Flavored Sourdough Bread
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 digital kitchen scale
- 1 measuring spoon set
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 clean kitchen towel
- 1 banneton basket or 1 medium bowl lined with a towel
- 1 Dutch oven with lid or 1 baking stone and 1 tray for steam
- 1 sharp bread lame or serrated knife
- 1 Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 100 gram active sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 350 gram water room temperature
- 450 gram bread flour
- 50 gram whole wheat flour
- 10 gram fine sea salt
- 40 gram grated hard cheese such as cheddar or parmesan
- 40 gram chopped olives pitted
- 20 gram chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme
- 20 gram olive oil plus extra for greasing
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together sourdough starter and water until mostly dissolved.
- Add bread flour and whole wheat flour to the bowl and mix until no dry flour remains, then cover and rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
- Sprinkle salt and olive oil over the dough and mix by pinching and folding until fully incorporated.
- Add grated cheese, chopped olives, and chopped herbs and gently fold them into the dough until evenly distributed.
- Over the next 2 hours perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes, keeping the dough covered between sets.
- After the final fold, cover the bowl and let the dough bulk ferment at room temperature until roughly doubled, slightly domed, and jiggly, 3–5 hours depending on temperature.
- Lightly flour your work surface, gently turn out the dough, and pre-shape it into a loose round using a dough scraper.
- Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Shape the dough into a tight round or oval loaf, creating surface tension by pulling it toward you against the counter.
- Generously flour the banneton or towel-lined bowl and place the dough seam side up inside.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 8–12 hours for a cold final proof and enhanced flavor.
- About 45 minutes before baking, place the Dutch oven with lid into the oven and preheat to 250°C (480°F).
- Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven, gently invert the proofed dough onto a piece of parchment or directly into the pot so it is seam side down.
- Score the top of the dough with a sharp lame or serrated knife to allow controlled expansion.
- Cover with the lid and bake for 20 minutes at 250°C (480°F).
- Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 220°C (430°F), and bake for another 20 minutes or until deep golden brown.
- Carefully remove the loaf from the Dutch oven and place it on a cooling rack.
- Let the bread cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing to set the crumb and preserve moisture.
Notes
For best results, use a lively, recently fed starter and adjust fermentation times according to your kitchen temperature: warmer rooms speed things up while cooler rooms slow them down. If the dough feels very slack, add an extra set of folds during bulk fermentation to build strength; if it is very stiff, a slightly wetter hand when folding can help. You can vary the flavor profile by swapping olives and cheese for roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, toasted nuts, or seeds, but keep total add-ins to about 15–20% of the flour weight to avoid weighing down the dough. A properly proofed loaf should slowly spring back when gently pressed with a fingertip, and a fully baked loaf will feel light for its size and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Store the bread cut side down on a board for 1–2 days at room temperature, or slice and freeze for longer storage, to enjoy the flavored sourdough at its best.
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