Sourdough Bread (using homemade starter)

Print Recipe

Yield

2 loaves

Difficulty

Advanced

Prep Time

45 minutes

Bake Time

35 to 40 minutes

Rise Time

1 hour, 45 minutes

Select Your Yeast

Active Dry Yeast

RapidRise^® Instant Yeast

Ingredients

1½ cups sourdough starter
4–5¼ cups bread OR all-purpose flour* (may also substitute up to 2 cups with whole wheat flour)
1 (2¼ tsp.) envelope Fleischmann's^® Active Dry Yeast
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup water
Cornmeal

1½ cups sourdough starter
4–5¼ cups bread OR all-purpose flour* (may also substitute up to 2 cups with whole wheat flour)
1 (2¼ tsp.) envelope Fleischmann’s^® RapidRise^® Instant Yeast
1½ teaspoons salt
1 cup water
Cornmeal

Directions

Stir sourdough starter before measuring. Measure out 1½ cups sourdough starter and bring to room temperature.
Combine 2 cups flour and salt in a large mixer bowl.
Combine yeast and 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°F) in a small bowl for 10 minutes.
Add yeast and starter to flour mixture, beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. With spoon, stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Place in greased bowl, turning once to coat top. Cover; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in size, 30 to 60 minutes. Punch dough down. Proceed with shaping and baking directions below.

SHAPING AND BAKING:

Remove dough to lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each half to 12 X 9-inch rectangle. Beginning at long end, roll up tightly. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth. Place, seam sides down, on a large greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
With sharp knife, make 4 or 5 diagonal slashes (½ inch deep) across top of each loaf. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. For crispy crust, spray loaves with water just before baking and every 5 minutes during the first 10 minutes of baking time. Remove from baking sheet; let cool on wire rack.

TO MAKE ROUND LOAVES:

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 5-inch ball. Place on large greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes. With sharp knife, make 4 slashes (½ inch deep) in crisscross fashion on top of each loaf. Spray with water and bake as directed.

VARIATION:

Replace ¾ cup water with ¾ cup plain yogurt, buttermilk, or flat beer.

Stir sourdough starter before measuring. Measure out 1-½ cups sourdough starter and bring to room temperature.
Combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast and salt in a large mixer bowl.
Add water (120° to 130°F) and starter to flour mixture; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover dough and let rest 10 minutes.

SHAPING AND BAKING:

Remove dough to lightly floured surface, divide in half. Roll each half to 12 X 9-inch rectangle. Beginning at long end, roll up tightly. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Taper ends by gently rolling back and forth. Place, seam sides down, on a large greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover; let rise in warm draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 45 minutes.
With sharp knife, make 4 or 5 diagonal slashes (½ -inch deep) across top of each loaf. Bake at 400°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. For crispy crust, spray loaves with water just before baking and every 5 minutes during the first 10 minutes of baking time. Remove from baking sheet; let cool on wire rack.

TO MAKE ROUND LOAVES:

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into 5-inch ball. Place on large greased baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes. With sharp knife, make 4 slashes (½ inch deep) in crisscross fashion on top of each loaf. Spray with water and bake as directed.

VARIATION:

Replace ¾ cup water with ¾ cup plain yogurt, buttermilk, or flat beer.

Tips

To achieve a stronger sourdough flavor, allow sourdough starter to ferment 4 to 6 weeks. The amount of flour needed varies according to the consistency of the starter.

While RapidRise^® Instant Yeast can be successfully used, for best sourdough flavor, we recommend using Active Dry Yeast for this recipe.

To achieve a stronger sourdough flavor, allow sourdough starter to ferment 4 to 6 weeks. The amount of flour needed varies according to the consistency of the starter.

Sourdough Bread (using homemade starter)