If you have been loving that crusty, artisanal sourdough, but want to try something else, this sourdough sandwich bread recipe is a great option. It’s super soft and pillowy, almost like a milk bread with a slightly nutter, slightly sweet flavour.
I always have some of this bread either on my kitchen counter or in my freezer. Its nice to have a soft bread around because you can do so much with it. This style of bread is great for sandwiches, French toast, or just with some butter. It has a much softer crust that doesn’t even need to be cut off.
This is also a more kid friendly bread. I’ve noticed younger kids aren’t always a fan of the crusty sourdough but love this bread. This style of sourdough is also great for beginners. You don’t need any specialty equipment like banneton baskets or a Dutch oven. All you need is a loaf pan! This recipe is 65% hydration, which makes the dough relatively easy to handle. It should not be super sticky which makes it great for beginner bakers to handle.
This dough is enriched with some oil and sugar, which gives a more tender crumb and soft texture. The presence of the fat affect the way the gluten behaves. This just means the dough takes a little longer to rise and requires some extra rounds of stretch and folds. But it is all work it in the end when you get that soft, pillowy loaf.
Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
Levain
- 20 grams Mature Starter
- 20 grams Water
- 20 grams Flour
Dough
- 300 grams Bread Four
- 195 grams Water 65%
- 12 grams Oil 4%
- 36 grams Honey or Brown Sugar 12%
- 60 grams Levain 20%
- 6 grams Salt 2%
Instructions
Make Levain
- Combine mature/unactivated starter, flour and water.
- Mix until there are no dry pockets of flour.Cover and let sit at room temperature until doubled in size and bubbly (4-6 hrs). Once a small piece floats in water, it is ready!
Make the dough
- Mix active levain, water, honey, and oil.
- Add we mixture to flour. Sprinkle salt on top.
- Mix until combined and dough forms.
- Cover and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Strech and fold
- Go around the perimeter of the bowl pulling the dough towards the center.
- Cover and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Repeat the fold and rest 3 more times for a total of 4 stech and folds.
Bulk fermentation
- Let dough rise, covered, at room temperature until about doubled (5-8 hours).
Shape
- Turn dough out on a floured surface. Leave the top side of dough unfloured.
- Press and stretch dough into a rought square shape.
- Fold both side in 1/3 of the way (like a letter). Roll from the bottom up into a tight roll.
- Pintch the seam closed and place dough in a loaf pan, seam side down.
Overnight cold fermentation
- Cover dough and let it sit in the fridge ovenright (12-18 hours). Don't let the dough rise more than 1.5x the initial size.
Bake
- Bake in the loaf pan at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown.
- Let cool in loaf pan for 30 minutes, remove and let cool for at least another 30 minutes before slicing.
Check out this post to read more about storing your bread. This bread can dry out easily so make sure you store it properly to preserve that soft texture. I like to wrap mine in a reusable beeswax wrap (this is the one I use) and store it on the countertop.
I hope you give this recipe a try. It is super tasty and simple to make.
Good luck and happy baking!