that I could have a sourdough baking day like you outlined a few weeks ago- that's my goal, so I'm sure appreciating your recipes! :-)

    Jami
    An Oregon Cottage

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  3. Jami-
    Thanks for your comment. I have been using this recipe and variations of it for months and I couldn't remember where I originally got the recipe.
    Gina

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  4. I would just like to tell you that I stumbled on your blog while searching for advice on a new sponge I started 4 weeks ago and forgot about in the fridge. I took your advice on caring for it and feeding it, and decided to make the Soft Sourdough bread today. Can I just tell you, it was AMAZING! I have never made a good loaf of bread before, slightly bread challenged as I am - thanks so much for this recipe. Also, I've been reading your blog since yesterday and I ADORE it! Keep on posting, and thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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  5. I would just like to tell you that I stumbled on your blog while searching for advice on a new sponge I started 4 weeks ago and forgot about in the fridge. I took your advice on caring for it and feeding it, and decided to make the Soft Sourdough bread today. Can I just tell you, it was AMAZING! I have never made a good loaf of bread before, slightly bread challenged as I am - thanks so much for this recipe. Also, I've been reading your blog since yesterday and I ADORE it! Keep on posting, and thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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  6. I just tried this and it was fantastic!! I white washed it because so often my sourdough bread looks albino pale and not appetizing. after 20 min I had to put aluminum foil on it to keep it from browning too much. It looks beautiful and tastes wonderful as well! I had almost given up on sourdough bread because it always turned out like a brick. This was soft and beautiful :) I only used 4 1/2 cups of flour total. Any more and it would have been too stiff. I tried to make grilled cheese with this while it was still hot (we didn't want to wait haha) and while it tasted great, I think normal bread holds together better :) Thank you for sharing!

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  7. Hey! if any of you bakers want some kick butt authentic sourdough bread i would go look up sourdoughs international, there stuff is way good!! :)

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  8. Thank you for posting this recipe!
    Amelia

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  9. Perfect! Thank you....i have been working with sourdough for a couple of months now and was looking for something a little less crusty and softer for my kids lunches that would work well even with pb&j....this is a great sandwich loaf! It has a less "sour" taste and is a little sweeter....exactly what i wanted! Thanks for sharing!

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  10. I just made this recipe with my first time ever making a starter and the family really liked it lets just say they ate one loaf straifgt out of the oven:) look for ward to making more of your recipes.ty.

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  11. Yay I just took our loaves out of the oven and they really like it.thank you so much .I look forward to making more of your recipes:)

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  12. I made this recipe yesterday, let it rise overnight & baked it first thing. It was absolutely delicious! soft, just as you promised. thanks for sharing!

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  13. This is such a great blog!!! Really makes me hungry just reading and looking at the pictures : ) I recently baked my first loaf of bread and it was incredible!!! I used a starter my friend told me about. It's from Sourdough's International and now I have to spread the word! I loved it. Definitely going to order more when it comes the time.

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  14. Hello! First I want to say what a great blog this is! Thank you so much for all of the time you have put into it. I do have a question. I mill my own flour and make all my own bread. My normal loaves are delicious and soft and everyone seems to love them. But, my very favorite bread is sourdough and I've never been able to make a good loaf. I have a good starter and have tried several recipes (including yours) and I can't get them to rise. They end up being very short, flat dense loaves that are terrible. Is it because of the freshly milled flour? I know others had great success with your recipe and others that I've tried but I just can't get it to work. Any suggestions? Thanks so much! Brenda

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    1. I'm not sure what to suggest. I use freshly milled flour successfully. If your flour makes other bread successfully, I doubt that is the problem. Does your starter double in a few hours after feeding? Are you kneading long enough? Are you using enough starter for your amount of flour? Is your dough as wet and moist as possible (and still able to handle it.) Dry dough is harder for your starter to raise. Maybe you should try half white flour and half whole wheat flour first until you can get your starter to raise bread.

