Fall weather is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean we must say goodbye to summer flavors! Blueberries, in my opinion, deserve a place in our pantry all year round, and so does sourdough. If you’re looking for a burst of color, juiciness, and flavor, blueberries are the perfect fruit to add to sourdough bread. Today we’re making blueberry sourdough bread!
About this blueberry sourdough bread
In our home, blueberries are a staple. We use them as snacks, to make muffins, in smoothies, ice cream, oatmeal, pancakes… you name it! Blueberries are a nutritional powerhouse and we try our best to eat them often.
These berries are packed with more antioxidants than many other fruits and vegetables; they’re high in soluble fiber, low in calories, and relatively low in carbohydrates compared to other fruits (which is important if you need to monitor your blood sugar).
They’re not called a superfood for nothing! Let’s combine all these benefits with sourdough bread to make a delicious blueberry sourdough bread that I’m sure you will love.
Why blueberries?
Blueberries are very nutritious and make a healthy addition to our diets. Just 100 g of blueberries (about 2/3 of a cup) provides 24% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin K1, 16% of Vitamin C, and 14% of manganese among other vitamins and minerals.
They are rich in phytochemicals like anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that give blueberries their characteristic blue/purple color. Blueberries also contain quercetin, a flavonoid with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects, as well as resveratrol, another antioxidant that supports heart health.
Other health benefits associated with blueberries are lower blood pressure and improved digestion. Overall, they’re a fantastic addition to our daily nutrition. And when incorporated into sourdough bread they add a nutritious boost to the loaf. This blueberry sourdough bread is not only delicious but also an excellent way to deliver essential nutrients to our meals.
Incorporating fruit into bread
Adding fruit to bread can be tricky. The moisture, acidity, and dietary fiber in fruit can affect the dough’s consistency and fermentation process. It’s important to choose the right type of fruit and adapt the recipe accordingly.
Dried, rehydrated, frozen, and fresh fruit behave differently in the dough. The differences in momisture can modify the water content of your recipe and disrupt the balance of ingredients. This recipe is designed for fresh or frozen blueberries. Now, let’s dive into how to incorporate blueberries into sourdough.
Incorporating blueberries into bread
For a burst of color, you can blend a few blueberries, mix the puree with the recipe’s water, and prepare a colorful dough. If you make kombucha or other fermented drinks you can use the strained pulp in bread as well. If you’re looking for a burst of flavor and a mouthful of juicy blueberries… Then adding whole berries is the way to go. The experience of biting into bread and having a blueberry burst in your mouth is next-level delicious!
Can I use frozen blueberries in my sourdough?
Absolutely! Frozen blueberries are a convenient option when fresh berries are out of season, or they’re not easily available. If you use frozen berries, make sure to thaw them first or your dough will be too cold and ferment much slower.
As the blueberries thaw they will release some juice, which you can either drain or incorporate into the dough as part of the total water. This will give the dough a slight pink color (the acidity of sourdough turns their purple hue into pink, how cool is that?).
If you live in a warm climate where sourdough tends to ferment quickly, you can probably benefit from not thawing the blueberries.
When to add the blueberries
When making this blueberry sourdough bread we have two options: fresh or frozen blueberries. The best time to incorporate fresh blueberries is before the dough is fully developed.
Whole, fresh blueberries are relatively hard and they can stand the kneading process without releasing too much juice and changing the dough’s hydration (unless you smash them), so it’s safe to add them early in the process.
Frozen blueberries, however, are a bit different. When blueberries are frozen and then thawed, the expansion and compression may create micro-channels in the skin. These tiny holes are the reason the juice leaks out of the berries. If you’ve ever thawed blueberries you might have noticed this.
The extra juice can impact the dough’s overall hydration, and since they’re much softer than fresh blueberries, they can break as the dough is kneaded. The best time to add frozen blueberries to the dough is toward the end of the kneading process, preferably during a lamination step or between coil folds.
If you want to use the juice, you can thaw the blueberries in advance and incorporate the juice as part of the water content. If you don’t want the juice, you can strain the berries.
A good tip to remember when laminating the dough for this blueberry sourdough bread is to reserve some berries and add them as you fold the dough back. It’s the best way to have the blueberries spread evenly throughout your dough and avoid having them all on one side of the loaf.
How to make blueberry sourdough bread
Now that we’ve discussed how to add the blueberries, let’s talk about the proofing and baking of this blueberry sourdough bread because the fruit can have an impact on the process.
Something that can happen when adding fresh fruits to bread dough is that juice starts to leak. This can make the dough look a bit softer than it should. A strong gluten network can help with this. It’s essential to develop a strong enough dough to avoid future problems if there are significant changes in the hydration of the dough. In other words, to avoid baking a flat loaf.
Fresh (or raw) fruit is also heavy, so a strong gluten network is really necessary. I prefer to knead the dough until it’s almost fully developed, and then add some coil folds. Whatever your preference is, follow the method that works for you.
Fermentation & proofing
When the dough has heavy inclusions, it might feel like it didn’t rise as much during proofing. Here it’s important to pay attention and not let it overfement. Look for air pockets in the bottom of the bowl (if you have a transparent bowl you can see the dough), and larger air bubbles when you preshape the dough. The dough should not feel too sticky or leave a lot of residue on the bowl.
Inclusions can also make shaping challenging, and you might feel some resistance from the dough when you try to shape it. The best thing you can do is to let it rest. A preshape step is always beneficial, but only if you have enough time to let it rest before the final shape. At least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Of course, you will need to time your fermentation accordingly. One more hour at room temperature can be a lot in a warm kitchen.
Baking your blueberry sourdough bread
Sourdough bread is supposed to have a lovely crispy crust paired with a pillowy crumb. This blueberry sourdough bread is no exception. However, to avoid burning the blueberries that might be on the surface, I recommend baking with steam for at least 20 minutes. This will prevent the crust from drying out too fast and turning too thick. And the last 20-30 minutes of baking will give your loaf the crispiness we all so enjoy.
Due to the additional moisture that the blueberries carry, the loaf might take slightly longer to bake. If you’re not sure when the dough is ready, the best thing you can do is test the internal temperature with a thermometer. Once it reads 96C your loaf is ready! Test a couple of different spots to make sure you got the correct temperature. You could stick the thermometer in a blueberry and get the wrong reading.
Storing Blueberry Sourdough Bread
To keep your blueberry sourdough bread fresh, store it in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag at room temperature. For longer storage, you can freeze slices of the bread wrapped in plastic wrap to avoid freeze burn and place them in a freezer bag. Then you can toast the slices directly in your toaster (it will take a bit longer to toast), or your air fryer!
Sourdough bread lasts longer than yeasted bread but not if it has fruit. The extra moisture and sugar are the perfect combination for microorganisms to grow. If you keep this bread in a warm kitchen, you might have to finish the bread within a couple of days to avoid mold. I know, the sacrifices we make! 😉
How to add more flavor to your blueberry sourdough bread
If you are looking for a very flavorful loaf, you can always add more aromatics and inclusions of your choice. My recipes are guides and ideas for you to customize to your taste. And as a scientist, I’d be doing you a disservice if I didn’t encourage you to experiment.
Blueberries are incredibly versatile and pair well with a wide variety of flavors. I like to pair them with seasonal ingredients. Maybe lemon zest during warmer months, maybe some cinnamon and ginger during colder months. Or just plain, blueberries are very tasty on their own.
And that’s it, now you can make this fabulous blueberry sourdough bread all year round! And for a delicious suggestion, try a toast with goat cheese and honey; you’ll never want anything else!
Happy baking!
For more recipes, baking tips, and scientific insights into bread making, subscribe to my blog and stay updated with the latest in bread baking!
If you make any of my recipes let me know what you think! As always you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I also have a few videos up on my YouTube channel.
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Blueberry Sourdough Bread
The perfect combination of sourdough and juicy blueberries for a mouthwatering treat!
Ingredients
- 25 g whole wheat flour
- 375 g bread flour
- 300 g water *See notes
- 8 g salt
- 80 g active sourdough starter
- 100 g fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl add the water, active sourdough starter, and salt and dissolve.
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Add the flours and mix until just incorporated. Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes for an autolysis step.
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Knead the dough for a few minutes incorporating short resting periods (5 mins). If you are using fresh blueberries add them when the dough starts getting some consistency.
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If you’re using thawed frozen blueberries, add them now with a lamination step.
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Perform 3-4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30-40 minutes. To do a stretch and fold, wet your hands, lift one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides.
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Cover and let the dough ferment at room temperature for 6 hours at 72°F/22°C or until it looks bubbly and airy but not wobbly.
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Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Preshape it into a boule.
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Cover with a floured cloth or bowl, and let it rest fo 30 minutes to 1h.
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Finish shaping the dough into your preferred shape and place it in a floured banneton seam side up.
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Cover and refrigerate for 12 or overnight.
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Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside.
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Carefully turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Score the top of the loaf with a sharp blade. Transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven, cover with the lid, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the crust is deeply golden or inner temperature reaches 205°F or 96°C
Recipe Notes
* If you are unsure of the strength of your flour, reduce the water content by 30g and add more if necessary as you start mixing your dough.
The Ultimate Chocolate Sourdough Bread
When you think of sourdough bread, you may just think of a rustic loaf, full of tangy flavors and a chewy, airy crumb. But what if I told you that you could take this classic favorite to the next level by just adding chocolate? That’s right, today we are making chocolate sourdough bread!
This recipe takes everything you love about sourdough and adds melty pockets of rich, semi-sweet chocolate, creating a bread that’s perfect for a special breakfast, a sweet snack, or even dessert. Because yes, chocolate belongs in breakfast 😉 In this post, I’ll walk you through the process of making this chocolate sourdough bread and explain some of the science behind what makes it so special.
Quick overview of this chocolate sourdough
You might be wondering why we’re adding chocolate to something as traditionally savory as sourdough. While chocolate might seem like an odd addition at first or something that belongs in a brioche dough, it’s actually a fantastic pairing for the natural tang of sourdough because their flavors balance each other out.
