Rosemary Sourdough Bread Recipe
This Rosemary Sourdough Bread recipe offers a deliciously aromatic and rustic loaf, combining the tangy flavor of sourdough with the fragrant earthiness of fresh rosemary. Made with a blend of whole wheat and bread flour, natural honey, and an active sourdough starter, this bread features a beautifully chewy texture and a crispy crust, perfect for sandwiches or enjoying with butter.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 19 hours (includes autolyse, bulk fermentation, proving, and cold retard time)
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 340 g warm water
- 275 g bread flour
- 225 g whole wheat flour
- 100 g active sourdough starter
- 40 g raw honey
- 14 g fine sea salt
- ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- Autolyse: In a large mixing bowl, combine 340g warm water with 275g bread flour and 225g whole wheat flour. Mix until a shaggy dough forms and knead with your hands until all dry bits are incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 to 60 minutes to hydrate the flour.
- Add sourdough starter: Uncover the dough and spread 100g active sourdough starter, 40g honey, ½ tablespoon chopped rosemary, and 14g fine sea salt evenly over the surface. Using damp hands, perform a set of stretch and folds by gently pulling and folding the dough over itself, then rotate 90 degrees and repeat four times. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
- Stretch and fold: Uncover and perform another set of stretch and folds. Cover and rest for 1 hour, then repeat once more for a total of three stretch and fold sets. If dough is still wet, knead on a floured surface to bring together before resting another hour. After the final stretch and fold, cover and bulk ferment for 2 more hours.
- Shape the dough: Transfer dough to a work surface and gently spread into a rectangle. Fold bottom third upward, then top third downward as if folding a letter. Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll into a log shape. Cover with a towel and rest for 30 minutes. Then flip dough, press flat, and roll again, pinching or tucking ends depending on desired loaf shape. Dust with rice flour and place seam side up into a banneton.
- Prove and cold retard: Let dough prove in banneton for 2 hours at room temperature. Then cover and place in fridge to cold retard for up to 3 days to develop flavor. Alternatively, bake right after proving for a milder taste.
- Bake the bread: Preheat oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven or baking vessel inside. Invert the banneton onto parchment paper and score the dough with a lame or sharp knife to allow expansion. Carefully transfer loaf into the preheated Dutch oven using the parchment paper as a sling. Bake covered at 450°F for 30 minutes, then uncovered for 10-15 minutes until crust is browned and internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
- Cool: Remove bread from Dutch oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing to preserve crumb texture and prevent gummy interior.
Notes
- Using a banneton helps maintain the dough’s shape during proving and adds a nice pattern to the crust.
- Cold retarding in the fridge enhances the flavor complexity and improves crust formation when baked.
- Scoring the dough is essential to control where the loaf expands during baking.
- Letting the bread cool completely prevents a gummy texture inside when sliced.
- Measure ingredients by weight for best results with sourdough baking.
Keywords: sourdough bread, rosemary bread, homemade bread, fermented bread, artisan bread, whole wheat bread, natural yeast, baking bread
Find it online: https://lucabites.com/rosemary-sourdough-bread-recipe/