      I'm not sure if I have been a help but I hope you can find success. You can check online. I know there are some bread baking forums out there that may be able to help you.
      Gina

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    2. love the recipes however am unable to print, when viewing other links within the site print is greatly reduced sometimes getting message "website under construction". Sorry to leave the post here however the contact page would not work either. Hope you receive this as I am interested!

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    3. I'm new to baking sourdough bread, so I hesitate to suggest an answer, but my daughter has been making sour dough bread for about a year, and she had a couple of suggestions for me.

      I told her that I was letting it rise and then punching it down and letting it rise again and then punching it down a second time and then putting it in a loaf pan. By that time it wouldn't rise. In reading about this, I read something that said too many rises can weaken the yeast...tire it out so to speak. My daughter suggested just mixing it and,after the autolysing period with kneading, put it in the pan, and let it rise once, and then cook it. We also decided that my house temperature was a little cool, so I tried turning the oven on warm for about 5 minutes and then turning it off and quickly putting my loaf pan into the oven to let it rise. My loaf rose to overflowing and was very tasty.

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  15. Can I just mix this by hand or do I need a mixer?

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    1. A mixer is easier but you can knead it by hand.
      Gina

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  16. I have done this recipe twice. Once with all whole wheat and the other following the recipe. The only thing I changed was the temp to cook at. The crust is still to hard for my liking, any suggestions on how to make it softer. I changed the temp to 350.

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    1. Jackie -
      I'm not sure what to suggest because I haven't had a problem with hard crust. Have you tried brushing on some melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven? It makes the loaves look pretty and will soften the crust.
      Gina

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    2. try brushing your bread with butter when you take it out of the oven for a softer crust it works for me

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  17. What is the sour dough starer receipe. Thanks susan. I'm wanting to cook and eat as close to nstural without any preservatives.

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  18. this is a really solid and easy sourdough, thanks! It's got a lot of oven spring

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  19. Wondering how to get a starter?? what do you do to make the starter?

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    1. Check the top of the page for tab labeled "sourdough." You can find all my sourdough information there!

      And happy baking!
      Gina

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  20. Hi, Gina. I'm having trouble measuring the starter. I had 4 cups of bubbling starter after feeding overnight. When stirred, it deflated, and ultimately it was really only a little over 2 cups. Is your 2 cups the former or the latter?!

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    1. I always stir down my starter before measuring. I think this is more accurate. If you have a digital scales, measuring by weight is even more accurate.
      Gina

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  21. Hi gina.i made this bread today. It was amazing. Thank you

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  22. Hi, Gina, thank you for the recipe! Is the kneading time by hand? I did a window pane test after 5 minutes, but my dough failed. I went ahead and followed the rest of the steps. The bread came out soft but a little chewy and was wondering if that is the intended texture? Thank you.

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    1. I usually knead with machine - so maybe my results will vary. Next time try kneading a little longer and see if you like it better.
      Gina

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  23. Hi! I've been making this recipe for a few weeks, and my family and I love it. Thanks! I was thinking about trying this dough for a cinnamon raisin bread as you suggest. Any suggestions on ratios you use for the cinnamon and sugar, etc.?

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    1. I just sprinkle it in with no measurements. I just made this today! I like to go heavy with the spices so that the flavor comes through with just enough sugar to add a little sweetness.

      Sorry I'm not more specific!
      Gina

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    2. That's okay! I'll experiment with it. Thanks.

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  24. Hi! I just wanted to say thank you for this wonderful recipe. I've been making this bread for a while and it's just perfect. I only omit the honey, and add some seeds, but the base recipe is amazing. Your blog radiates warmth and I love coming back here to read more. Thanks!

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  25. This bread looks wonderful! I can't wait to try it. I have one question, though. Do you need to scald the milk first, or just use it straight from the fridge? Thanks.

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    1. I usually just slightly warm the milk. Not hot so it doesn't kill the yeast in the starter, just warm enough so that the dough doesn't have a chill.
      Gina

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  26. Gina, can I use all white flour? I do not have any wheat on hand right now.