Unlike sweet breads which are loaded with sugar, this chocolate sourdough is only lightly sweetened (and the addition of sugar is completely optional) making it a great choice for those who want to enjoy a treat without the extra sugar.
Acidity and chocolate in sourdough
Chocolate, and especially dark chocolate, has a slightly bitter and astringent flavor, and typically, the best way to balance these flavors is with an acid. Sourdough fermentation provides those acids to counterbalance the chocolate. This chocolate sourdough loaf is simply delicious!
About the ingredients of this chocolate sourdough
Bread flour vs whole wheat
For this recipe, you’ll want to stick to bread flour. The higher protein content helps develop a stronger gluten network, and therefore better structure. This structure is necessary to hold the weight of the chocolate chunks. However, if you want more fiber in your bread, you can substitute some bread flour with whole wheat flour. This will give your bread a deeper flavor and enhance its nutritional profile. You will need extra water to help the dough become more elastic.
Don’t panic if you add a lot of whole wheat flour and the dough is not very stretchy, it’s normal. This happens when wheat bran is present, and it’s one of the quintessential challenges for bread scientists.
If you only have all-purpose flour, you can use it, but it’s important to adjust the water of the recipe according to your flour.
Chocolate vs. cocoa powder
To get the best chocolate sourdough bread, the type of chocolate you choose is key. I prefer to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips for a perfect balance. Semi-sweet chocolate chips contain a higher amount of cocoa, which means they’re not too sweet and still have a deep chocolate flavor. If you prefer a more chocolatey bread, you can use dark chocolate instead.
You can use your favorite chocolate bar, chop it into chunks of different sizes, or use chocolate chips. One of the great things about chocolate chips is that they hold their shape during baking. When the chips are heated they create little pockets of melty chocolate within the bread.
For this loaf, I used three different sizes of chocolate chips for a more interesting mouthfeel. You can use the ones you typically buy. I just happened to have different sizes because I had been using them for other things.
I wouldn’t recommend white chocolate because it tends to meld and sometimes burn, leaving the pockets empty and not that much flavor. And although tempting, I wouldn’t add cocoa powder either. Cocoa powder can change the flavor by turning the bread unpleasantly sour so the chocolate aroma is lost in the sourness, and it can also affect the dough by absorbing too much moisture.
Sourdough Starter
Your sourdough starter is probably the most important part of this bread; or any sourdough bread. An active and well-maintained starter will give your dough the fermentative power it needs and contribute to the aromas and flavors of the loaf. If you’ve baked sourdough before, you know that the starter’s health also plays a huge role in determining the final product’s texture.
Make sure your starter is well-fed and active before starting this recipe, as this will ensure a good rise and fermentation. If you want to know more about starters I have a series of articles about them. This one is about the science of your sourdough starter, this one is about feedings, and this one is all about understanding feeding ratios.
The long fermentation process helps develop volatile products that give sourdough its interesting flavor profile, I like my chocolate sourdough bread to have a relatively normal tang because I’m not going to eat the whole loaf in one day and it typically gets a bit sourer as the days go by. But if you prefer a very tangy loaf, then you will have to play with the fermentation times to adapt this loaf to your taste.
Adding sugar to chocolate sourdough bread
Adding sweeteners to your chocolate sourdough is optional. In this recipe, the chocolate chips provide enough sweetness for most people, but if you want a slightly sweeter loaf, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the sweetener of your choice when you mix the ingredients. I prefer to dissolve sugar in the water; if you’re planning to develop the dough using stretch and folds, dissolving the sweetener in the water ensures a more homogeneous distribution.
Fats
Traditional sourdough bread doesn’t usually include any added fat and I wouldn’t recommend adding any on this loaf either. In this case, the chocolate has fat, and part of it will be absorbed into the dough. Your loaf might turn out a bit softer than plain sourdough bread thanks to this, and adding even more might change the consistency of the dough.
Other aromatics that can enhance the chocolate
This chocolate sourdough is perfect to try some interesting flavors. This time, I added a bit of cinnamon because I had just made an Aztec hot chocolate ice cream with cinnamon that blew my mind, but this sourdough bread is a white canvas and you can do whatever you want! Here are some ideas:
- Toasted nuts: all nuts go well with chocolate, but my favorites are hazelnuts (hello Nutella!), macadamia nuts, and pecans.
- Espresso powder: coffee can enhance the chocolate flavor when using cocoa powder, but when using chunks of chocolate you can get both flavors and make a spectacular mocha bread! This espresso powder is specifically for baking and I highly recommend it!
- Amarena cherries or other sweet and tart fruits: the combination of chocolate and amarena cherries is incredible. But if you don’t have access to them other tart and juicy fruits can work just fine. Remember what I said about chocolate and acidity?
- Spices: allspice, cardamom, chili powder, ginger, clove… warming spices usually pair very well with chocolate.
- Fruits: candied citrus, raisins, dry apricots, dry coconut, dry berries… And if you are feeling extra adventurous, you can semi-rehydrate the dry fruits with a touch of brandy or the liquor of your choice. Every bite of this chocolate sourdough bread will pack a punch!
When to add the chocolate to the dough
Unlike cocoa powder, which would fully blend into the dough and affect its water absorption, chocolate maintains its structure during baking. This means you get those lovely pockets of melted chocolate dispersed throughout the bread. This is also thanks to the fat in the chocolate, which melts and is partially absorbed by the dough, making the crumb very soft and velvety.
However, adding a solid ingredient like chocolate also adds weight to the dough, which can affect its rise. To counteract this, you’ll want to ensure that your dough is well-hydrated and strong enough to support the additional ingredients. And how do we do that? By kneading! You can use any technique, just make sure the gluten network is properly developed. And if you only use folds, you might want to add a couple extra more.
Another consideration is the timing of when you add the chocolate chips. If you add them too early, they can melt a bit or partially dissolve. And it might be difficult to distribute them evenly if you add them too late. The best time to add the chocolate chips is during one of the early folding stages.
Bulk fermentation and proofing
After developing the loaf the whole bulk fermentation took about 6h at 74F/23C. I didn’t see a change in the fermentation time, I don’t think the chocolate pieces affected it.
Since my baby was born, I’ve been trying to find the best schedule for my sourdough loaves. So far lunchtime seems to be the best time to mix the dough and knead it. I don’t have much time to do stretch and folds, and I need to make sure I will have enough time to shape and rest the dough before the fridge. So the bulk fermentation for this loaf happened in the afternoon and proofing happened overnight.
If you prefer a very tangy loaf, you can extend the bulk for a few hours. Try to start earlier in the day, and extend the proofing for as long as you can the next day.
Baking your chocolate sourdough bread
Preheat your oven to 450°F (235°C) and place a Dutch oven inside to heat up. When the oven is ready, carefully transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
I have recently changed my Dutch oven for THIS ONE. I used to use a combo cooker upside-down but removing the lid was always challenging when you have the oven mitts. In fact, once it slipped and fell on the floor when it was hot and it was very difficult to pick it up. My floor didn’t burn, but you can see a slight mark when the sun shines through the window. Ever since that happened I panic a little when I bake but with this Krustic Dutch oven baking is so much easier!
Cool it before you dig it!
If you have been following for a while you know I’m not a fan of cutting the bread when it’s still hot because the crumb is still finishing outside the oven. And this still applies to this loaf with the particularity that the chocolate might be very hot and runny and you could get burnt. Wait a little before cutting it open, once it’s warm to the touch, you can enjoy this delicious chocolate sourdough!
Flavor Pairing Ideas
Somehow I always think that I should honor a good bread by finding a special way to eat it. It’s a small ritual, but it helps me enjoy my bakes to the fullest. Here is how you can pair this chocolate sourdough:
- Toasted with salted butter: for a delightful breakfast toast, slather some salted butter when the toast is still hot so it can melt and enjoy one of the most beautiful bites!
- Tahini and honey: this is a feast of flavors in your mouth! Sweet, savory, and bitter elements combined to perfection!
- Chocolate sauce: I have nothing else to add, maybe a good cup of tea!
FAQs about this chocolate sourdough bread
Can I use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate?
Yes! Milk chocolate will create a sweeter bread with a creamier texture. However, I recommend using semi-sweet or dark chocolate for a better balance of flavors and textures.
How do I prevent the chocolate chips from burning?
If you’re concerned about the chocolate chips burning on the surface of the loaf, you can lightly tuck them inside the dough during shaping. You can also cover the bread with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes of baking.
Final thoughts on this chocolate sourdough
Chocolate sourdough bread is a very interesting variation of a classic that brings together the best of both worlds. It’s indulgent without being overly sweet, and it maintains the heartiness and complexity that sourdough bakers love. The next time you bake a sourdough loaf, consider adding chocolate for a special treat that’s sure to impress. And remember, this recipe is endlessly customizable; experiment with different types of inclusions and spices like nuts, dried fruit, or cinnamon and make it your own.
Move, cookies and milk, chocolate sourdough, and milk is the next favorite thing!
Happy baking!
If you make any of my recipes let me know what you think! As always you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. I also have a few videos up on my YouTube channel.
Starting on breadmaking but don’t know where to start? Check my Amazon store to see my favorite and affordable utensils you will need. You can make the best bread with simple and inexpensive tools!
(This post contains affiliate links, if you purchase something from these links I will make a small commission that helps me run this blog, but you will not be charged any extra money 😉 )
Ultimate chocolate sourdough bread
A luxurious twist on traditional sourdough that will make every bite an explosion of flavors.
Ingredients
- 360 g bread flour
- 40 g whole wheat flour
- 80 g active sourdough starter
- 300 g water
- 8 g salt
- 1 tbsp sweetener of choice optional
- 100 g semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon or spices of choice optional
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sourdough starter, salt, and sugar (if using), and stir until dissolved.
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Add the flour and spices (if using any) and mix until there is no dry flour. Cover and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
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Knead the dough using the slap-and-fold method for a few minutes, then let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Repeat this process a few more times.
