Description
This unloaf sourdough recipe offers a simple way to bake homemade bread with a golden, crackling crust and soft crumb, perfect for busy families. It simplifies the traditional sourdough process without compromising on flavor or quality, ideal for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 400 g all-purpose or bread flour, (or half whole wheat flour, or gluten-free blend)
- 300 ml water, (adjust based on flour and starter hydration)
- 10 g fine sea salt
- Optional: minced garlic, fresh rosemary, shredded cheese, flax seeds, chia seeds
Instructions
- Mix & Rest: In a large bowl, combine your active sourdough starter, water, fine sea salt, and flour. Mix with a sturdy spoon or your hands until a shaggy, cohesive dough forms. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Stretch & Fold (4x): Over the next 2-3 hours, perform gentle stretch and folds. Grab a portion of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat this 3-4 times. Do this process every 30-45 minutes (totaling 4 sets). The dough will become smoother and more elastic with each session.
- Bulk Ferment: After your final stretch and fold, cover the bowl again. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 6-12 hours, or until it has visibly increased in size and shows bubbles on the surface. For a deeper, more complex flavor, you can refrigerate it for 12-24 hours. The dough should feel airy.
- Preheat Oven & Vessel: About 30-45 minutes before baking, place your 6-quart Dutch oven (or any heavy, oven-safe pot with a lid) in the cold oven. Preheat the oven to 232°C (450°F) for at least 30 minutes.
- Bake Your Unloaf: Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven. Gently transfer your dough directly into the hot pot. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Then, uncover and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is deeply golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. For a savory, family-style treat, you sometimes sprinkle a little grated Parmesan cheese on top before the uncovered bake. (If your crust isn’t browning, bake for an additional 5 minutes uncovered, watching closely.)
Notes
Personalize your bread with mix-ins like minced garlic, fresh rosemary, shredded cheese, or seeds for added nutrition. For a deeper, more complex flavor, refrigerate the dough for 12-24 hours during bulk fermentation. If the crust needs more browning, bake for an additional 5 minutes uncovered, watching closely.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: General
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 70 g)
- Calories: 180 calories
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: sourdough, unloaf, bread, easy, baking, homemade, starter, Dutch oven, family-friendly, savory