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  27. i've been making sour dough since highschool, but your recipes are some of the best!

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  28. Love your recipes, Gina, and share them with anyone who drools over my social media pics when I share them! I'm making rolls for Easter Dinner and was thinking this recipe would make a nice "Hawaiian roll." How would I adjust any of the instructions - rise time, temp, bake time - to make these the best they can be? (I am planning to make the pull apart cheese bread too!! Yumm!)

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  29. Seriously the best and easiest recipe! I even easy it up extra by doing the first 20min rest, then adding salt and kneading. I then place it directly into the loaf pans and leave over night covered. Bake in the morning and it is awesome! Thank you!

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  30. Thank you for sharing this dependable & delicious recipe! It is our favorite for sandwich bread.

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  31. Just recently got a sourdough starter and had it in good enough shape to bake my first bread with it. I've made yeast breads but this was my first time trying to bake sourdough and I chose your recipe. I am extremely happy with the way this turned out; great flavor, texture and moisture. Easily slices off with just a serrated bread knife. Removed both loaves from the oven and rubbed the tops with a stick of butter. Allowed it to cool until it was just warm. Oh my! Both my wife and I love it! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. Great blog!

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  32. I recently got some sourdough started from a friend, but unfortunately gave less than clear instructions on how to care for it. I've been reading a lot of sites, but yours has the simplest, and easy to follow directions!
    I've taken notes and now have my first dough rising as I type.

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  33. Ohmy golly!!!! This sourdough bread was the BEST I have EVER made!!! I let it rise a little longer (overnight) and the taste is beautiful the crumb is springy and perfect. So good!! I am most definitely making it this way from now on!

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  34. like other commenters, I have been having issues with really hard and dense loaves of bread. I did a whole bunch of research, and I read about something called the window stage in kneading, where you should be able to stretch the dough until it is transparent without breaking. It took me about 40 minutes of hand kneading this dough to get it to the window stage, but the crumb was pretty good after that! I don't have a stand mixer but I imagine that if I did it would make this level of kneading a lot easier, you just have to keep an eye on it because apparently a stand mixer can easily over knead the bread if you aren't careful and let it go too long. I also added more of my starter to this recipe as I was kneading it, because it felt too dry at points. And instead of 2 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, I just used 2 cups whole wheat flour, and half a cup vital wheat gluten.
    My question is how you might adjust this recipe for altitude? I live in Denver, and my loaves came out of the oven very dark on top, with crust as hard as a rock, and not done in the middle. I'm thinking lower oven temp, longer cook time? I don't know if our elevation is to blame for that (appx. 5200 feet above sea-level), but I don't know what else could be. Honestly, I usually just kind of loosely follow recipes so I have no idea what changes I normally make for altitude, but I've learned you can't do that for bread recipes.

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    1. I have never baked at an high altitude so I don't know what changes are needed but I'm sure there are others who have experience. Can you find a local baker who can give you help? There is also some bread baking forums which might give you help.
      Gina

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    2. Hi Jessica! I live in Denver area also and was wondering if you have found adjustments to perfect this recipe for altitude? Thanks much in advance!

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    3. I live in Colorado Springs and found that when baking the bread, adjust the oven to 350 degrees and bake from 40-45 minutes works great. This is wonderful bread and makes us look like we know what we're doing! LOL

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  35. Hey thanks for the recipe!I don't have any honey right now, do you know what the sugar replacement would be? I use raw sugar. Thanks.

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    1. Rachael -
      You can use an equal amount of sugar to substitute for the honey.
      Gina

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  36. I've made this recipe twice and the loaves have turned out beautifully. I love that the flavor actually gets better after a few days. The joys of sourdough!

