Homemade Sourdough Bread…Really?

~ amykins100

For whatever reason, I have attended many a potluck in my lifetime. When asked what I was going to contribute, I always said “I can bring homemade sourdough bread!” This statement was almost always greeted by a look of pure awe or barely disguised disbelief. Even now, some of you are thinking…sourdough bread isn’t that really hard…time consuming…better left to the experts? Just have some faith…and a good starter, and you can impress your family and friends with the crusty, chewy goodness. The basic starter is probably the most challenging aspect. However, if you can measure and mix flour and water, you can make starter. There are terrific recipes all over Pinterest, or let me know and I can give you my own secret recipe.

This recipe is a good beginner’s sourdough bread because most of the uncertainty of the rise is removed with the addition of a little yeast. It is great for a newer starter…and absolutely delicious.

The usual Cast of Characters

1 cup “fed” sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

5 cups Bread flour

1 tbs dough enhancer…optional but highly recommended.

The Steps to Glory

1. Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth dough. I use a kitchen aide mixer on low about 8-10 minutes

2. Allow the dough to rise, in a lightly greased, covered bowl, until it’s doubled in size, about 90 minutes. Keep in a warm spot.

3. Gently divide the dough in half; it’ll deflate somewhat.

4. Gently shape the dough into two oval loaves. Place the loaves on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until very puffy, about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

4.Spray the loaves with lukewarm water. This step is essential for the crusty outside, soft inside beauty of sourdough.

5. Make two fairly deep diagonal slashes in each using a serrated bread knife. Sprinkle with sea salt.

6. Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s a very deep golden brown.

7. This is my secret tip just for you…turn oven off, prop open door with an oven mitt and allow the bread to cool in the oven. Don’t remove until the outside is cool enough to touch. Why do this? It prevents the Bread from having a soggy outside from the evaporation as it cools. Soggy bread is just sad.

8. Remove, slice and enjoy…and accept all the compliments. Just don’t tell them how easy it was to do.

Especially good to serve following a Navy win on a cold game day!

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18 thoughts on “Homemade Sourdough Bread…Really?”

  1. You do make it sound very easy! I have never made bread, but this does tempt me. A few questions: what is dough enhancer and what comprises a dough starter? I can remember the delicious aroma of bread baking when my Gram made it many years ago. The Princess and you look so cute and cozy! Thank-you!

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    1. It is far easier than people think…I stopped buying bread a while ago. It is probably my favorite scent of all time. Dough enhancer is optional but I find the bread rises better with it. I buy mine from Target. The starter is the base of the sourdough. It is simply flour and water that has fermented. You feed it once a week. I do have an easy recipe for it. It takes about a week to be ready and the longer you have it and feed it the better it gets. Sometimes you can buy it online from people who claim it is decades old. I like my own. I find baking so relaxing.

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  3. We love sourdough bread and I make it twice a week. Your loaves look lovely, but I most often make sandwich loaves because that fits the toaster better (My husband eats two slices of sourdough toast every morning of his life!). Mine is wild yeast sourdough – no commercial yeast added to either the starter or the dough – but I have nothing against yeast.

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    1. We use sourdough in everything it seems…pancakes are especially good. Usually I don’t add the yeast now that my starter is well developed but when I need to guarantee a good rise I will add a pinch

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  4. Oh, I used to LOVE making bread. It has been many years though as my wrists have some arthritis and the kneading is rough for me. I once had a sour dough starter and truly loved that. Your loaves look so beautiful. Thanks for the good tip about keeping the oven door open to keep away the soggy outside. I had never hear that before.

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  5. My friend gave me a start and I made it a lot until we went on vacation in June. Have had so much going on lately that I haven’t made it for a while, but it is super delicious! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  7. Soggy bread IS sad! Thanks for sharing this hot tip. I have a tough time getting the yeast to activate – water too hot or not warm enough. How do you achieve such easy results?

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  8. Sourdough bread is really the best! I have made it for years and have never heard the tip of leaving it in the oven to cool, I will definitely try that!

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