Sourdough Mini Loaf- Recipe - Crafty Gemini (2024)

Sourdough Mini Loaf- Recipe - Crafty Gemini (1)

When it comes to bread-baking, nothing compares to a freshly-baked, crusty sourdough mini loaf. Sourdough breads are incredibly simple to make with the help of just a few key ingredients. Let’s get started and discuss the basics of making a sourdough mini loaf that will become a favorite in your home.

1. This recipe is perfect for experimenting with new flours on a smaller scale.

A sourdough mini loaf is the perfect recipe for experimenting with new flours. If you’re like me and like to play around with fresh milled flour blends then I think you’ll love this recipe. You can tweak your flour amounts without using a large amount of flour each time you bake an “experimental” loaf. This recipe is designed to create a small-scale loaf, which is ideal for not just testing out different flours but also flavor add-ins and other ingredients to help spice up your bread loaves. With this sourdough mini loaf recipe, you can play around with with different flour ratios until you find your perfect combo. I think you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

2. This recipe is easy to prepare and needs minimal ingredients.

This sourdough mini loaf recipe is easy to prepare and requires minimal ingredients, making it an ideal option for those of us with busy lifestyles. The simple combo of ingredients creates a flavorful and fluffy loaf that the whole family will enjoy. If you live alone or just need bread for a few people at dinner time this is just the recipe for you! I’ll give you the basics and you can take it from there. Tip: I keep a sourdough journal and whenever an idea pops in my head I jot it down. For example, I want to try rosemary and dried fruit loaf soon. I think that will be delicious and different!

I do suggest you get a kitchen scale if you don’t already have one. It is important to weigh out your bread baking ingredients by weight as listed in the recipe below.

3. Sourdough mini loaves are perfect for gift giving or to enjoy with family and friends.

Sourdough mini loaves are the perfect addition to any mealtime gathering. These cute little mini loaves are made with simple, natural ingredients, and that unmistakable tangy flavor that cannot be matched. If you need the perfect gift for friends/family, or want to add a special touch to a dinner party, make this mini loaf. It’s sure to be a hit!

Are you ready to start baking sourdough bread with a recipe that makes the process quicker and is easier on the wallet? If so, this sourdough mini loaf recipe is an easy and delicious place to start.

Sourdough Mini Loaf- Recipe - Crafty Gemini (2)

Sourdough Mini Loaf Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 50g of active bubbly sourdough starter
  • 6g salt
  • 200g water (non-chlorinated)
  • 275g of flour*

*Flour– This is where I like to experiment and make my own blends. The mini loaf pictured on this page was made with a flour blend that totaled the 275g listed in the recipe but I used 250g of 00 Pizza flour and 25g of fresh milled hard white wheat flour. Keep in mind that the more fresh milled flour you include the denser the bread will be.

Yields: This recipe yields a sourdough mini loaf of bread that weighs just under one pound or about ~450g. Serves 1-2 people.

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl mix starter, water and salt and whisk together then stir in flour(s) until everything is combined. Cover and let sit 15 mins.
  2. Start folding the dough from the outer edges into the center pulling up as you go. Do this 6-7 times working your way around the dough. Cover and set aside for 30 mins.
  3. Repeat the folds again and cover and set aside. You can repeat this process every 30 mins over 3-4 hours if you’d like. I’ve had great results doing only two series of folds, too.
  4. Take dough out of bowl and loosely shape it into a ball. Place it into abanneton bread basketor a bowl with a tea towel in it. Cover and let it bulk ferment overnight in the fridge or at room temperature. This will depend on the weather and ambient room temp. At 70ºF or lower I leave mine on the kitchen counter. If it is warmer than that I would put it in the fridge. I like to leave it for about 12 hours at this step.
  5. Next morning turn out the dough and shape it again by tucking under the dough several times. Return the dough to a well floured bowl orbanneton basket.
  6. Preheat your oven with the dutch oven inside to 450º F (230º C) for 30-45 mins.
  7. Score your loaf with a sharp knife or lame tool.
  8. Remove dutch oven from the hot oven and place dough with parchment paper inside. Optional: Spritz the top of the loaf with some water (6-8 sprays). Place the lid back on and bake with the lid on for 30 mins. After 30 mins, remove the lid and bake for another 10 mins with the lid off. The bread is ready when it is golden brown and the internal temperature registers about 210°F (98°C).
  9. Let the bread cool completely before cutting otherwise it can affect the texture of the inside. If your dough is gummy you know you didn’t wait long enough to cut it!
Sourdough Mini Loaf- Recipe - Crafty Gemini (3)
Sourdough Mini Loaf- Recipe - Crafty Gemini (4)