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  37. Hi Gina....I have been using this recipe successfully for months, and I love it! I have experimented with an Italian loaf and it was also great. However, I decided to go all out and try a blueberry pecan loaf. I left the base recipe the same, added xylitol to sweet a little more, then the blueberries and nuts. The blueberries were frozen, so I thawed and drained them. The first batch I mixed was TOTALLY sticky and wet. I added flour until it felt right, but it didn't rise well at all. I tried again and left out the water in the recipe to account for any berry juice, etc. The dough felt right while kneading, but this batch rose even less than the first and was like a brick. Any suggestions? Have you worked with fruit in this recipe? thanks!!!

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    1. I've never tried fruit in bread except for raisins.

      How would it work to mix and raise your dough as usual then when forming the dough into loaves, roll out the dough, sprinkle on your berries and nuts and then roll the dough up. That way your berries would turn to mush and get so juicy

      You make me want to give it a try!
      Gina

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  38. Have you tried this recipe with einkorn flour? I am trying to use it exclusively now and wondering if there are any tips or changes that would help me achieve the kind of success you've had.

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    1. I've never tried einkorn flour. If you try it let us know how it goes.
      Gina

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  39. Hi Gina,

    Perhaps you moderate comments, but using my WordPress account, my comment didn't show. I apologize is this is redundant.

    I'm wondering what size pan you utilize ? (8x4 or 9x5). I'm guessing you use the 8x4, but don't like to assume.

    This is very similar to my Great Grandmother's White Sourdough Sandwich Bread, from the "old Country". The only real difference is substituting sugar for honey, and all white AP flour. I've been baking bread over 50 years, and still I am always looking for new recipes. I prefer using AP for starter (no yeast) bread over Bread flour, and have found that KAF is far superior to any other flour, for whatever reason. (I do not represent KAF, in any way)

    Thanks for a great recipe. I just want to be sure I use the right size pans.

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    1. I'm sorry you had trouble commenting. Glad it worked this time.

      You were right, I use 8x4 pans.

      How fun to be making a bread similar to your grandmother. I've heard that my great-grandmother made wonderful bread and I wish I had her recipe.

      Happy Baking,
      Gina

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  40. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I baked it twice in the week and have to agreed totally that this is soft and sweet... My family love it and I can see this appearing in my oven over and over....

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  41. Oh my goodness! You are a life saver! I am in love with how my bread turned out! It's soft, moist, and I can slice it! I've tried my mother in laws recipe time and time again. I can tell you how dry it is! I used it for breadcrumbs, croutons, and Bird food! haha! I've tried other recipes with the same results. Completely at my wits end, I researched and researched and came across this beautiful recipe. I was a little hesitant, because it didn't rise a lot, but once it baked, it was like magic!! I think the key is to feed your starter a couple hours before baking and wham! beautiful bread! I'm just so excited, I had to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, thank you, thank you! God bless and have a wonderful day! :)

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  42. I'm just now starting this journey of baking with sourdough bread. I'd love to hear your thoughts on how long you typically allow your bread to ferment? I'm gathering it's a few hours from this recipe. Have you tried doing anything longer and would there be benefits on fermenting longer? My goal would be to have as few carbs as possible and I know longer ferments are better for that. :)

    Thanks! I am so excited about trying some of your recipes.

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    1. I have tried some long ferments - such as overnight - and my family doesn't prefer it. To me it is a balance in making bread that is healthy yet my family will enjoy eating. I aim for a six or eight hour ferment, divided between the two raises. That seems to work well for me and result in bread that my family loves.

      Happy Baking,
      Gina

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  43. Gina, I just brought these out the oven. Beautiful! Thank you so much for the recipe. It's the best I've tried.

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  44. I just got a start from a friend and not sure where to go from here.

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    1. Check the "sourdough" tab at the top of this page. It will send you to all the info you need to start enjoying your starter!
      Gina

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  45. Thank you for your advice & recipes for Sour Dough. I've already tried several & they've turned out great! Can you tell me if you have a recipe for a sour dough pizza crust?

