Sourdough bread is just elite. I’m sorry, but in the world of breads, you cannot convince me otherwise. There is no greater smell or moment that cutting into a still slightly warm loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread. It’s just a *whole vibe. Now that’s out of the way, let’s talk about it’s nutritional elite-ness over regular white bread. Because of the fermentation process, it’s packed with healthy prebiotics & probiotics which is fabulous for the gut. Additionally, the fermentation helps break down gluten which can make it easier to digest that regular bread. Finally, homemade sourdough isn’t full of unnecessary additives and has a lower glycemic index so it doesn’t spike blood sugar.
I never hopped on the pandemic bread-making trend. But luckily my best friend did and she had kept her starter going for years. On a recent trip to see her, I let her know I had been cooking a lot more and felt ‘ready’ to dive into the world of baking. She graciously gave me some of her beloved sourdough starter and a simple beginner’s recipe to follow.
I am no baker, my skills are low/medium at best, but that’s why I like this recipe. It was easy to follow and I believe everyone should learn how to bake their own bread. It’s such a great skill to have and only requires a few basic ingredients and tools.
Gut-Healthy Sourdough Bread: Easy Recipe
Equipment
- Banneton or Proofing Basket you can also just use a dish towel in a medium/large bowl
Ingredients
Levain
- 25 grams active sourdough starter fed10-12 hours prior
- 50 grams filtered water 77°F/25°C
- 50 grams bread flour organic if possible
Main Dough
- 408 grams bread flour organic if possible
- 72 grams whole wheat flour organic if possible
- 346 grams filtered water 77°F/25°C (72%)
- 96 grams levain white
- 10 grams sea salt
Other
- rice flour for dusting the banneton and surface for shaping
- rosemary, black olives optional but delicious if you love flavor
Instructions
- Prepare levainIn a bowl, combine sourdough starter, water, and flour. Cover and rise in a warm spot for 5 hours until it’s bubbly and doubled/tripled in size.
- Autolyse (Main Dough)You can start making the main dough right after you’ve mixed up the levain. Add bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water to the bowl and mix until everything is combined (it shouldn’t take longer than a minute or so). Scrape down the sides of your bowl if needed. Cover and rest/autolyse for 5 hours until the levain is ready.
- Mix in levain and salt • Add the bubbly and active levain to the main dough. Do not add the salt yet. Mix for about two minutes until well incorporated. • Cover the bowl, and rest for 30 minutes. • Sprinkle in salt and mix for two-five minutes until the dough has a smooth and bouncy surface.Transfer the dough to a clean, large bowl: cover, and proof at 74°F/23°C-78°F/26°C for 1.5 hours.
- Coil Folds x Repeat 4 times • With wet hands, slide both hands under the dough and slowly lift up while pulling the dough towards you, letting the dough fold underneath itself on the way down. Repeat on all four sides. Proof for 1.5 hours. • Repeat the folding three more times, letting the dough rest for 1.5 hours between each coil fold. Total proof time: 7-8 hours.
- Shape And Cold ProofPrepare a 10-inch banneton by dusting it with rice flour. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With the help of a bench scraper if needed, fold in the right side, then the left side, and roll down towards you. Shape the dough into the shape of your banneton and ensure you have surface tension for a good crust • Gently lift the dough into the prepared banneton, seam side up. Pinch the seams if need be to ensure it’s nice and taught. Cover, and place it in the fridge to cold-proof overnight (10-18 hours).
- BakePlace your Bread Pan or large Dutch oven in the oven. Preheat for 45-60 minutes at 500°F/260°C. • Carefully remove the preheated Bread Pan from the oven. Tip the bread into parchment paper seam side down and place in Dutch oven. • Use a lame or razor blade to score the surface of the bread. Try scoring at a slight angle to give the bread the distinctive “ear.” Put the lid back on and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- After 20-25 minutes, remove the lid, turn down the heat to 430°F/220°C and bake for another 15-25 minutes until the bread has a deep golden color with a nice caramelized crust. • Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least one hour before slicing.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cloudnine.health on Instagram and hashtag it #EatHappy.
Thank you to my bestie, Nekia, for this absolutely fabulous and approachable sourdough recipe.