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Transfer the dough back to the mixing bowl and let it rest for 20 minutes.
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Add the chocolate chips, gently incorporating them during the first set of folds.
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Once the dough is fully developed and the chips are evenly distributed, cover and let it ferment at room temperature until it rises about 1.5x in size and feels puffy and airy (this took about 6 hours at 74°F/23°C).
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Once the bulk fermentation is complete, gently pre-shape the dough into a round or oval loaf and let it rest for 20 minutes. Then, shape it one final time and place it in a proofing basket.
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Cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours.
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When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and heat a Dutch oven inside. Carefully transfer the dough into the preheated Dutch oven. Bake for 20 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. If you prefer a thicker crust, remove the lid after 10 minutes.
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Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy!
All you need to know about sourdough feeding ratios
I am back with this series of do’s and don’ts of sourdough starters to help you understand the science behind them so you can make more informed decisions in a time where everyone seems to have “the ultimate recipe and process” for sourdough. Spoiler alert: sourdough is not a one-fits-all kind of thing. This week’s topic is: feeding ratios.
Last time we talked about the age of our sourdough starter and why claims that a starter not working because it was too young were probably wrong, and the issues had more to do with how often the sourdough starter was being fed.
After learning how often we should feed our starter, the next question is “How much should I be feeding my starter?” So let’s dive into Feeding Ratios!
Buy this mango kiln wooden tray on BE HOME
What is a feeding ratio?
Feeding ratio refers to the proportions of sourdough starter, water, and flour we use to refresh our starters. Typically, everything is based on the amount of starter. I’m sure you’ve seen 1:1:1 ratios, or 1:2:2, or 1:10:10… It’s usually given as starter:water:flour, so a 1:1:1 ratio means 1 part starter, 1 part water, and 1 part flour. 1:2:2 means 1 part starter, 2 parts water, and 2 parts flour, and so on.
What happens if I change the feeding ratio?
Nothing, just that your starter will peak at different times. You can adjust feeding ratios to your needs and to whatever your starter needs. In the first post of this series, we talked about how a 1:1:1 ratio might be more convenient if you’ve been feeding your starter too often. But maybe your kitchen temperature and overall conditions allow you to keep a starter at room temperature and feed it at a 1:1:1 ratio once or twice a day. Or maybe you live in a very warm and humid area, where a 1:1:1 ratio is too limited and the starter peaks too fast. If that’s the case, you will probably benefit from a 1:10:10 ratio.
If you like to keep your starter in the fridge, maybe you prefer to refresh it a few times before baking and, in this case, you can use the standard 1:2:2 ratio. Maybe you prefer a “no discard approach” and just take a little bit of starter from your jar and feed it at a 1:10:10 or 1:15:15 ratio to end up with the exact amount of starter you will use on your recipe.
Ideal feeding ratios
The ideal feeding ratio is the ratio that works for your schedule and/or needs is the ideal ratio for you. And this ratio can change at any time. Sourdough is alive, but we have a certain control over how fast or slow we want it to grow.
For a given temperature
The smaller the ratio, the faster it’ll grow because the amount of food for the bacteria is more limited. A larger ratio will result in a starter that will take its sweet time to peak.
Example 1: You have a few slow hours in the middle of the day and it’s the only moment you can prepare your dough. Then feed your starter a 1:1:1 ratio early in the morning and it’ll be ready around the time you’re free.
Example 2: You are having an extremely busy week. You can only prepare your dough tomorrow sometime during the morning but you only have time for your starter today. Then maybe a 1:10:10 feed today in the afternoon will work.
For a given feeding ratio
The higher the temperature the faster your starter will peak. And the lower the temperature, the longer it’ll take to peak.
Example 1: It’s winter and your kitchen is usually at around 66-68F (19-20C), you can feed your starter a 1:2:2 ratio on Friday evening and it’ll be ready in the morning. You can start preparing your dough on Saturday morning.
Example 2: You live in a very hot and humid place. Maybe higher feeding ratios (plus using fridge cold water) is what works for you. Feed your starter in the evening at a 1:15:15 ratio and it’ll be ready the next morning, or feed your starter at a lower ratio in the morning, and you can probably start your dough early in the afternoon.
All these are examples, of course, you know your starter better than anyone and can probably anticipate how it’s going to behave. But what if you are new to sourdough? Then let’s experiment a bit!
How to get familiar with your sourdough starter
If you don’t know your starter very well, you need to record its behavior for a little while. For that follow these simple steps:
- Kitchen temperature: Record your kitchen temperature, I usually just follow my house thermostat, but you can use any thermometer.
- Feeding ratios: Based on your temperature choose a feeding ratio. Unless you live in extreme cold or heat conditions, I would go for a 1:2:2.
- Time to peak: Record the time of the feeding and keep an eye on your starter until it peaks, then record that time and calculate how long it took.
Anything from 8-12h cycles using a 1:2:2 ratio falls under normal behavior for my starter. During winter it grows slower, during summer it grows faster. My house has AC, in winter we keep it from 66-69F (19-20C), and during summer we keep it 70-74F (21-23C), but when we are not home we let the temperature increase a bit, so during North Carolina’s hot summer days, I sometimes use 1:10:10 feeding ratios.
Can I adjust the water?
A typical liquid sourdough starter is a 100% hydration dough. But sometimes it’s interesting to play with the hydration levels of our starters. For example, if you’re working with Lievito Madre, you know it is a starter at 40% hydration (ish). Dryer starters tend to be a bit sweeter and less acidic and they’re fabulous for sweet breads. But they do take a bit of extra elbow grease to maintain. On the other hand, liquid starters at 100% hydration are very easy to maintain. But can you use 85% hydration? or 125%? of course! You’ll have to calculate how much water you need.
How do I calculate the water for feeding ratios?
If you want to experiment with other water contents in your starter, you need to know just a basic concept. If you want LESS water than flour, you will have to multiply the flour content by 0. something and if you want MORE water than flour you will have to multiply by 1.something
Example 1
If you want a starter at 75% hydration, then you decide the ratio of starter and flour, calculate the flour, and finally, multiply that amount by 0.75
Let’s start with a 1:3 ratio of starter:flour and 10 g of starter. This means we have 30 g of flour (3 times the amount of starter). To calculate the water we multiply the flour by 0.75:
30 x 0.75 = 22.5g of water
Example 2
If you want a starter at 125% hydration, then you decide the ratio of starter and flour, calculate the flour, and finally, multiply that amount by 1.25
Let’s start with a 1:5 ratio of starter:flour and 15g of starter. This means we have 75 g of flour (5 times 15g). To calculate the water we multiply the flour by 1.25:
75 x 1.25 = 93.75g of water
(you can round it up to 94 or 95 and it will be fine)
Can I use volume instead of weight for feeding ratios?
Working with weights allows you to be more precise and it makes the process easier to repeat. Weights are much more accurate to measure than volume. At least with regular home equipment. If you’re new to sourdough, bread baking, or baking in general, I would strongly suggest you use weight instead of volume. This way you’re already avoiding possible differences between feedings that could potentially lead to different outcomes. You will have a better picture without doubting if the differences you see come from off feeding ratios or something else. If you want an affordable scale I use THIS ONE, I’ve used it for many years and I think I’ve changed the battery once. Baking doesn’t need to be expensive!
With this being said, you do what works for you, if you are comfortable using volume measurements, use them. Just try to be as precise as possible (Can you tell I’m a scientist? 😉 )
How do feeding ratios work with other flours?
As far as bacteria go, the same! However, different flours make different doughs so you might not see your starter peak as a wheat starter would. You will have to find how the peak looks for different flours. Also, some flours absorb a lot more water than others, and a 100% hydration starter might look very different depending on the flour.
All this might seem a bit complicated but I assure you that once you start, you’ll understand right away and you will start to understand your starter much better!
One last thing about sourdough starters
You don’t have to put yourself in a box and follow exactly what others are doing. Use the feeding ratio that works for you, the hydration that works for you, and the measurements that work for you (volume vs weight). The idea of this series of posts is to give you enough information so you can make an informed decision that will work for your particular needs. Don’t be afraid of experimenting!
Here are a few recipes that you can try if you’re starting in the art of sourdough!
Sourdough burger buns (cookout time is here!)
Sourdough marble rye bread (one of the blog favorites!)
Sourdough Challah (another favorite!)
Happy Baking!
How to make Sourdough Marble Rye Bread
I think one of my favorite sandwiches during summertime is tuna salad on marble rye bread. And since the weather down here is starting to warm up, I decided to post my recipe and show you how I make my sourdough marble rye bread!
What is marble bread?
No, it’s not rock-hard bread, don’t worry! If you’re not familiar with marble bread, it’s basically a two (or more colors) bread that is shaped in a way that when you cut through it you can see a pattern. In this case, that pattern is a swirl with two colors, but other times the pattern is more abstract.
Best sourdough marble rye bread recipe
Okay, okay, maybe this is a bit of an overstatement, but I’m very happy with this recipe! I have tested different rye:wheat flour ratios and I think I have found a balance between both that gives you a great dough consistency and a loaf that is not dense at all while enjoying a nice rye flavor. You will make the best sourdough marble rye bread sandwich!
Of course, you can play around with these ratios. However, know that rye gluten behaves a tad differently and you might end up with a sticker dough. That’s not a problem, because this bread is baked in a tin, but when it comes to the marble part, you could end up with a wonky pattern.
I have tried to make this loaf a bit more accessible for those who can’t find some ingredients. Firstly, because there’s no need to spend money on a type of flour you’ll barely use. Secondly, many of you might still have difficulty finding certain ingredients. So, don’t worry, you don’t need pumpernickel flour. However, feel free to substitute the rye flour in the dark dough for pumpernickel if you prefer.
Ingredients for this sourdough marble rye bread
For this recipe, I used this dark cocoa powder to color the dark dough because that’s what I usually buy. Feel free to use whichever cocoa powder you have access to (preferably unsweetened). Some people even use instant coffee, but in my opinion, I think cocoa powder does a better job than coffee bringing all the aromas and flavor together.
