Sourdough bread (without yeast)

Have you always wanted to bake your own sourdough bread but always been a bit concerned if it really works and if it will get a bread out of this bubbly sourdough starter? I know the feeling, but just try it out. Here I have a recipe where you will add grated apple, which stimulates the right kind of yeast culture, making it easier to succeess. Sourdough sounds more complicated than it is. Just plan to do your starter a couple of days before you want your fresh baked bread. Give the starter some love every morning and evening (by stirring). After 72h you should have a ready bubbly starter to use.

I have always been a big fan of sourdough bread. I think it taste much better and the texture is more chewy and less airy/fluffy than a yeast baked bread. I know, some sourdough breads also have a small amount yeast, but I have a recipe here where you don’t need any yeast.

Ingredients (2 loaves):

Sourdough starter (with rye flour)

• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup fine rye flour
• 4 tbsp grated apple

Sourdough bread with wheat flour

Step 1

• 2 1/3 cups water
• 3/4 cup sourdough starter (see above)
• 2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour

Step 2

• 1 tsp salt
• 4 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
• 2 cups wheat flour

Sourdough starter 

Measure the water into a glass jar with lid and big enough for 16 oz. Peel the apple and coarsely grate it. Add the four tablespoons with grated apples into the jar. Then add the flour and mix together. Now, put the lid on and leave the jar in room temperature. Give a stir every evening and morning – when it starts to produce bubbles it is ready to use. That will approximately take 48-72 hours.

You can now use the sourdough starter directly. If not, remove 3/4 of the amount and then place the jar in the refrigerator until you will use it. Before you use it then, take it out from the refrigerator approximately 6 hours before usage. Feed the starter with 1 cup rye flour and 1/3 cup water and stir. Leave the jar in room temperature. Use the starter as soon as it starts to bubble again. The sourdough starter will become more potent once it has been used and fed a few times. The starter can be place in the refrigerator for several months.

Sourdough bread

Add step 1 ingredients; water, sourdough starter and flour into a bowl and whisk all together. Now let it ferment covered with cling film for approximately 5-6 hours (or over the night).

Now add step 2 ingredients; salt and more flour mixing it all together with a stand mixer. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave the dough to ferment for 2 more hours.

Pre heat the oven to 490ºF.

Scoop the dough out onto a well-floured board. Divide the dough in two pieces and shape each dough into a chubby loaf. Place them on an oven tray covered with parchment paper. Carefully cut on the surface on each loaf with a sharp knife. Bake the bread in the oven for approximately 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400ºF and bake for another approximately 30 minutes.

Leave the bread loaves to cold down on a rack without covering. Slice the bread first when it has cool down. Freeze the bread you don’t eat the same day to keep it fresh.