Sourdough French Bread
This homemade sourdough French bread is soft on the inside, golden and crisp on the outside, and made with simple pantry staples. The dough is naturally leavened with sourdough starter, slow-fermented overnight for flavor and texture, then shaped into classic loaves and baked to perfection.
Ingredients
- 200 grams sourdough starter (active and bubbly, about ¾ cup)
- 465 grams flour (about 4 cups)
- 250 grams water (about 1 cup)
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 egg beaten, for brushing the loaves before baking
Instructions
- Mix the starter – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the water and sourdough starter until fully combined.`
- Add remaining ingredients & knead the dough – Add the flour, sugar, olive oil, and salt. If using a stand mixer: knead the dough with a dough hook on medium-low speed for 6–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (see note 1). If kneading by hand: turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until soft, stretchy, and slightly tacky.
- Bulk Ferment: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for 8–12 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Shape the loaves: Gently punch down the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Flatten each into a rectangle, then roll tightly from the long edge to form a loaf.
- Second rise: Place the loaves seam-side down on parchment paper or in parchment-lined loaf molds. Cover and let rise for another 2–4 hours, or until puffy.
- Prepare to bake: Near the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Brush the tops of the loaves with egg wash.
- Bake the bread: Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool before slicing.
Notes
- If your dough feels too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together. If it feels too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.