As far as the starter goes, I don’t have a rye sourdough starter. I used my white one for this dough and it worked great. If you have a rye starter, feel free to use it. Although, you can also build a levain with the flour mix. The most important thing is that the starter is active and by the time of use it has reached its peak of activity. You have all the information about it here.
I also used this whole rye flour and just sieved out large bran bits. I love this brand and I also LOVE the packaging. It has a velcro-style sealing that really seals the bag! Much more convenient than the zip-style kind of seal!
Pro tips about the ingredients
If you use white rye, you will probably need less water. You can add maybe 80% of the water in the recipe and add more if necessary. The dough is a bit sticky but not messy sticky. I like whole rye flour because it adds another layer of flavor to the loaf and a bit of extra complexity that goes great with the caraway seeds.
When I buy spices I tend to buy in bulk because little containers annoy me. I always have large glass containers (pickle jars!) that I keep precisely to use with my spices. If you’re like me, then these seeds might be the ones for you! It’s a whole pound, but trust me when I tell you that you’ll be making this sourdough marble rye bread often!!
Can I use all-purpose flour?
Absolutely! But since it has less protein content, you will need less water, so measure the water in the recipe, and then add it little by little until you think it’s enough. You might need as little as 70% of the water in this recipe.
Bulk fermentation
I did my bulk fermentation overnight because my house was a bit chilly (69F/20C), it took about 8-9 hours before I shaped the loaf. If your home is warmer, maybe it’s better to start in the morning and keep an eye on the dough. I also tried a higher temperature (75F/24C) in one of the tests and the dough was ready in 4-6h.
How to shape your sourdough marble rye bread
At this point, both doughs should have finished the bulk fermentation. Carefully degas them, shape them into a ball and let them rest for 10 or 15 minutes covered.
The shaping consists of two layers of dough, the thinner you make these layers, the thinner will be the swirl inside, and vice versa. I like to have a layer of about half an inch/1 centimeter thickness. This way the swirl is nice and visible, the layers don’t tear during baking and you end up with a beautiful marble rye bread!
I roll my loaf in a way that the light dough is outside, that way I can judge by the color of it, how the bread is doing, and if it’s ready or not. Depending on the flour you use etc, your dough might be on the stiff or sticky side, don’t worry, I got you!
How to shape stiffer dough
If your dough is a bit stiff, it will be easier for you to use a rolling pin. Dust your counter lightly with some flour and flatten the light dough a little. Then with a rolling pin shape the dough into a rectangle of about 9×17 in/22x40cm and set aside. The shorter side will be about the length of your baking pan. once the light dough has the desired shape, do the same with the dark one.
Brush the light dough with a little bit of water, just enough to make the surface sticky. Place the dark dough on top and try to align them very well. Ideally, the sizes should be very similar. Then starting from the short side, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the edges and seal the seam, and place it into your baking pan.
How to shape stickier dough
If your dough is too sticky, instead of dusting the counter with flour, use oil to avoid it from sticking and making a mess. And do the same with your hands. Then carefully, flatten the dough, and with your hands keep pressing and spreading the dough into a 9x17in/22x40cm rectangle. Lift the dough often (careful not to stretch it too much) to make sure it’s still not sticking. Start with the light dough and finish with the dark one, to avoid dark bits of dough sticking to the light one.
Once you have both rectangles, place the dark on top of the light one and press them together. Starting from the short side roll the dough into a log, pinch the edges and seal the seam, and place it into your baking pan
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Proofing and baking your sourdough marble rye
It’s important you let the dough rise, at least, until the highest part (usually the middle) reaches the edges of your baking pan; preferably, until it’s half-inch/once centimeter above the edge of the pan. I also don’t like to bake pan loaves with steam; so, to get good oven spring, you need to start with a loaf that’s already tall, or the crust will form fast and prevent the loaf from rising more, or tearing the dough and end up with a not sandwich-friendly shape.
Bake the loaf in an oven preheated at 350F/175C until it’s golden brown. You can also stick a meat thermometer into the loaf and once it reads 204F/96C your sourdough marble rye bread is ready! Try to reach the center, because it’s the part that takes longer to cook. This is the thermometer I use for pretty much everything. It’s really fast and can hold the highest or lowest temperature. It even has a light!
For a shiny crust, you can brush the loaf with milk or egg wash before it goes into the oven!
How long does this sourdough marble rye bread keep?
Assuming that you don’t eat it in one day, you can keep the loaf in a ziplock bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days (depends on the temperature of your kitchen). You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week, but I’d recommend you toast it first. Usually, the texture of bread that’s been kept at old temperatures is not the best.
Let me know if you make this fantastic sourdough marble rye bread and your favorite sandwiches to make with it! If you do, use #allyoukneadisbread on Instagram, I’d love to see what you bake and what you experiment with!
You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Happy Baking!
This post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you – that allows me to keep running this blog.
Sourdough Marble Rye Bread
Delicious and aromatic sourdough marble rye bread, perfect for sandwiches and toasts!
Ingredients
Light Dough
- 85 g rye flour
- 165 g bread flour
- 55 g mature sourdough starter
- 130 g water
- 5 g salt
- 15 g butter
- 10 g honey
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
Dark Dough
- 85 g rye flour
- 165 g bread flour
- 55 g mature sourdough starter
- 130 g water
- 5 g salt
- 15 g butter softened
- 10 g molasses
- ½ tsp cocoa powder (use dark cocoa powder for a darker color)
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
Instructions
Light Dough
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Dissolve the sourdough starter in the water to break it down a little
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Add all the other ingredients except the butter and mix them until you can't see dry flour particles. Cover and let it rest while you mix the dark dough
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After a few minutes of rest start kneading the dough with your hands and incorporate the butter. Continue kneading until the dough is not sticky and is smooth
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Lightly oil a container, place the dough inside, and let it ferment until is about twice the size (8-9h at 69F/20C or about 4-6h in a warm place, don't exceed 79F/26C) *See notes
Dark dough
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Dissolve the cocoa powder in 50g of water until you don't have lumps
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Dissolve the sourdough starter in the remaining 80g of water
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Add the cocoa mixture and the rest of the ingredients, except for butter, to the dissolve sourdough. Mix the ingredients until you don't see dry flour particles. Cover and let it rest while you knead the light dough
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Once the light dough is done and fermenting, start kneading the dark dough with your hands and incorporate the butter. Continue kneading until the dough is not sticky and is smooth
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Once ready, lightly oil a container and place the dark dough inside to ferment (8-9h at 69F/20C or about 4-6h in a warmer place, don't exceed 79F/26C) *See notes
Shaping & Proofing
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Once both doughs are ready, lightly flour your counter, and with a rolling pin roll both doughs separately to 1/2 in thick and as wide as your baking pan is. The thicker you roll the dough the thicker will be the spiral pattern inside, feel free to change the thickness to your taste.
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Try to roll both doughs into a rectangle of similar size (Mine was about 9×17 in/22×40 cm). Once ready with a fork prick both doughs to make sure there aren't large air bubbles trapped between the layers later on.
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Lightly brush the light dough with water (you can also use a spray bottle) and place the dark dough on top. You don't need too much water, just enough for both doughs to join together.
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Carefully press both doughs with your hands to make sure there's contact everywhere and starting with the shorter side roll the dough into a log and pinch the edges together
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Place the dough into a lightly oiled baking pan and cover it with plastic wrap, or a shower cap
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Let the loaf ferment until the center is about the height of the pan or even a little bit more. The dough should feel puffy but still have good structure. My loaf at 73F took about 4h to rise **See notes
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About 20 minutes before the dough is ready preheat the oven to 350F
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When the dough is ready brush it with milk or egg wash (whichever you prefer) and bake for 35-45 minutes (until inside temperature reads at least 204F/96C)
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Once the bread is ready take it out of the oven and let it cool down for 10 minutes before you take it out of the pan to finish cooling on a rack
Recipe Notes
* If your kitchen is cold and you need to leave the dough fermenting for a longer time, it’s better to do so during the bulk fermentation. I don’t recommend doing a cold-proof after the loave is shaped, it might not rise enough and end up under proofed. Also, do not use too warm temperature, as it could weaken the gluten network.
**It’s important you use a proper baking pan, otherwise, if it’s too wide, by the time the dough reaches that height it’ll be over-proofed.
How to make sourdough Roscón de Reyes – Traditional Spanish Bread
Happy and healthy New Year! I want to start 2021 with one of my favorite Spanish types of bread: The Roscón de Reyes. It’s a brioche-style, citrusy, sweet bread that’s usually consumed on January 6th; the Epiphany day, and the official last day of Christmas in Spain (and many other countries).
January 6th is known as “Día de Reyes”, the Three Kings day; it refers to the 3 Wise Men who visited Jesus when he was born, bringing gold, incense, and myrrh as gifts.
What is the tradition during Día de Reyes?
When the Christmas season starts, kids in Spain write a letter to Their Majesties the Three Wise Men. In their letters, they ask for the presents they’d like to receive.
Now… If they behaved well during the year, they will get the gifts on their list. But if they didn’t… They’ll receive a bag of coal!! And depending on how mischievous they were, the bag might have candy coal or real coal!
On January 5th almost every town has a parade with the Reyes Magos and their pages. During the parade, the kids get to see the Reyes Magos and collect lots of candy the pages throw away. There’s music, laughter, and a final speech from Their Majesties encouraging the kids to go to bed early, so they can sneak into their homes and leave the gifts.
Then, that night, Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltasar, (Those are the names of the 3 wise men) or “Los Reyes Magos” as we call them in Spanish (The literal translation from Spanish is “the Magic Kings”), will go home from to home, riding their camels and leaving gifts for the family.
In our tradition, instead of using stockings, we leave shoes in the living room or close to the tree. One shoe per person. And you best believe that my sister and I always chose very carefully which shoes we were leaving!
