Now that you’ve learned how to make a basic sourdough loaf, how about making a sensational sourdough bread for beginners? This is a lean dough and lightly salted. If you like the traditional sourdough flavor, feel free to double that salt as it enhances the sourness. Also, for a lovely rich flavor, substitute half that flour for whole wheat. If you really like sour, you’ll thank me.
Before you begin, do you have scales? Can you weigh your ingredients? If not, I implore you to buy some. Bread baking improves 100% when you weigh your ingredients. If you are using measuring cups, you may have to add more flour or water 1 tbs at a time due to the inaccuracy of measuring flour and variations in my cups to yours.
Get out your starter. 
Measure out 100g. 
Add water. 
Then flour. 
Some salt next. 
Stir with a spoon handle 
Stir until the flour picks up all the water. 
Cover and let rest overnight 
Next day admire all that gluten that developed while you slept. 
Now shape the dough by flattening into a rough rectangle about the length of your pan. 
Fold the longest side down. 
Toss into a loaf pan seam side down and let rest 2 – 3 hours. 
Get it to at least the top of the pan. Cut the top of the bread for steam to escape. 
Happy Baking!
Still working on the process of sourdough making? Check out this brief tutorial to get on your way to making sensational sourdough bread for Beginners.
Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 3 cups (450g) white bread flour
- 1 cup (240mL) water
- ½ cup (100g) starter
- 1 tsp (5g) salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add starter and water. Top with flour and salt.
- Using the handle of a spoon, stir the mixture until a shaggy dough forms and no more flour is sticking to the side of the bowl.
- Turn out onto a clean surface and begin kneading by folding the dough over in half and pushing it down flat away from you. Do this for approximately 5 – 10 minutes or until you can stretch the dough and it doesn’t break easily. You should be able to see light behind the dough if well kneaded.
- Cover with clingfilm and let rest overnight.
- The next day, lightly grease a 9×5 (23x13cm) bread loaf pan.
- Turn out dough onto work surface and fold into a rectangle roughly the size of the pan. Cover with a greased piece of cling film or lightly flour the surface of the dough and drape a clean tea towel on top.
- Leave for approximately 2 – 3 hours or until the dough rises to the top of the pan.
- Place one rack in the middle of the oven and the second rack as close to the bottom as possible. On the bottom rack, place a pan filled with 1/2" (1cm) of water. Do not use a glass container for the water as it could break or shatter due to thermal shock. Preheat oven 400F (200C.)
- Slice the top with a sharp knife quickly. This will keep the bread from bursting on the side.
- Open the stove carefully as the steam from the water could burn you.
- Bake 40-45 minutes. After 30 minutes, if there is any water left in the tray, carefully remove the tray. Center of bread should reach 212F (100C.)
- Cool completely before slicing.
Thank you, glad to be a new member of the yeast capturers. 🙂 Haha, I love that name! I named mine Walter yesterday. I hope he, like yours, has lots of delicious young ones to benefit our digestive tracts and tingle our tastebuds. Wahoo! I am excited about this newfound ability. Lol that almost sounds cruel to consume his children, but it’s a symbiotic relationship after all. Haha. 😀
I will definitely pass on a jar to my friends. Many jars I believe…he is quite robust. I couldn’t believe how much starter I’ve been able to capture.
I’m very happy with it, especially seeing that it was easily do-able. I may cut out some rolls with this recipe, and bake them on a baking sheet. Yum… I will definitely try out some water ratio fluctuations, and test out the chewabilities of each variety. I will try more of your recipes for sure!
I’ve already got my mind on a sweet yeasty sourdough banana walnut chew.
Walter is a fine name for starter. Mine is named Marvin the Martian as it was all alien to me when I started. And when he’s hungry. I talk a goofy voice and say ‘I’m starvin’ Marvin!” Im easily amused. 😳🤣
That banana walnut sounds like a great combination. Let me know how it turns out for you.
