I really enjoy sourdough bread. I was intimidated to make my own starter. I watched so many videos and read a LOT of tutorials. When my daughter’s friend offered me some discard I was very excited. When I started feeding it, I was so happy to see how well it responded! I only feed Van Dough (yes, I named him) King Arthur all-purpose flour and filtered water. I was super excited to make my first loaf of sourdough bread. Check out my sourdough bread post. It really is very beginner friendly:).
I love a good crusty artisan loaf as much as the next guy, but I got to thinking “Why not turn this amazing starter into a delicious sandwich loaf?”. And so, it began. This recipe is inspired by Emilie at The Clever Carrot. Thanks Emilie!!
Make sure your starter has been fed as is active.
I like to do the drop test to see if “Van” is ready. Simply drop a teaspoonful of starter in a small glass of room temperature water, if it floats, you’re ready to go!
I purchased a new ceramic bread pan (made by Libbey) and I was really wanting to use it, so what better time than with this awesome sandwich bread.
This bread makes a delicious tuna sandwich. I made one for the hubs today for lunch. He was a very happy camper! I used fresh parsley from my herb garden and yummy lettuce from the garden. There is something so rewarding and satisfying about gardening and growing your own fruits and veggies. That being said, take a look at this delectable sandwich.
Now that I have your attention, you simply must make this bread (I have another loaf proofing as I am writing this).
Please, please, please use a scale to measure your ingredients. I Can Not emphasize enough the importance of using a scale for baking. You will have consistency and your product will come out amazing every time!
Enough of the chit chat…let’s get started making your sourdough sandwich bread!!
Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour (500 grams)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, (60 grams) softened and cut into cubes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12 grams)
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt (9 grams)
1/4 cup active sourdough starter (60 grams)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons room temperature water (270 grams)
Mix the Dough:
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, butter, sugar and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. It should resemble crumbs.
Add the starter and warm water. Mix until the flour is fully absorbed (get in there with your hands to finish mixing). The dough will feel slightly sticky and elastic at this stage. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes. This allows the gluten to relax.
After the dough has rested, switch to a dough hook and knead for 6-8 minutes on medium speed. The dough will feel soft and supple and not stick to your hands. If the dough is too sticky, add a dusting of flour.
Bulk Rise:
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise overnight at room temperature until double in size, about 10-12 hrs.
Shape your dough:
In the morning, coat a 9×5-inch pan with butter.
Remove the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Gently flatten the surface to release any large air bubbles.
Roll the dough into a log (approximately 8″ x 15″). Tuck the ends underneath. Using a bench scraper, place the dough into the loaf pan seam side down.
Second Rise:
Cover the dough with plastic wrap sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Let it rest at room temperature until it has risen to about 1″ above the rim of the pan. This takes about 2-4 hours depending on the temperature of your house.
Bake the dough:
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Remove the plastic from the pan and bake the dough on the center rack for about 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove bread from the oven and cool in pan for about 10 minutes. I like to brush a little melted butter on top while it’s very hot. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
This sandwich loaf will stay fresh for up to 3 days, stored in a plastic bag at room temperature. You can also slice the loaf and freeze it. Remove slices as needed. You can keep the bread in the freezer up to 60 days!
I hope you make this bread, and if you do, please tag me on Instagram @goodeatsbymimi. I would love to hear from you and see your photos!
4 responses to “Sourdough Loaf Sandwich Bread”
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Thank you so much for the repost🤗
Also did a white pan sd the other day. Appreciated by family all too used to my ww loaves. A couple of questions: I notice you didn’t score it , resulting in a classic rounded top. Did this play into your proofing strategy? Also your starter flour ratio was lower than I’m used to but then your rise time was longer & you used sugar. Interesting. I also liked the butter addition. Finally have you tried milk instead of water?
This recipe was inspired by Emilie from The Clever Carrot. I was intrigued by the simplicity of the recipe. Most of the time is in your proofing. My second rise is always close to 4 hours. The temperature in my home is cooler. I like to do my second rise in the oven (temperature is off and the light is on). It really works well for me. Be patient with this step😉. I haven’t used milk in this recipe (I’ll have to give it a try).
As for the starter/ flour ratio, I always use a scale for measuring. If your starter is really bubbly, a quarter cup might only weigh 30 grams. That’s too little for this recipe. You need 60 grams. I recommend weighing ALL of your ingredients. It’s so important and results in consistency in the outcome of your baked goods. The sugar amount is small, but gives the loaf a nice taste. You can score the top if you would like, but it isn’t necessary. I hope that helps you. Thank you and I hope you have a wonderful day☺️