Of course, as hosts, we need to leave some treats for our royal guests and their camels! In my family, we always left 3 glasses with sherry wine and a tray with turrón and polvorones (traditional Spanish Christmas treats). Then, we’d leave a big bucket with water and some carrots on the balcony for the camels.
The next morning we’d wake up early because… who can sleep when you know who’s visiting in the wee hours!?, and run to check our shoes and all the presents underneath.
The tradition behind the Roscón de Reyes
On January 6th it’s tradition to have one last feast with your family, as it is the last official day of the holidays. A big lunch to say goodbye to Christmas and a good Roscón as dessert.
Typically, people buy the Roscón de Reyes, and it comes with 3 things: a fava bean and a figurine hidden in the bread, and a golden paper crown. Let me explain…
I’m sure different places will have different customs, but where I grew up this is how we did it:
The person that gets the hidden fava bean will pay for next year’s Roscón, and the person who gets the figurine will be crowned king or queen of the table with the paper crown.
There are different types of Roscón, you can buy it plain, or with fillings (whipped cream or pastry cream being the most popular). My family used to buy the whipped cream one, but a homemade Roscón… I believe fillings just distract you from the fantastic flavors that this bread packs!
What are the ingredients of a rosca de reyes?
The flour
The flour I use for this Roscón is brioche flour with 14% of protein. If you live in the US this is the flour I use and I like the results. It absorbs fats and liquids very well and the dough is very elastic.
If you have flour with less protein content, you will need less liquid in your recipe. The texture of the dough should be soft but not super slack. It’s not quite as slack as brioche dough but not as stiff as my sourdough challah dough.
As a rule of thumb for me, for every 1% less protein in my flour, I decrease liquid and butter by 10% (less protein, less liquid, and fats). Then I adapt as needed.
The milk and other dairy-free options
The source of moisture in this recipe is milk. I like to scald it before I add it to the dough. It helps temper the other ingredients if they are cold when I prepare the dough (add it warm, not hot). It also makes developing the gluten a bit easier; some proteins are denatured and possible interactions with the gluten proteins are also reduced.
You don’t have to scald the milk, but if you do, measure more than what the recipe calls for because some moisture will evaporate.
You can use soy milk or other vegetable beverage, but I’d go for liquids with a viscosity similar to whole milk, not something watery as rice milk. I wouldn’t use oat milk, oat beta-glucan can affect the dough and be a tremendous impediment when building the gluten.
The sourdough
If you’re making the sourdough version, you might want to prepare a levain with the brioche flour if that’s not the flour you typically feed your starter (just take a portion of your starter and prepare a new one using the flour you will use for this bread). This will help the growth and adaptation period of the microorganisms once you make the dough. If you want to know more about sourdough science check this post!
The aromatics
Although flour is important for obvious reasons, the key ingredients in a good Roscón de Reyes are the aromatics. The key aromatics are orange zest, lemon zest, and orange blossom water (This is the one I use and I love it!). The smell doesn’t disappear after baking, it’s awesome).
The aroma must be balanced between citrusy flavors and sweet flavors. Make sure your orange blossom water is not expired or the dough won’t keep the aroma at all.
You can also add some dark rum or Cointreau for an extra kick and if you candy your own orange, the syrup is an excellent aromatic too! (and if it has some pulp even better!). If you use any booze, don’t use more than 1-1.5 tbsp. Alcohol can affect the texture of the bread and if using sourdough, it can affect the growth of the microorganisms.
Vanilla extract is optional, I decided to leave it out because I think the orange blossom water and orange syrup are enough. I love orange blossom and I don’t think it needs to be mixed with anything else.
How to make Roscón de Reyes
The pictures on this post are of a sourdough Roscón but I have also included a yeasted version. I explain the differences between both methods in the following paragraphs.
Sourdough Roscón de Reyes
Since I’m using brioche flour, the day before I started the dough I prepared the levain using my regular sourdough starter, water, and the brioche flour. I needed 135g so I calculated the quantities to end up with about 150g, just in case I lost something on the walls of the container etc.
With winter temperature in my kitchen being around 20C/68F, I can feed my starter 1:2:2, and the growth cycle is about 18-20h. So, I prepared the levain in the evening before going to bed. The levain was ready early next evening. You know your starter better, you can decide which feeding schedule suits you better.
When my starter was ready I prepared the dough and it fermented overnight. The next morning I divided the dough into 2 equal pieces, shaped it, and let it proof for about 3h-4h (at 68F/20C)
I prepared the levain in a way that I could leave the dough fermenting overnight. That way it could proof during the morning and we had a fresh Roscón de Reyes for dessert.
Yeasted Roscón de Reyes
For the yeast version, you need to adapt the recipe. First, you need to avoid the starter and then update the flour and milk quantities.
Since I use a 100% hydration starter, half of the weight is water, and half of the weight is flour. This recipe calls for 135g of starter, which means 67.5g are water, and 67.5 flour.
To update the recipe you just need to add 67.5g of flour to the total flour and 67.5g of milk or water to the total milk.
How to twitch the recipe to use yeast
How much yeast should I use? That’s a question that I get asked pretty often. I would recommend no more than 1% of the weight of the flour, which is about 6 g for the full recipe. You can even use less yeast, it’ll just take a bit longer to ferment.
You can always add more yeast but to the detriment of the flavor and dough structure. The faster the bread ferments, the faster it’ll dry out once baked, and the easier it’ll be for the dough to over ferment, loose structure, and end up with a dense pancake.
A way to improve the flavor profile of a yeasted bread is to slow down the fermentation. You can do that by reducing the amount of yeast, or by adding a cold bulk step (or both if the yeast amount is low but not too low).
A good schedule for a yeasted Roscón is to start in the afternoon. Let it ferment until it almost doubles in size, then put it in the fridge overnight. The next morning take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 1h, or to a dough consistency that’s comfortable to work with. Then proceed as with the sourdough version. Keep in mind that it will prove faster, and instead of 3-4 h, it might take 1-2 (depending on the internal temperature).
How to shape your Roscón de Reyes
Some people shape it in an oval, some people make a circle with individual bun-like portions… But if you want to shape it like a big donut (either circular or oval shape), you need to shape the dough into a ball. Add a bit of tension to the surface. Then let the dough rest for about 15 minutes (covered) on an oiled surface to avoid it from sticking.
Oil your hands and with your index finger make a hole in the center and move it around to enlarge the hole enough so you can lift the dough and with your other index finger you roll the dough around making the hole larger and larger.
You basically move the dough aroung and gravity does the stretching!
Be careful, don’t push the dough. If it’s not stretching anymore, put it back on the counter, cover it, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Then continue with the same circular motions until you have a hole of at least 15cm/6in.
It might look like the hole is too large, but as the dough proofs and then bakes it’ll puff up and the hole will decrease in size. Once you’re happy put the Roscón on parchment paper and arrange it well because you won’t be able to re-shape it later on. Put it on the tray you’ll use to bake, cover it with film and let it proof!
How to decorate your Roscón de reyes
Although the options here are endless, traditionally, the ingredients you’ll always find in a Roscón are: Candied pumpkin, candied orange, candied cherries, pearled or aromatic sugar, sliced almonds, or other nuts.
Candied pumpkin is typically dyed with red and green colors. I made my own candied butternut squash because I didn’t find the white pumpkin I wanted, so I left the orange color as it was. I also made my own candied orange slices. Since everything was a bit too orange, I bought green candied cherries to give it that je ne sais quoi.
When it comes to Roscón de Reyes, I prefer aromatic sugar rather than pearled sugar, for that, I mixed ¼ cup of white sugar with 1 tsp of orange blossom water and mixed well. The sugar should feel like moist sand but it shouldn’t dissolve. Once it’s well mixed you just sprinkle it on top of the Roscón.
How to bake a Roscón de reyes
Preheat the oven to 350F. As the oven preheats brush your Roscón with either egg wash or with the leftover whites. Brush it twice so it’ll get that nice brown color, and start decorating it. If your candied fruits are too dry consider soaking them in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
Start decorating it with the candied fruits, then the nuts (if using), and top it with the sugar.
Bake it for about 30-40 minutes; this really depends on your oven, mine is acting crazy these days so in your oven it might be ready earlier.
If you think it’s getting dark too fast you can cover it with a piece of foil with a hole inside. You can also measure the internal temperature. If it reads 94C/201F then it’s ready!
Once your Roscón is ready take it out of the oven and let it cool down to room temperature.
Your Roscón de Reyes will be best the day is baked but if you keep it in an airtight container or bag, it can stay fresh for about a week (the sourdough version) or a couple of days if you made it with yeast.
Regardless of what you use, SD or yeast, knead the dough very well. The better the dough, the more moisture it can retain, and the longer it’ll take to dry out. However, this is particularly important if you use commercial yeast since yeasted bread tends to dry out quicker.
How to add the filling
If you want to add a filling, you need to cut the Roscón crosswise making two layers. Basically, you’re making a sweet sandwich! Make sure the Roscón has completely cooled down to room temperature. You can even put it in the fridge for 15 mins or so before you slice it. This way you’ll get a clean cut and the fillings won’t melt.
The fillings should be thick enough to sustain the weight of the top layer without leaking everywhere.
Let me know if you make the Roscón de Reyes or any other recipe! If you do, use #allyoukneadisbread on Instagram, I’d love to see what you bake and what you experiment with!
You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and you can also subscribe to my Youtube channel.
Feliz Día de Reyes!
This post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you – that allows me to keep running this blog.