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    1. Yes, you can find the pizza crust here.
      http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2015/02/sourdough-pizza-or-focaccia.html
      Happy Baking,
      Gina

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  46. Hello, the first time I made this recipe it came out perfect! I was so impressed. Today, the loaves didn't rise too much in the loaf pan and when baked, were very flat and dense. Did I let the dough rise too much the first rise? I feel as though I did everything the same as the first time.

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  47. I need to make this dairy free - can I use soy or almond milk instead of regular milk? what role does the milk play?

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    1. The milk adds richness but is not necessary. You can replace the milk with water with great success. I'm sure you could also use soy or almond milk.
      Gina

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  48. Is it better to measure the starter with a liquid measuring cup, or to weigh out 19 oz on a food scale? Thank you! - Cary

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    1. Both work well. I included both since bakers have their own preference for what works best for them.
      Gina

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    2. Made both regular and hearth style. I increased whole wheat flour by 1/2 cup as first time I made the dough was too sticky but this time was just right. Many thanks!

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  49. What size bowl do you use for your first rise? I usually only make 32oz recipes and this one has me searching the house for something large enough to allow the first rise.

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  50. Hi Gina,
    I just began baking with sourdough and made this bread last night. Everything went well until it came out of the oven. It was heavy and dense. My understanding is that it should be tall, light, and airy. Am I correct? I am trying to glean as much information from you and the comments and found that perhaps hot butter and cold milk added to dough could cause this. Also, when the bread is set to rise, should it be covered to prevent hardening of the dough? Thank you so much for all your knowledge, wisdom, and time helping others!

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    1. Keep trying! My first loaves were bricks. The biggest factor is your starter. Make sure you have an actively growing starter. It should be able to double in a few hours after feeding. Warm (not cold or hot) helps the starter to grow. I always cover my loaves while rising so they don't form a crust.
      Happy Baking,
      Gina

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  51. How do you use this as an all purpose dough? Is it something I could use for dinner rolls or cinnamon rolls or things like that? Do you do everything the same until the last rise? When do you roll it out and add the cinnamon for cinnamon bread? I'd love to do all these things just trying to figure this out lol. I made the bread yesterday and it's my most successful loaf so far so I'm excited about finding a recipe that works finally! Thank you so much!

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    1. You got it! Just make as usual and shape it or add other ingredients as you wish. I love this recipe with added cheese and chives when it is shaped into a loaf.
      Happy Baking,
      Gina

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  52. Thank you so much for this recipe! My husband has an allergy to yeast and I have been experimenting with sourdough for the last 18 months. I found a great recipe for soft rolls but all loaves were chewy and too hard, didn't keep well even when frozen. I tried this yesterday and it is amazing! My husband left it in too long so the crust was dark but he likes it well done and it tastes perfect

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  53. Hi Gina,
    Greetings from London, United Kingdom! I tried your soft sourdough recipe and was delighted with how soft and springy the loaves were. However, my husband thought the bread was quite sweet. Would it be possible to achieve the same results without the honey?

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    1. Yes. You can decrease or omit the honey.
      Gina

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  54. Hi Gina! I have to say I have been using this recipe for several months, and it always turns out so delicious. 😃 I know this recipe had been here for years, but I'm so thankful you shared it! Thanks!

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  55. your recipe calls for whole wheat and white. I assume the white means all purpose? I’m trying to use all whole wheat (white wheat, not red). Would the bread still turn out soft like you describe if I use all whole wheat, white whole wheat?

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    1. If you check out the recipes in the sourdough tab on top of this page, you'll find a recipe that uses all whole wheat flour. It is still nice and soft though with a slightly stronger flavor. I use white whole wheat for my sourdough bread almost always.
      Gina

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  56. My middle was still wet and crust hardened. How can I make a softer crust and finished middle?

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    1. You can try lowering the oven heat and baking it longer.

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  57. I made your recipe yesterday and had to let it rise mostly in the refrigerator as we had to leave. I came home to fully risen bread so I divided into two and did the second rise, then baked at 375 for 25 minutes. My goodness!! What delicious bread!! Thank you for this amazing recipe!

