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Sourdough French Bread

Simply LuxuriousSimply Luxurious
Freshly made sourdough bread is perfect for sandwiches, that picnic you've been wanting to plan, toast in the morning or simply just nibbling on.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 1 loaf

Ingredients
  

  • 1 heaping tablespoon dry, active yeast (or 1 1/3 packet)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons oil vegetable or canola
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup sourdough starter (read about how to find or create this below)
  • 2 cups unbleached bread flour (2 more cups later) If you would like to make whole wheat bread, substitute 1/2 Whole Wheat flour for White flour.

Instructions
 

Bread

  • Combine the yeast and 1/4 cup warm water until yeast is dissolved.
  • Add to the yeast combination sugar, oil, salt, 1 cup warm water, milk, sourdough starter. Then add the flour (2 cups) and use a hand mixer to combine until dough is smooth and stretchy.
  • Add remaining 2 cups of flour and mix with a wooden spoon.
  • Take dough out of the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead until smooth as “a baby’s bottom”.
  • Place dough in an oiled bowl in a warm place (85-100 degrees) until double (about an hour).
  • Punch down dough. Make into long loaf and place on a cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with corn meal.
  • Let rise 20 minutes in a warm place.
  • Slash top with a knife, brush with 1 beaten egg and sprinkle with your choice of seeds or herbs (I chose rosemary in the above image).
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when you tap (knock) on it. The bread will grow and balloon quite quickly – which is just fascinating and impressive.
  • Cool on a rack and do not place a towel over the top.

Sourdough Starter

  • Anne was kind enough to give my mother and myself both a half of a cup of her own 30 year old starter which is something you keep in your refrigerator until you are going to make bread (which you should do about every other week to keep the starter fresh, or refresh it by scraping off the top and adding equal parts water and flour to feed the yeast)

Rules of sourdough starter:

  • Store in a glass or crockery jar – no metal. Store in a refrigerator.
  • Add only flour and water – equal amounts. Then leave out on the counter until bubbly – about 4-8 hours (but watch it closely as you don’t want it to overgrow the jar it is in.)
  • Use any quantity, but always leave at least 1/4 cup in the jar for the next batch.
  • If it gets dark and smelly, throw out all but 1/4 cup and add more flour and water – leave out until bubbly.
  • If it is not bubbly, throw out all but 1/4 cup and add more water and flour – leave out until bubbly.
  • If you don’t use it for 3-4 weeks, throw out all but 1/4 cup and add more flour and water – leave out until bubbly.