Spanish Roscón de Reyes
Roscón de Reyes is a brioche-style, citrusy, sweet bread that’s usually consumed on January 6th, the day known as “Día de Reyes”
Ingredients
- 600 g brioche flour (add up to 50 g more if necessary)
- 200 g milk see notes *
- 135 g mature sourdough starter/levain
- 135 g caster sugar
- 135 g softened butter see notes for dairy free options *
- 3 M eggs
- 2 M yolks
- 12 g salt
- 2.5 tbsp orange blossom water
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of one lemon
- assorted candied fruits
- 4 tbsp sliced almonds
- 50 g aromatic sugar or pearled sugar see notes*
Instructions
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In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the milk, eggs, yolk, sourdough starter, and the aromatics and mix thoroughly. If you scald the milk wait for it to cool down to at least 36C/97F
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Add the flour and the salt and mix until you don't see dry flour particles. Cover the bowl and let it rest 20-30 minutes
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Knead the dough at low speed (speed 2 in a KitchenAid stand mixer) until it has a nice consistency and starts getting elastic
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Incorporate the butter and knead until you develop the gluten completely (windowpane test). If necessary, allow the dough rest a couple of times for a few minutes.
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Once the dough is ready transfer into a lightly oiled container and let it ferment overnight (about 10-12h at 68F). It should double or almost double in volume and you should see fermentation bubbles on the bottom of the container.
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Divide the dough into two equal pieces for two medium roscones or 3 equal pieces for 3 small ones.
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Shape each piece into a ball and let it rest 10 minutes
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With an oiled finger poke a hole in the middle of one of the pieces of dough and slowly open the hole until you can grab the dough and swirl it around with your hands to open the hole of at least 15cm/6in and get the same thickness all around (check the article for a full explanation)
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Place the roscones on parchment paper and on the tray you'll use for baking. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof for 3-4h or until they have grown and the dough feels puffy
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Preheat your oven to 350F/175C and while it's preheating brush the dough twice with egg wash or with the egg whites leftovers and decorate it with candied fruit, nuts, and sugar (check the text for a full explanation on the order of the toppings)
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Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the roscones have a slight dark golden brown and the internal temperature reads 94C/200F
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Let cool down to room temperature before slicing (check the article if you want to fill the roscón, check the article to know how)
Recipe Notes
* Scalding the milk is optional, on the post I explain why I do it
* For dairy-free options you can substitute the milk with soy milk and use vegan butter instead of butter.
* To make the aromatic sugar mix 1 tsp of orange blossom with 1/4 cup (50g) of sugar and mix until it has a moist sand consistency
Easy brie and olive sourdough rolls
Hello friends! Today I bring my new favorite recipe: brie and olive sourdough rolls! Brie cheese and black olives balance each other perfectly and combine great with the aromas of sourdough. These rolls are pillowy and delicate and can keep fresh for several days.
Brie, olives, and buckwheat flour
Let’s talk a little about brie. It is a French soft cheese made of cow milk. It has a considerable amount of fat, so it melts easily while the rolls are baking and helps soften the structure of the bread. As a result, these brie and olive sourdough rolls turn out unbelievably fluffy and full of flavor.
I like black olives because they’re not as tangy as green or kalamata, and I think the flavor goes great with cheese in general, but brie in particular; however, you can experiment with other types of olives and try other types of cheese if you don’t like or don’t have access to brie. Cheese with at least 25% fat content will work better because the key of these rolls is in the fat melting.
The trick is using a strong enough flour that will hold the dough and all fillings and slightly weaken the gluten with flour that doesn’t have gluten. In this case, I used King Arthur AP flour (it is strong for an all-purpose flour, it has 11.7% of protein), and buckwheat flour. This combination not only gets the gluten where I want it to be, but it also enhances the flavor of the bread so it doesn’t get lost in the cheese and olive aromas. I used this buckwheat flour but I have also tried this one and I liked the results as well.
If you don’t have buckwheat, you can use other flours that have less or none gluten (whole wheat, teff…). Just keep in mind that you might need to change the amount of water on the recipe and the result could be a bit different.
About the dough
This dough isn’t very hydrated, so when it comes to incorporate the olives and the brie you will need to let it rest and stretch it little by little. Make sure you pierce large air pockets that you might catch while stretching the dough. These sourdough rolls shouldn’t have a dramatic open crumb, you should aim for smaller air pockets and pillowy structure.
How to incorporate the brie and olives
An easy way to add the brie and olives is to stretch the dough, add the chunks of cheese and olives and then fold the dough and shape it into a ball. However, when we fold the dough we also trap a lot of air that will affect the structure of our crumb, and thus, the dough doesn’t feel like it has naturally incorporated the fillings. It’d feel like it has layers and the chunks of cheese or olives will come out of the dough easily.
To avoid this you just need to 1) Pierce large air pockets, 2) Knead the dough a little after adding the chunks and let it rest for 10-20 minutes, and 3) Knead again for a couple of minutes. Doing this will help you distribute the filling better and have an elastic dough.
This kneading is not meant to strengthen the gluten, but to help incorporate the ingredients. The gluten should be well developed before we add the fillings.
The fermentation
Sourdough always takes more time to ferment, but if you live in a pretty warm and humid place, pay attention to the dough. Let it ferment until you start seeing signs of fermentation (small bubbles in the bottom, feels puffy, has grown a little…), but don’t wait until it doubles or the gluten can be compromised and you’ll end up with a super sticky dough and flat rolls.
Once it’s clear that there’s activity, deflate the dough a little and put it in the fridge. It can stay there overnight.
Since you’re not going to proof the dough in a banneton, you can keep the dough in the fridge before shaping. Then, once shaped, you won’t need too much time before the rolls go into the oven!
Get your sourdough starter ready
Sourdough can be a bit tricky, but it all boils down to science! If you want to know more about the science of your sourdough starter, check this post where I explain all the phases your starter goes through and how you can apply that knowledge into your baking.
Knowing the science of your starter will help you adapt your baking schedule depending on the weather conditions. This summer is especially challenging here in North Carolina, but understanding the bacterial behavior helped a lot!
Final proof
The final proof is easy and somewhat fast. Take the dough out of the fridge, divide it into 8 equal pieces and shape them into small dough balls.
Let them proof in the tray you’ll use to bake them while you preheat the oven at 400F. No more than 1h should be fine if your starter is healthy and strong.
Before putting them int he oven score the surface of the rolls and off they go! In 20 minutes approx (depends on your oven), you’ll have these delicious brie and olive sourdough rolls!
How to create steam in the oven
Steam is very important when you bake bread, specially rustic style. When I bake loaves, I use my dutch oven and it usually is enough to allow the bread to open up. In this case, I use an old baking tray that I keep in the oven as it preheats, and when I load the rolls I add 1 cup of boiling water into that tray and immediately close the oven door.
Don’t open the door for the first 10 minutes of baking, some of the steam inevitably will scape but it’s better to minimize it.
Guaranteed deliciousness!
Since these sourdough rolls turn out so soft and airy you can use them to make sandwiches, sliders… And worry not! Because they won’t fall apart or crumble when you’re trying to take a bite or spreading butter on it😊
The rolls last fresh several days, but you can put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them once they’ve cooled down. You can keep them frozen for a few weeks.
If you decide to freeze de rolls, take them out of the freezer and let them chill for an hour or so, then bake them at 300F until they’re nice and hot inside. However, if you only need one or two rolls, why would turn the oven on? What I like to do in this case is slice the rolls before freezing them and when I want to make a sandwich, I just pop them in the toaster! It’s faster and your power bill will thank you 😉
Let me know if you make these rolls or any other recipe! I love to see what you bake and what you experiment with. You can use #allyoukneadisbread on Instagram.
You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and you can also subscribe to my Youtube channel.
Other sourdough recipes
If you’re looking for some sourdough inspiration check these other recipes:
Tomato and rosemary sourdough bread
Gorgonzola and apple sourdough bread (video included!)
Sourdough donuts with rose cream filling
Sourdough chocolate banana bread
Happy baking!
This post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you – that allows me to keep running this blog.
Easy brie and olive sourdough rolls
Fantastic sourdough rolls with a twist. Your new favorite!
Ingredients
- 385 g strong all purpose flour (11.7% protein)
- 65 g buckwheat flour (or similar)
- 70 g active sourdough starter
- 7 g salt
- 80 g black olives (sliced)
- 100 g brie cheese (with or without the rind and cut into 0.5 in/ 1 cm pieces)
- 270 g water (room temperature)
Instructions
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Dissolve the starter in the water and add the flours and salt. Let it rest, covered, 20 minutes
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Add the salt and start kneading. Knead until the dough feels elastic, it's smooth and doesn't stick to your fingers. If you need to let it rest a few minutes, do so.
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After kneading, and once the dough is well developed, let it rest 30-60 minutes in a lightly oiled bowl
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Oil you rcounter lightly, just enough so the dough doesn't stick and carefully try to stretch the dough on the counter into a 18×18 in / 45×45 cm square. It doesn't have to be exact.
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Distribute the olives and cheese evenly and carefully fold the dough and shape it into a ball. Pierce large air pockets that might've been trapped during the process. Let the dough rest 20 minutes.
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Knead the dough a little to make sure the filling is well distributed and has been incorporated into the dough (so they won't come out). If you find it easier do some stretch and folds do so. Just make sure the add-ons don't come out easily.
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Let the dough ferment until it feels puffy, it has grown a little and you see obvious signs of fermentation. Mine, at 74F took about 4 hours. Then carefully deflate the dough and plut it in the fridge over night.
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The next morning turn the oven on at 400F with an empty pan in the bottom rack. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the middle rack and preheat the oven for 30-60 minutes (depends on your oven, if you have a stone etc.)
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While the oven preheats, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. You can do a pre-shape and final shape, but since they're not going to proof for long, you might not need to preshape them.
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Place the rolls in the baking tray and once the oven is hot score them with a blade or sharp knife and put the baking tray in the middle rack (or on top of the hot stone if you have one). Add 1 cup of boiling water to the empty tray in the bottom rack and close the oven door immediately.
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Bake the rolls with steam, for at least 10 minutes and another 10 minutes without steam or a few more minutes if they're not golden brown yet.
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Let the rolls cool down for at least 30 minutes to allow the crumb to set, and dig in!