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  58. What Great Bread! Thank You So Much.

    I actually used 100% bread flour.

    I use a covered roasting pan lined with parchment paper to bake my loaves. I thoroughly spray/soak the loaves with water before placing them in my oven.

    At 400, the first loaf was a little too dark on the bottom, probably due to my thin/dark blue roasting pan. So I cooked the second one at 350 for 45 minutes and it was perfect.

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  59. I made this yesterday and followed the recipe exactly. It turned out perfect! I am looking forward to trying variations, absolutely delicious!

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  60. I made this yesterday but gave it an extra 3 hour rise (then stretched and folded and rose for another 4 hours or so) in our cool house, due to scheduling issues. I dotted the dough with marzipan and small chunks of cooked pear and rolled it up. It rose to great heights, and is fabulous! I'll use this recipe again, and it's nice to know it's a bit forgiving, time-wise.

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  61. I am an experienced bread baker, but new to sourdough. I made this recipe yesterday and am thrilled with the results. It rose so much more quickly than other breads that I have attempted and the texture was light. I love that this bread is very sliceable and not crumbly or dry. It will be perfect for sandwiches. My goal in baking with sourdough is to have "normal" tasting bread with the health and digestive benefits of sourdough. Sure appreciate your sharing this good information that you have on your blog!

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  62. This is absolutely the best bread I have ever made. For dietary reasons, the only bread I can have is sourdough. They fermentation process breaks down the elements that make "normal" a huge "no no" to me. It took months to get the starter going and try to bake bread. The first batch we ended up making into croutons. The second batch was bread, but too sour for my taste and very tough. After doing a very long search I found your recipe and it is AMAZING! I teared up. I can eat bread again! When I share my starter with friends and family, I will be including your recipe and site for more of your recipes. And your story! You helped someone today in a big way. And I hope that means a little something because it's a huge blessing for me. Thank you so much

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  63. Thank you, this is a great recipe. Have made it 3 times this week and each time it turns out better. I do better with parchment paper instead of oil, but that's the only thing that I've changed. Thank you.

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  64. Today I am making my second batch of this recipe which I shape into buns (dinner rolls). It was awesome the first time and I was able to freeze them very nicely. I use only all-purpose flour because we don't care for whole wheat and I let my bread machine doing the kneading and rising, then I shape the buns, let them rise and bake them. Definitely a keeper!

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  65. Is it possible to make this with less starter? Why do you use so much starter? Is your starter 100% hydration?

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    1. Yes, you can use less starter. I use a lot of starter to make sure I get a good oven spring. My starter is 100% hydrations.
      Gina

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  66. I had almost decided I didn't like sourdough bread after all, and my family didn't like it either, until I tried this bread. It is so yummy! Makes the best toast, and smells so good! Thank you for sharing this.

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  67. My family and I have been being enjoying your recipe for at least a couple years now. We mostly avoid gluten but are able to use sourdough. I've been making your recipe with organic unbleached bread flour; adding about 1/4 cup of a combo of psylium husk powder and ground flax seed for fiber. Often a little more water is needed, as these asborb moisture. The bread has a great texture for slicing and is the best bread I've ever made.

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  68. Trying this recipe for first time. Loaves are in the oven. It took a long time for the dough's bulk rise but handling the dough to get in the oven you can tell it's a really nice dough. Baking one in a loaf pan and the other as a batard. Experimenting to see which way I like better. Looking forward to trying these. Did use half white flour starter and half rye flour starter. (My rye starter was super active)

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  69. Thanks - this made good bread using what was sold as an "Alaskan" starter, in my slow cooker on dessert mode, baked for about two and a half hours. First attempt, too: which suggests a really brilliant recipe - it came out well despite quite a few mistakes and a crazy baking method.

    I need to experiment with sourdough due to gut problems with conventional bread, and I only have a makeshift kitchen, so I don't have many options and particularly appreciate it :-)

    Does anyone else think Alaskan starter tastes of coconut?

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