Large Crusty Sourdough Loaf

 

This recipe brings together the ease of fast-action yeast and the rich flavours of sourdough discard, making it a perfect choice for those of us who appreciate good bread without the fuss! 

In this recipe, you’ll find 20 step-by-step photos to walk you through the entire process, from mixing the ingredients to pulling that golden loaf from the oven. I'll also touch on the "window pane" test, a handy technique that helps ensure your dough is kneaded just right, allowing the gluten to develop properly. For those of you with a stand mixer, this recipe is particularly suited to your needs. Kneading becomes a simple task—just 6-7 minutes on minimum speed will do the trick. After that, a quick check with the window pane test will let you know if you need a couple more minutes of kneading. The best part? You can let the dough rise right in the mixer bowl, keeping things tidy and efficient.

What you’ll end up with is a beautiful loaf with a crusty exterior and a soft, flavourful interior—a true testament to the art of bread-making. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting out, this recipe is designed to yield satisfying results that will warm your kitchen and delight your taste buds.So, gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and let’s get started on making some lovely sourdough bread together. It’s time to bring a bit of that comforting homemade goodness into your home.

Yield: 1 x 1kg Loaf

Ingredients:

300ml Tepid Water

1 sachet Fast Acting Yeast or 2tsp Dried yeast or 15g Fresh Yeast

500g Strong white flour

Up to 200g of Quick Sourdough Starter or starter discard

1½ tsp Table Salt 

Method:

1. Add the yeast to the water in a measuring jug or small bowl, stir to combine and set aside for 5-6 minutes until it "blooms" and the yeast rises to the top. This ensures your yeast is actually alive and not expired.
2. In a large mixing bowl or your stand mixer, add the flour and salt, mix together, make a large well in the centre of the flour to pour in up to 200g of the sourdough starter or discard.
3. Add the yeast and water mixture into the well too and mix gently, gradually bringing the flour in from the sides with a spatula or on a low speed with the dough hook attachment. 
4. Once the dough is almost come together, knead on minimum speed for 6-7 minutes. If making by hand turn it out the dough onto a clean floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Use a bench scraper to release the dough if it sticks to your work surface, add a small amount of flour to your hands to help with the kneading process. This is a sticky dough especially if you add 200g of the starter, it's less sticky with less starter but either way it gets less sticky as you knead. 
5. Once the dough is sufficiently kneaded (window pane test tutorial), coat the dough with a small amount of neutral oil to prevent it from sticking to the sides of the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size, 1-2 hours (fig. 8,9). 
6. Replenish your sourdough starter with equal amounts of water and strong flour, mix well to combine. Leave to ferment at room temperature for 12-24 hours or until it stops bubbling. Place it in the fridge until needed. 
7. Once the dough has doubled in size, turn the it out onto a clean lightly floured surface and shape into a oblong or round shape. Seam side up place the dough into a lined and really well floured basket or bowl. 
8. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise at room temperature until well risen but not doubled in size, usually 1 hour. 
9. Meanwhile. preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6.I bake this bread in an oven safe casserole, I find it gives the best oven-spring (fig.19). It's not necessary but if you are using a casserole, preheat it in the with the lid removed.   
10. Once risen, turn the dough seam side down onto parchment paper or a silicone sling (fig. 17), flour the surface of the loaf well and slash it with a sharp knife or blade. This allows the baking bread to both look beautiful when baked and also to control the expansion. It's going to expand anyway so you may as well make it look beautiful. 
11. If you are using the casserole, carefully remove it from the hot oven and place the bread in it using the parchment paper or silicone sling to position it. Refit the lid and bake for 30 minutes, remove the lid (fig. 19) and bake for a further 25-30 minutes or until a deep golden brown. 
12. If you are not using a casserole, place the bread onto a baking sheet using the parchment paper to position it. Add a splash of water or 3-4 ice cubes to the tray, the steam will allow the bread to rise better before the crust sets in place. Bake for 45 -50 minutes or until a deep golden brown and the base sound hallow when tapped. 
13. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack, the crumb structure sets as the bread cools. I know it is tempting to slice into the warm bread straight away, however if you slice the bread before it cools it will be doughy, sticky become dry and go off quicker. Stay strong, allow it to cool, it will be worth it!