Tomato and rosemary sourdough bread
One of the most typical summer lazy dinners I used to grow with was “Pa amb tomàquet” (or commonly referred to as “pan tumaca”). It translates to “bread and tomato”. It is basically a toast with rubbed tomato and olive oil, I wanted to introduce my husband to this dish and that’s when I had an idea… What if… What if I add the tomato to the dough? And what if I add some other herbs? So I did… And that’s how this tomato and rosemary sourdough bread was born!
The result was amazing! This tomato and rosemary sourdough bread was so flavorful! The ingredients balanced each other perfectly and the loaf turned out super soft. The crumb was very soft and delicate.
Since the hydration is not too high, the dough is lovely to work with. If you’re feeling adventurous, it can be a great bread to practice your scoring!
Here’s the video of how I scored this loaf:
I used my wiremonkey bread lame that you can purchase here.
I love this lame, it’s ergonomic, efficient, easy to work with and allows you a range of movement that you don’t have with other lames. And best of all? It’s a family business that throughout the pandemic has been helping bakers in need. Not to mention that Tyler is also environmentally conscious and doesn’t use plastic on his lames.
If you’re into bread art or are looking for a nice bread lame, consider buying a wiremonkey ufo lame. They’re simply amazing!
The ingredients
For this recipe, I used Roma tomatoes because they are less watery, so if you’re using other types of tomatoes, I’d suggest you either reduce the amount of water on the recipe or drain the tomatoes a little.
I decided to make a paste first with all the ingredients so I blended the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and rosemary leaves together. But if you prefer, you can leave the leaves out and add them whole.
Tomatoes and health
Did you know tomatoes are rich in lycopene? A red carotenoid that it’s known for its anti-cancer properties and powerful antioxidants. Tomatoes are also rich in potassium and magnesium. In other words, tomatoes rock!
Not only they’re healthy, but some studies have found that adding tomatoes to bread increased dough elasticity. That, along with the olive oil makes the dough LOVELY to work with, and it’s one of the reasons the crumb is so nice and velvety. Ahh Science! 🙂
How to make this tomato and rosemary sourdough bread
If you follow me on Instagram you might know by now that I’m leaning towards kneading my loaves rather than doing just stretch and folds. I don’t laminate my dough unless I’m going to add things to it (olives, nuts, cheese…). I don’t do long autolysis either, especially during summer because the higher temperatures really have an impact on dough strength.
What I do is mixing all the ingredients, I give them a 20-60 minutes rest (it depends on how busy I am or what I’m doing at the moment) and then I knead using the slap and fold method. I knead the dough for a few minutes and then let it rest for a little while. Resting periods are very important as you allow the gluten strands to realign and the dough gets stronger; you can read more about it here.
Kneading is just a way to 1) strengthen the gluten and 2) incorporate air in the dough. So, you can use whatever method you’re comfortable with. Manually or using a stand mixer, as long as you develop the gluten well.
Bulk fermentation
Once you’re sure the gluten is well developed, you can add a coil fold if you want. Then let the dough ferment for a few hours. The temperature in my kitchen ranges from 74-77F these days, so usually I don’t leave any dough out for longer than 6h (start to shaping). That’s why I also prefer kneading vs. not kneading. It allows me to develop the gluten faster and have a nice bulk fermentation in just a few hours.
I don’t wait until the dough doubles in size, I tend to cut the bulk fermentation short. With summer temperature and humidity under fermenting the dough a little helps maintain the gluten structure strong throughout the entire process.
The length of the bulk fermentation depends on how much starter you used, the temperature of your kitchen, the condition of your starter etc. If you want to know more about sourdough growth and sourdough starters click here. You can learn the science of sourdough and how that applies to your sourdough bread.
If you’re a bit new to sourdough and are not sure about what to do, you can check other things to make sure the fermentation is going well. For example, after a few hours of bulk fermenting: does the dough feel puffier? Can you see small bubbles forming in the bottom? Did the dough grow a little or can you even see some larger air pockets on the surface? Does it smell just like flour or can you identify some slightly alcoholic/vinegary smell (similar to the smell of your starter)?
Shaping and cold proofing
Alright, so once you consider that the bulk fermentation is done, you just need to shape the bread and put it in a banneton (proofing basket). If you don’t have one, you can use a bowl and a cotton cloth.
I shaped this loaf into a bule, but you can use whichever shaping method you’re comfortable with. Be gentle, don’t push to much or you could tear the outer layer and the loaf will lose structure. If that happens, you might end up with a pancake after baking!
I have this round banneton, and I really like it. 9 in is enough for a medium-size loaf. I also have this oval banneton, I am very happy with both of them.
The overnight cold-proof was a total of 12h. A cold-proof is not mandatory, but it does come handy when it’s time to score the loaf. Colder loaves are firmer, and the blades cut through the dough much better.
Baking
Ideally, the first 15-20 minutes of baking should be with steam. In a house oven, keeping the steam inside is almost impossible, so I prefer to use a dutch oven that I preheat along with the oven at 450F.
I actually have a double dutch oven, I find that it’s much easier to load the dough without burning yourself if you can set the dutch oven upside down 😉
When I put the loaf in the dutch oven I also add the rosemary stalks. I’m telling you… the stalks end up roasted but the loaf is baked in those aromas and the crust ends up with a nice rosemary kick!.
After baking, try to wait for the bread to cool down to room temperature. It helps to set the crumb and all the aromas. Thanks to the tomato and the oil, the bread will be very soft, and it’ll keep fresh at least a couple of days.
Let me know if you make this loaf! I love to see what you bake and what you experiment with. You can use #allyoukneadisbread on Instagram.
You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, and you can also subscribe to my Youtube channel.
Happy baking!!
This post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you – that allows me to keep running this blog.
Tomato and rosemary sourdough bread
An amazing bread, full of flavor and ideal for summer dinners!
Ingredients
- 300 g bread flour
- 150 g water
- 45 g sourdough starter at its peak of activity
- 75 g roma tomatoes
- 20 g extra virgin olive oil
- 6 g salt
- 2 stalks rosemary
Instructions
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Blend the tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and the rosemary leaves together until you have a paste (you don't have to blend the rosemary leaves, you can add them whole or chopped to the dough)
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In a bowl add the flour, make a well in the middle and add the water, the starter, and the tomato paste and combine until there aren't dry flour particles. Let the dough rest 20 minutes (covered)
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Knead the dough until it's elastic and smooth. You can do it manually or with a stand mixer. I'd recommend you let the dough rest 10-20 mins every 5-10 minutes of kneading
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When the dough feels smooth and elastic, lightly oil a bowl and place the dough inside to ferment. You can add a coil fold after 30-45mins if you want. At 74-77F (23-25C), my dough was ready after 5h.
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Turn the dough onto a floured surface and carefully bring the edges toward the center to shape the dough into a ball, flip it upside down cleaning the flour underneath and with your hands, bring the dough ball toward you to create some tension on the outer layer
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Flour a cotton cloth, place it in a proofing basket and put the dough inside. Cover it with the cloth and put the basket in the fridge overnight.
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The next day, preheat your oven at 450F (230C) with a pizza stone or a dutch oven if you have , for at least 30-40 minutes
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When the oven is ready, take your dough out of the fridge, flip it onto a parchment paper, put it in the dutch oven or the pizza stone and score the loaf (make some cuts on the surface). *SEE NOTES
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Put the loaf in the oven and turn the temperature down to 425F / 220 C. Bake the loaf with a lid on (if you're using a dutch oven) or with steam (if you're using a pizza stone or just a baking tray) for 15-20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake the loaf for another 20-30 minutes or until it's golden brown
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Take the dough out of the oven and let it cool down in a rack for at least 1h
Recipe Notes
* I like to put the dough on a thin metallic tray lined with parchment paper and then just slip it into the lid of my double dutch oven.
Sourdough donuts with rose cream filling
March was the month for enriched dough for the sourdough monthly challenge I participate every month, and I decided to make sourdough donuts. I adapted the recipe I had for yeasted donuts and used this time to play around with flavors.
I wanted to try a different filling, so I made a rose cream using rose water and the result was AMAZING. Not just because rose water makes everything better, also because these donuts were super soft!
I’d love to tell you they keep fresh for several days, the truth is… they’re so good they didn’t make it that long! 😀
If you don’t have or don’t like rose water you can use any other flavoring. Vanilla, almond, lemon, orange blossom… you name it! (Just be careful with the quantities, some flavorings are stronger and you wouldn’t need that much).
And if you want to try rose water but are under quarantine, please please, please… Wait until the quarantine is lifted. As good as these donuts are, nothing is more important than your safety. Donuts can wait, your health is the priority.
About the recipe
This recipe is pretty straightforward. First, you need to mix all wet ingredients except the starter and butter. Add the sugar and dissolve it, and then add the starter and dissolve the blob a little. My starter was at its peak of activity (it had already tripled in size after feeding it).
Now combine flour and salt. I used bread flour but if for whatever reasons you just have all-purpose flour, you probably won’t need all the milk in the recipe. All-purpose flour absorbs less moisture than bread flour, so using all the milk will, most likely, result in a very slack and sticky dough. And this dough is already on the sticky side.
I used soy milk because that’s what I drink, obviously, you can use regular milk. Just make sure you boil it for a few minutes to break down some enzymes that otherwise could make gluten development difficult
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and combine just enough so you don’t see dry flour particles, cover and let it rest for 30-45 minutes. This autolysis will help the dough to start developing the gluten, hydrate flour particles, and make easier to incorporate the butter. This dough is a bit on the sticky side, so I find this step useful, although is not mandatory.
About the dough
After 30-45 minutes start kneading either by hand or using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer and add the softened butter.
Knead for a few minutes until the butter has been incorporated. If you’re using a stand mixer, you might need to stop several times to scrape the dough off the sides of the bowl or if it rolled up on the paddle attachment.
This dough is a bit sticky, so make sure you knead it well until it’s elastic and it passes the windowpane test. If you don’t see it’s getting more and more elastic stop kneading, cover it and let it rest 10 minutes. Then come back to it and start kneading again.
