Mix approximately 1/4 cup warm water and 1/2 cup yeast and allow to sit for a few minutes until it is dissolved - should be a smooth, silky consistency.
In a stand mixer using the dough hook (or large bowl mixing with your hands, if you don't have a mixer) add starter, salt, honey, and water.
Begin mixing in flour a little at a time so you can make sure to not use too much. The exact amount is dependent on your sourdough starter's consistency.
When dough is mixed and enough flour has been added so that the dough begins to pull away from the sides, allow to continue kneading the dough for about 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from mixer stand, remove dough from hook, and place dough in an oiled bowl (covered with a clean dish towel) to rise until it has doubled in size (can take anywhere from 2-6 hours).
How long this takes is dependent on a few things:
-if you used yeast
-how mature your starter is
-how warm your kitchen (or wherever you're allowing it to rise) is
During the rise, you can place the bowl in a warm (not on) oven to rise if your kitchen is particularly cool.
You can warm the oven by:
-turning on for just 30 seconds, then turning back off, OR
-placing a pan of steaming hot water on the bottom rack of the oven, underneath your bowl of dough and allow the steam to warm the bowl.
When your loaves have been shaped and placed into their baking dishes, cover again and allow to double in size once more (FYI: in a pinch, you can bake them at this point without rising again, but the dough will be more dense and the loaves very small).
This second rise can take anywhere from 2-5 hours.
I typically use a 9x5 bread pan.
When using a dutch oven, just shape your dough into a round, and place into the dish for one single loaf.
To "shape" your loaves before placing them into the dishes, gently stretch the dough around the top to the underneath - tucking the "un-smooth" parts underneath to be the bottom of the loaf.
Once your loaves are finished rising the second time, using an extremely sharp knife, score your bread on the top by slicing into the dough about 1/4 inch.
This "scoring" creates weak spots in your crust so that your bread doesn't end up tearing the seams of the bread as the crust expands. You're telling it right where you want it to split as it cooks.
These scoring slashes can be decorative or just a single cut down the middle. It's up to you to decide: function or function PLUS creative outlet 😉
Once scored, bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes (bake covered with lid for the first half of the time, then remove the lid for the second half of the baking time)
Your bread is done when the internal temperature of your bread reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
If using a dutch oven, cover with lid while baking.
I don't have a dutch oven anymore, so i just place a bar pan stone over my two bread loaf stones and it acts as a lid for both at the same time when baking these loaves.
When you remove your loaves from the oven, remove them from the pan right away and set on a cooking rack to prevent any sort of condensation.
Your loaves should be golden brown on top and sound hollow from the bottom, so adjust your cooking time as you keep an eye on yours at the end.
Allow to cool, then slice and enjoy!!
Be sure to use a VERY sharp knife (or an electric knife) so that you don't end up tearing your bread as you attempt to slice.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix approximately 1/4 cup warm water and 1/2 cup yeast and allow to sit for a few minutes until it is dissolved - should be a smooth, silky consistency.
In a stand mixer using the dough hook (or large bowl mixing with your hands, if you don't have a mixer) add starter, salt, honey, and water.
Begin mixing in flour a little at a time so you can make sure to not use too much. The exact amount is dependent on your sourdough starter's consistency.
When dough is mixed and enough flour has been added so that the dough begins to pull away from the sides, allow to continue kneading the dough for about 10 minutes.
Remove bowl from mixer stand, remove dough from hook, and place dough in an oiled bowl (covered with a clean dish towel) to rise until it has doubled in size (can take anywhere from 2-6 hours).
How long this takes is dependent on a few things:
-if you used yeast
-how mature your starter is
-how warm your kitchen (or wherever you're allowing it to rise) is
During the rise, you can place the bowl in a warm (not on) oven to rise if your kitchen is particularly cool.
You can warm the oven by:
-turning on for just 30 seconds, then turning back off, OR
-placing a pan of steaming hot water on the bottom rack of the oven, underneath your bowl of dough and allow the steam to warm the bowl.
When your loaves have been shaped and placed into their baking dishes, cover again and allow to double in size once more (FYI: in a pinch, you can bake them at this point without rising again, but the dough will be more dense and the loaves very small).
This second rise can take anywhere from 2-5 hours.
I typically use a 9x5 bread pan.
When using a dutch oven, just shape your dough into a round, and place into the dish for one single loaf.
To "shape" your loaves before placing them into the dishes, gently stretch the dough around the top to the underneath - tucking the "un-smooth" parts underneath to be the bottom of the loaf.
Once your loaves are finished rising the second time, using an extremely sharp knife, score your bread on the top by slicing into the dough about 1/4 inch.
This "scoring" creates weak spots in your crust so that your bread doesn't end up tearing the seams of the bread as the crust expands. You're telling it right where you want it to split as it cooks.
These scoring slashes can be decorative or just a single cut down the middle. It's up to you to decide: function or function PLUS creative outlet 😉
Once scored, bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes (bake covered with lid for the first half of the time, then remove the lid for the second half of the baking time)
Your bread is done when the internal temperature of your bread reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
If using a dutch oven, cover with lid while baking.
I don't have a dutch oven anymore, so i just place a bar pan stone over my two bread loaf stones and it acts as a lid for both at the same time when baking these loaves.
When you remove your loaves from the oven, remove them from the pan right away and set on a cooking rack to prevent any sort of condensation.
Your loaves should be golden brown on top and sound hollow from the bottom, so adjust your cooking time as you keep an eye on yours at the end.
Allow to cool, then slice and enjoy!!
Be sure to use a VERY sharp knife (or an electric knife) so that you don't end up tearing your bread as you attempt to slice.
