Did you know that sourdough bread is part of the fermentation craze? The sour taste comes from the addition of a starter, a fermented mixture of flour, water and naturally occurring wild yeast.
Is there anything more comforting than the smell of freshly baked bread coming out of the oven? I just adore making a basic food item like this, as all our ancestors have been doing for centuries. Lately I have being playing around with a sourdough starter given to me by my friend Karyn this fall to make sourdough bread. Here is my basic recipe.
Turmeric Sourdough Bread
The timing was perfect to get this gift of a sourdough starter. I really miss the now closed bread group I belonged to. We made so many wonderful breads. Thanks again Karyn!
Now this is what I like to call a shortcut sourdough bread. It is not the strongest sourdough starter so I add yeast to my recipe, but the starter gives a lovely sour taste to the bread. Also, since I add yeast, I do not have to wait hours on end for a natural yeast to rise the dough. But making it one day without any yeast is on my bucket list!
I do not bake bread every week, I bake it maybe every 3 weeks. And I keep my stater in the fridge so I only have to refresh it (feed it) once a week. In my next post I will go more into detail about how to maintain a starter and what to do with extra starter. In all honesty I am so proud to have not killed it yet and keep it going lol. Maybe one day I will name it, as is tradition.
Bread Making in Action!
I have a prepared a video for you where I show how to make the bread from start to finish. If you like the video make sure to subscribe to my channel!
Bread kneading dough tip: you know it has been kneaded properly when the dough is very elastic and can be stretched to form a thin film without breaking, called the window pane test.
Yeah so as I mentioned in the video, the bread is not normally this yellow. If you remember, I recently blogged about Golden Milk, a very healthy hot beverage made with a turmeric paste. Instead of a plain cup of milk I used a cup of turmeric milk. It really gave the bread a nice little kick of flavor.
Turmeric Sourdough Bread
Bread storage tip: I usually slice one bread and freeze it in a large zip-lock bag. And I keep one bread on the counter wrapped in a plastic bag, cut side down. I am not sure if that is the right way but it works!
Feel free to play with this bread. Make a round bead, a baguette, an oblong shape, a braid. Also you can add herbs, cheese, nuts, fruits, chocolate chips….what ever you like. Have fun with it.
Homemade Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 cups bread flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 1/4 teaspoons 1 package active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk 100 to 110 F
- 2 tablespoons butter margarine or olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, and dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with the bread hook.
- Add warmed milk and fat to bowl, mix well. Mix in the sourdough starter.
- Add the salt and flour, a little bit at a time, until you get a slightly sticky ball of dough that sticks together. The quantity of flour will depend on the humidity of your climate.
- Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, by hand or in the mixer. It should be elastic.
- Oil the mixing bowl and place the dough in it, turning it once to oil the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.
- Punch down gently and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
- Divide dough in two and shape into 2 loaves. Place on a greased baking sheet and leave to rise, covered, for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
- Lightly slash the bread with a razor blade or sharp knife. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 30-35 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted inside reads 210 F.
- Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack before slicing.
Love that you used the turmeric milk in your bread! What a gorgeous color. We love sourdough bread and I’ve made it a few times, but keeping the starter active was a lot of work and since I don’t make bread that much, it finally died. Your bread makes me want to get it started again.
Thanks MJ, turmeric gave a nice flavor. id you keep the starter in the fridge? Just back so not sure if you saw my next post on feeding the starter. Keep it to 2 ounces of starter to feed once a week, no pressure I promise.
Oh Evelyne…your sourdough bread looks fantastic…I laughed when I saw your post as this past few days I was telling my husband that when the weather gets warmer I want to try to make my own sourdough starter…I love the turmeric in the bread…
Thanks for the recipe…
I hope you are having a great week 🙂
Really what a coincidence Juliana! No need to wait for summer, just a bit more patience and then do the fridge thing and feed once a week! Tought week getting back into a 13h time difference but gettign there 🙂
I love sour dough bread, in fact I am addicted to it and its one of my reasons why I love restaurants that serve this as their bread. Love the texture!
The texture, the taste, the smell, yeah pretty unbeatable!
We love to bake bread! Really haven’t gotten into sourdough, though. We should — I so love the flavor of it. Yours looks delish. Thanks!
Oh you should, this is so easy since you cheat with a bit of yeast in the recipe, low maintenance sourdough!
Such a lovely color!!. I’ve tried making a starter before but I failed :(. Loved your video, always good to see you dear :).
Thanks Amira, and check out my next post on how to feed a starter with links on how to do one from scratch, next one will be a success.
It looks delicious, Evelyne! I just bought some turmeric and now I know what to do with it! Starters are great! Thanks for sharing!
Oh what a great coincidence, so did you add it to some bread yet 🙂 ?
OMG!! This is so on my bucket list! You make this all sound so easy… I am too scared to get started, lol!!
DO IT Gingi! What have you got to loose, a little bit of flour ad bottled water! my next blog is about feeding the starter with lots of resources. Don’t be scared! 😀
This looks so good, what a great colour!
Thanks Caroline, the magic of turmeric 🙂
Another good use for your turmeric paste! (I was wondering about the hue!) 🙂
I had a good starter going last year but killed it with chlorinated water… 🙁
Oh no sorry the hear, chlorine is the enemy. I always a big bottle of spring water in the fridge. Hope you so another starter! That turmeric paste is the best!
So much fun to have some sourdough starter to play with! The color is divine!!!
Thanks Liz, it is definitely a fun adventure SD starter!
I think the turmeric milk was a great use in this bread.
Yes it was lovely but subtle. Gave me ideas for other infused milk flavors for the future!
Ahh I was going to say that it reminded me of brioche with that yellow! Great idea making a turmeric bread Eve 😀
Oh yes it does look like brioche, ah good idea for a future bread!
Woo-hoo! Your bread is beautiful! I like the lovely colour the tumeric adds. Glad you are having fun with the starter, happy baking!
Thank you Karyn and thanks for the starter. Yeah the turmeric was great, any infusion of the milk before can lead to all sorts of flavor possibilities!
Your sourdough bread turned out bakery perfect, Evelyne.
Ah thank you so much Angie 🙂