Sometimes the dough gets tired, the gluten strands start to tangle so much that it’s impossible to develop the gluten network. Letting the dough rest allows the gluten strands to realign and that’s when the magic happens, friends.
You might think your dough is not ready, however, after a few minutes of rest you’ll see how much better it looks and it feels! These rests are crucial when dealing with enriched dough and are also a way to prevent over kneading.
When the dough is ready it should feel very smooth, not too shiny and even dough it will be a bit sticky, it shouldn’t get stuck to your fingers.
Preparing the donuts
Once the dough is ready, let it proof until it doubles in size, but keep its temperature at a maximum of 23C/72F because if it gets too warm it will be very difficult to handle. Not to mention that the butter might melt and leach out of the dough. Patience is key! ( I left my dough fermenting overnight, about 9h, at around 19C/67F).
The next morning punch the dough, degas it well and place it in the fridge for a couple of hours. It’s a sticky dough, cooling it down a little will help you shape the donuts.
After the dough chilled for a while, flour your counter and roll it into a 1cm / 0.5in thickness. Use flour to dust the counter and the top of the dough so it doesn’t get stuck to the rolling pin.
To avoid the donuts from shrinking after cutting them, let the dough rest 15 minutes or so (covered). Then cut one, and if the dough doesn’t shrink you’re good to go, if it does, let it rest a bit longer.
With a round cookie cutter or a glass or whatever you have, cut the donuts. Knead and roll the dough scraps again (let it rest a little if you find it’s difficult to roll it), cut more donuts and continue collecting scraps until you don’t have more dough.
If you have parchment paper, cut small squares, put them on a tray and place the donuts on each square to proof. This will make your life easier when you have to fry them. You won’t have to deal with dough stuck on the tray!
Cover the donuts and let them proof for about 1h at 20/68F Don’t wait for them to double in size or when you fry them they’ll have huge holes inside. They should feel puffy. if your room temperature is higher, they might be ready a bit sooner.
In the meanwhile, you can prepare your filling, either the pastry cream or whatever you prefer. When it’s ready, remember to cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream so it doesn’t develop a skin.
The last step!
To fry the donuts you can use vegetable oil or other flavorless oil. Vegetable oil is a good choice because it has a higher smoke point. You don’t want your fire alarm to go off like crazy!
The ideal temperature for frying is 180-190C / 360-375F so I’d suggest you use a thermometer. I also used the last dough scraps to test the oil.
Fry the donuts just until they have a nice golden color, flipping them every few seconds. And transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorbs the excess oil.
I transferred mine to the paper towel and quickly coated them with sugar. This is up to you, you can finish your donuts
Let the donuts cool down a little and with a piping bag fill them with the filling you prepare and enjoy!
This recipe yields 6-7 pretty large donuts or 10 regular/smaller donuts.
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think and tag me on your creations! I love to see what you guys do!
You can also follow me on Instagram or Facebook and you can also subscribe to my Youtube channel.
If you have any suggestions or would want me to make some recipes, adapt a yeast-based recipe into a sourdough one, etc, please contact me and I’ll try my best to respond and plan a recipe!
Happy baking!
Sourdough donuts with rose cream filling
These donuts are very soft and full of amazing flavors
Ingredients
Donut dough
- 260 g bread flour
- 110 g soy milk see notes
- 75 g white sourdough starter 100% hydration
- 40 g sugar
- 3 g salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 50 g softened butter
Rose cream filling
- 250 g soy milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 40 g sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp rose water (to taste)
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 3 drops red food coloring
Instructions
Donut dough
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In the bowl of your stand mixer add the milk and suggar anddissolve the sugar
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Add the egg yolks and rose water and combine well
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Add the starter and stir until you break down the blob
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On a different bowl mix the flour and salt
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Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and combine just until you don't see dry flour particles. Cover the bowl and let it rest 30-45 minutes
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After the rest start kneading the dough and when you see it starts getting elastic add the softened butter and knead until the dough passes the windowpane test. Make sure you let the dough rest every few minutes of kneading and before trying the windopane test
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Once the dough is ready, grease a container and put the dough inside. Let it ferment until it doubles in size. In my case it took about 9h at 19C/27F
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After the bulk fermentation, degas the dough well and let it chill for a couple of hours in the fridge
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Take the dough out of the fridge, dust your work surface and the dough and roll it into a 1cm/ 0.5in thickness
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Cut the donuts and roll the scraps as many times necessary until you don't have more dough left
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Place the donuts on small pieces of parchment paper, cover them and let them proof until they're puffy (about 1h)
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Fill a pot with vegetable oil and heat it to 180-190C / 360-375F
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When the donuts are ready and the oil is hot, fry the donuts until they have a nice golden brown color. Flip them in the oil several times so they have even color.
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Transfer the donuts to a paper towel to remove the excess of oil and quickly roll them in sugar so the sugar sticks to the donut
-
Let the donuts cool down a few minutes and with a piping bag fill them with your favorite filling!
Rose cream
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Put the milk in a saucepan and bring to a low boil
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In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sift the starch, add the sugar, the coloring, and the rose water and whisk again
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Pour a little bit of milk on the bowl (about 1/3 or 1/4 of the milk) with the yolks mixture and quickly stir so you don't cook the eggs
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Pour the egg batter into the saucepan and whisk it all together until is homogeneous
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Heat the mixture at low heat and don't stop stirring. It will thicken
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Once the cream is thick enough transfer it to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Make sure the wrat touches the cream so it won't develop a skin.
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Let the cream cool down to room temperature before filling the donuts
Recipe Notes
I use soy milk because that’s what I normally use. You can substitute it for regular milk but make sure you boil the milk a few minutes before using it in the dough. That way you will break down the enzymes that could hinder gluten development.
How to make sourdough chocolate banana bread
A year ago I was writing that dissertation, I was stressed, hypersensitive, anxious… Sometimes I’d be happy it’d soon be over, and sometimes I’d feel nostalgic for the very same reason. A year has passed and I’m just starting to rebuild myself and enjoy my guilt-free life… With this sourdough chocolate banana bread! That’s right! It’s all about using sourdough discards!
Using sourdough discards in your baking
Learning the science of bread is one of the reasons I started this blog. Because I find breadmaking an incredibly endearing process and yet so misunderstood. There are different methods to take care of your sourdough starter; some people generate discards, others don’t. I never throw away the discards, that’s sourdough that can be used on other things!! It’s pre-fermented flour that can bring flavor to yeast bakes, like this brioche recipe with sourdough discards. It also helps increase the shelf life of baked products by slowing down the staling process and controlling the pH a bit. This way spoilage microorganisms find it harder to grow on the food.
This year I also want to start implementing a new approach when it comes to food: ZERO WASTE. I know many people generate a considerable amount of sourdough discards. And I know using sourdough discards sounds like a crazy idea for many. But let me tell you.. once you make this sourdough chocolate banana bread with sourdough discards, you will be converted forever!!!
So today I inaugurate a new type of recipe: SOURDOUGH DISCARDS
I’ll upload different recipes using sourdough discards so you don’t just throw them away. Recipes with that extra kick of healthiness that only a sourdough starter can provide. As always, all recipes will be tested to ensure the best results!
To inaugurate this new batch of recipes I wanted to make something special. I’ve developed this sourdough chocolate banana bread that’s going to make you fall in love with it!
It’s moist but not too dense. It’s spongy, full of flavors, a nice chocolate kick that doesn’t overtake the banana taste. And it lasts fresh for days even if you don’t keep it in an airtight container! (You didn’t think that sourdough could only keep regular bread fresh for a longer time, did you?)
I did not add chocolate chips of any kind to this bread, just walnuts. Because I wanted to taste the banana. But if you prefer a more chocolatey flavor, customize those extras to your taste buds.
About this sourdough chocolate banana bread
It works best with very ripe bananas. Those brown mushy ones? Yeah, those!
If you’re not ready to bake banana bread but your bananas are getting too ripe to eat, just peel them, freeze them and use them whenever you’re ready! Just make sure you drain the water after they thaw. I think frozen bananas are the best for banana bread, they keep the moisture much better and they also enhance the flavor of the bread.
I collected the sourdough discards throughout 3 or 4 days of consecutive feedings and kept it in the fridge until ready to bake.
What if I have old sourdough discards?
I have tested this recipe with discards that were several weeks old. The only difference in flavor is that the chocolate banana bread was less sweet. Which makes sense, because the discards have been acidifying and part of the sugar is used to neutralize those acids.
So, depending on your taste buds, you may want to adapt the sugar. Although, this recipe has a considerable amount of it. But like always, you have the idea here, then you can customize it to your liking! 🙂
How long does it take to bake?
The baking time depends on your oven. Start taking a look at the bread after 50-55 minutes. The best way to know if your banana bread is ready is by inserting a toothpick (or a thin skewer) all the way down in the middle part of the loaf (that’s the part that takes the longest to cook). If it comes out clean, you’re good to go!
Don’t overbake this sourdough chocolate banana bread, you want it moist, not too dry, once the toothpick comes out clean, it’s ready!
Let me know if you make this chocolate banana bread using your sourdough discards and tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your creations! And don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel too, where once in a while I upload videos for some of my recipes.
Enjoy!
Sourdough chocolate banana bread
Ingredients
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 135 g sourdough starter discards
- 180 g brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 115 g vegetable oil
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional and customizable)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven at 350F
- Grease a 9×5 in mold (or line it with parchment paper if you prefer)
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) and make sure the baking powder and baking soda don't have any lumps.
- In a smaller bowl whisk the eggs, add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract and combine until the eggs get a light color. Then add the brown sugar and mix for a couple of minutes.
- Add the sourdough starter and stir until it breaks down and it's incorporated (you might see some strands, it's ok, the starter had some gluten developed)
- Mash the bananas, add them to the egg mixture and combine everythng well
- With a spatula, lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones
- Add the chopped walnuts and stir just until they're combined
- pour the batter into your mold and bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (time might vary depending on your oven temperature)