Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe will help you make soft and fluffy loaf of sourdough bread in the most effortless method.
It is more nutritious than a regular loaf of bread and the best part is that, It only takes 3 minutes of active work time, to make this bread.
Why You’ll Love This Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe
- Super easy: With just 3 minutes of prep time, it’s practically effortless.
- Nutritious: Sourdough is easier to digest compared to bread made with commercial yeast.
- Soft and delicious: Perfect for sandwiches, toast, or even just slathering with butter.
- Customizable: You can make the bread, according to the time you are convenient. You can make the bread on the same day or can prepare the dough the night before and then keep the dough in fridge for cold fermentation. Then shape and bake the bread next day, at your convenient time.
Ingredients
- Flour: 357 g (2 3/4 cups)
- Water: 210 ml (1 cup -2 tbsp)
- Salt: 1 tsp (5 g)
- Sugar or honey: 20 g (1 tbsp)
- Soft unsalted butter: 43 g (3 tbsp)
- Active sourdough starter: 75 g
How to Make Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Start by adding the milk or water (room temperature) to your stand mixer. Next, mix in the sugar or honey, salt, and active sourdough starter until well combined.
Add the soft unsalted butter. We can use melted butter or olive oil instead. Finally, add the flour and mix everything together.
Step 2: Knead the Dough
You can knead the dough by hand, but for ease, use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough on the lowest speed for about 10-12 minutes. If your mixer heats up, you can pause halfway through. Now, your dough is ready for the next step!
Step 3: First Fermentation
Cover the dough and let it rest for 45 minutes. Afterward, smooth the surface by gently pulling the dough from all sides and then flipping it and dragging the dough through the sides of the bowl (as shown in the video, which is easier to understand by seeing than by explaining). Let the dough sit at room temperature for another 4.5 to 5 hours. By this time, the dough will have risen nicely.
At this point, you have two options:
- Shape, wait for the dough to rise and bake on the same day.
- Cold fermentation: Degas the dough and drag the dough through sides to form a taut and smooth surface. Cover the bowl. Keep the dough in the fridge overnight (a method called “cold retard”). This helps develop a deeper flavor and makes the dough easier to handle.
Step 4: Shape the Bread
The next day, take the dough out of the fridge.
Dust your work surface with flour and place the dough on it, smooth side down. Degas the dough by gently pressing the air out.
Shape the dough into a rectangle and fold the bottom third over itself, then fold the top over to overlap the layers. Flatten this into a long rectangle, ensuring no air pockets are left inside.
Roll it up tightly like a jelly roll and pinch the edges to seal.
Place the shaped dough into a greased loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap.
Step 5: Final Rise
Let the shaped dough rise in a warm environment for 4-5 hours. The time it takes can vary depending on how warm your room is. Make sure the dough has risen well before moving on to baking.
Step 6: Bake the Bread
Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190 C. Once it’s hot, place the loaf pan inside the oven . Bake for around 35 minutes or until the top turns golden brown. To make sure the bread is cooked through, check that the internal temperature reaches 200°F.
If the bread is not baked properly, the inside of the bread will be gummy and it will smell and taste “yeasty”.
I like to place my loaf pan in the lowest rack of oven while baking. In this way, the bottom of the bread will get baked properly as it is near to the bottom heating coils( one of the most common problems while making a sandwich loaf is the issue of improperly baked bread) and it will also prevent the chance of over-browning on top as the top heating coils are farther.
Take the bread out from the oven and demould it from the pan. Smear the surface of the bread with some butter while the loaf is still warm.
Let the bread, cool down completely before slicing.
This cooling down process is still the part of cooking. The steam which has entrapped within the bread will hep to cook the bread which is also called residual baking.
The bread is super soft and fluffy and it has got that beautiful swirl pattern to the crumb.
This soft sourdough bread has it’s unique flavor and it is easy to digest in our body. If you don’t have a sourdough starter you can make this same white sandwich bread using commercial yeast.
If you want to make your own sourdough starter, it is easy to make. You will need only flour and water to make your sourdough starter. Step by step video will guide you through the process of make your own sourdough starter.
This is best for making toasts or sandwiches or they are super delicious even with some plain butter.
That’s it! This soft sourdough sandwich bread is perfect for your everyday meals and easy enough for any level of baker to master. Whether you make it fresh or let it cold ferment, the result is always a delicious loaf that beats anything store-bought!
VIDEO: Soft sourdough sandwich bread recipe
Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 210 ml Water (1 cup -2 tbsp)
- 5 g Salt 1 tsp
- 20 g Honey or sugar 1 tbsp
- 43 g Soft unsalted Butter or olive oil (3 tbsp)
- 75 g Active sourdough starter 3/8 cup
- 357 g Flour 2 and 3/4 cups
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Start by adding the milk or water (room temperature) to your stand mixer. Next, mix in the sugar or honey, salt, and active sourdough starter until well combined. Add the soft unsalted butter (melted butter works too). Finally, add the flour and mix everything together.
Knead the Dough
- You can knead the dough by hand, but for ease, use a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough on the lowest speed for about 10 -12 minutes. If your mixer heats up, you can pause halfway through. Now, your dough is ready for the next step!
First Fermentation
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 45 minutes. Afterward, smooth the surface by gently pulling the dough from all sides and then flipping it and dragging the dough through the sides of the bowl (as shown in the video, which is easier to understand by seeing than by explaining). Let the dough sit at room temperature for another 4.5 to 5 hours. By this time, the dough will have risen nicely.Degas the dough and drag the dough through sides to form a taut and smooth surface. Cover the bowl. Keep the dough in the fridge overnight (a method called “cold retard”). This helps develop a deeper flavor and makes the dough easier to handle.
Shape the Bread
- The next day, take the dough out of the fridge. Dust your work surface with flour and place the dough on it, smooth side down. Degas the dough by gently pressing the air out. Shape the dough into a rectangle and fold the bottom third over itself, then fold the top over to overlap the layers. Flatten this into a long rectangle, ensuring no air pockets are left inside.Roll it up tightly like a jelly roll and pinch the edges to seal.Place the shaped dough into a greased loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap.
Final Rise
- Let the shaped dough rise in a warm environment for 4-5 hours. The time it takes can vary depending on how warm your room is. Make sure the dough has risen well before moving on to baking.
Bake the Bread
- Preheat your oven to 375°F or 190 C. Once it’s hot, place the loaf pan inside the oven. Bake for around 35 minutes or until the top turns golden brown. To make sure the bread is cooked through, check that the internal temperature reaches 200°F.Take the bread out from the oven and demould it from the pan. Smear the surface of the bread with some butter while the loaf is still warm.Let the bread, cool down completely before slicing.