Easy Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Equipment
- 1 digital kitchen scale
- 2 medium mixing bowls
- 1 dough scraper or spatula
- 1 stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- 1 9x5-inch loaf pan
- 1 plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel
- 1 wire cooling rack
- 1 sharp knife or lame
Ingredients
- 120 gram active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 250 gram warm water about 80–85°F
- 30 gram granulated sugar
- 40 gram unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 400 gram bread flour
- 50 gram whole wheat flour
- 9 gram fine sea salt
- 15 gram olive oil for greasing pan and bowl
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the active sourdough starter, warm water, sugar, and melted butter until mostly smooth.
- Add the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and salt to the bowl and mix with a spatula or dough hook until a rough, shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface or in a stand mixer on low speed for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and only slightly tacky.
- Lightly oil a clean bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside, and turn it once to coat all sides.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rise at warm room temperature for 3–4 hours, or until nearly doubled and puffy.
- Gently deflate the dough, turn it onto a lightly floured surface, and pat it into a rectangle roughly the length of your loaf pan.
- Roll the rectangle up tightly from the short side into a log, pinching the seam and tucking the ends under to create surface tension.
- Lightly oil the loaf pan with olive oil and place the shaped dough seam-side down into the pan.
- Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let the dough proof at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or until it rises 1–2 inches above the rim of the pan and springs back slowly when gently pressed.
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center position.
- Just before baking, use a sharp knife or lame to score one long shallow slash down the center of the loaf.
- Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is deep golden and the internal temperature reaches about 200–205°F (93–96°C).
- Remove the pan from the oven, let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack.
- Allow the loaf to cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing to set the crumb and keep slices from squashing.
Notes
For best results, use a starter that is bubbly and recently fed so the dough rises predictably, and adjust the dough texture with a spoonful of water or flour if it feels too dry or too sticky, since flour absorption varies. Warmer kitchens speed fermentation while cooler rooms slow it, so rely more on how puffy and airy the dough looks than on the clock. If your loaf seems to stall below the pan rim, give it extra time until it visibly rises, or place it somewhere slightly warmer like an unheated oven with the light on. Brushing the baked crust lightly with melted butter softens it for classic sandwich bread texture, and once cooled, store slices airtight at room temperature for 2–3 days or freeze in portions to keep them fresh longer.
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