I’ve been wanting to share more sourdough recipes, but I’m so behind on these videos. I may have to just start putting some up anyway. In the meantime, there is a YouTube channel called Bake with Jack that teaches a lot about bread making in general you may benefit from. I had been baking bread for nearly 25 years and learn a lot from that guy.
I love that name, starvin Marvin lol. 😂
This weekend I’m planning to make some cinnamon rolls for our New Years gathering out if my starter. -jumps with glee- I can relate with you on the being easily amused.😊
I will look up his videos on youtube. I’ve also got two bottles of yeast water in the fridge from Mary’s nest recipe. It’s so fun working with both varieties of yeast. I did store some dried yeast discs, then some little globs in baggies to use for later. I’m waiting to find some loved ones to share him with who will actually bake with him. Does sharing the bread I baked with Walter count?
I hope you have a very happy new year!
It totally counts if you share baked goods of Marvin. 🤣
If you really want to bring out that sourdough flavor, knead the dough, cover well and let it rise in the fridge overnight (no more than 24 hours.) It really brings out the flavor and texture. Then shape the rolls the next morning and let them rise on the counter or in a warm place. The second rise will take longer as the dough is chilled, but the flavor is phenomenal.
I love using all the varieties of yeast too! It’s so lovely learning to create something on your own, isn’t it?
Hope your New Year is filled with joy, love and peace. Good luck with the rolls!
Oh yum! I imagine that would bring out the flavor. I will definitely try those rolls out. Thank you so much!
So far I’m having a great year, I hope you are as well. 😊
I so look forward to trying out more of your other recipes also. I’ll comment and let you know what I think as I try them…but I have a feeling I will totally enjoy them.
This year finally seems to be bringing good news for most people. Spirits seem to be high overall. I am glad to see you are doing quite well!
I’m currently learning how to make star bread and hope to get up a recipe soon. It’s so fun to make but many of them seem to put too much filling in them which just oozes out into the oven and creates a huge mess! 😳 I’ve been having fun learning, though.
I really want to start showing how to make more bread recipes once I finish these last few videos. I’m kind of over the sweets.
Have you baked anything new?
Oh I hear you, I’ve been having to try to lose some weight. So I’ve been doing some low carb dishes, lots of extra veggies! ☺
I have been experimenting with lower sugar options, such as cloud bread. It’s really tasty! But still, I have to make a loaf of yeast bread occasionally, especially around the holidays.
Do you bake in the summer much? I’ve had to cut back, we have heat in the triple digits down here right now lol. 😂
I’m no help with losing weight by cutting carbs. Love them way too much. I lost over 110 pounds by eating a carbohydrate rich diet for the past 10 years. I actually would gain weight on low carb diets. 🤣
I’ve heard cloud bread is lovely, but I haven’t tried baking any. I really should try it.
Right now, I’m sticking to batter breads that only take about 20 minutes to cook but haven’t baked much at all these past few months. I recorded a lot of recipes during the cooler months and have them scheduled out for the rest of the summer into fall. I do make dog treats for the pups or if someone requests cookies, but for the most part I lounge around. Like you, it’s just been so hot this summer and miserable at times with the humidity. When I do bake, I try to do it really early in the morning or late at night to beat the hottest parts of the day.
I followed the recipe exactly, only I used ap flour instead of bread flour. I’ve got bread flour and whole wheat on my grocery list now. 🙂
It turned out beautiful, and you nailed it on the tangy taste, and chew. I will be making more of these loaves with different flours, but this ap flour is also delicious! 😀
I couldn’t wait for the weekend to try it.
Fabulous news! Welcome to the sourdough club. Have you named your starter, yet? It’s tradition to name it and considered good luck to share some with a neighbor or friend. Marvin has all kinds of offspring out there. 😆
I often make bread with AP. Most of the recipes on here are designed to use AP as its more accessible/affordable for folk. You can start playing around with water content as well now that you have the hang of making sourdough. More water what creates “open crumb” and shiny breads with gapping holes throughout. Less water makes the bread crumb denser and more tight. This one recipe is my go to for just a great all around sourdough bread without a lot of fuss or effort.
So glad your first attempt was successful and you are happy. 🙂