Sourdough Mini Loaf- Recipe - Crafty Gemini (2024)

FAQs

What is the best flour for sourdough bread? ›

What Is Bread Flour? Bread flour (or baker's flour) is a high protein, white flour that is milled specifically for baking bread and sourdough. You'll get the best results for your sourdough bread from using bread flour. The most popular bread flour in the US is King Arthur Bread Flour.

How much of my starter should I use for a sourdough loaf? ›

As a general guideline, a common rule of thumb is to use around 20-30% of the total flour weight in the recipe as the amount of starter. For example, if your recipe calls for 500 grams of flour, you would use 100-150 grams of active starter. How much sour dough starter do you need for one loaf of sour dough bread?

What is Overproofed sourdough? ›

Overproofed is when the dough has rested too long and the yeast has continued making carbon dioxide while the strength of the dough (gluten bonds) have begun to wear out. The dough will look very puffy, but when you touch it or move it you may notice it deflate or sag.

How long to wait before cutting into sourdough loaf? ›

First and foremost, it's always best to let fresh bread rest until it's cool and fully set before slicing. I know, fresh-from-the-oven is hard to resist, but your bread will not only taste better it will keep longer if you wait to cut it for at least an hour—I prefer two or more.

What is the healthiest flour to make sourdough bread? ›

Compared to whole wheat flour, rye flour is said to be the most nutrient- and amylase-dense option for a sourdough starter. Overall, it has a lower gluten protein content than wheat flour, which means it produces slack, sticky, and dense doughs.

What flour makes the most sour sourdough starter? ›

Adding whole grain flour: Whole grain flour, particularly whole rye flour (pumpernickel), tends to promote more sour flavor in bread for two reasons. First, the type of sugars available in whole rye (or whole wheat) flour encourage a shift toward acetic acid production.

Do you have to discard sourdough starter every time you feed it? ›

It would be best if you discarded some portion of your starter each time you feed it unless you want to continue to let it grow. Eventually, you need to discard the used “food” (flour and water) that's been used to sustain your starter during the last fermentation period.

Can you add too much starter to sourdough bread? ›

If you have too much starter compared to the additional flour and water you're adding, your hungry starter consumes all the nutrients and then it's not as bubbly.

Can you overfeed a sourdough starter? ›

Premature discarding and overfeeding will weaken your starter and elongate the process. Don't discard and re-feed a weak starter before it shows increasing bubble activity or height from the previous feeding. If you don't see more bubbles or a faster rise each day, skip a feeding, and give it more time.

Can you let sourdough rise overnight on counter? ›

You can cold ferment or cold proof your sourdough overnight because the cold temperature of the fridge stops the dough from over fermenting. If you were to leave your shaped dough on the counter overnight, you'd wake up to a soupy mess (unless it was freezing in your home).

Can I let dough rise overnight on counter? ›

- Uncovered container with dough you need to limit to max 4 hours in room temperature. It is possible to leave bread dough to rise overnight. This needs to be done in the refrigerator to prevent over-fermentation and doughs with an overnight rise will often have a stronger more yeasty flavour which some people prefer.

What happens if you let sourdough bread rise too long? ›

If you over-ferment the dough you run the risk of the gluten structure degrading and the loaf turning into a puddle of goo before your eyes, never to be retrieved and destined for the bin.

What happens if you don't cut sourdough before baking? ›

Without scoring, the steam will find its own weak point and burst through the crust as it hardens, this creates unwanted bulges and blowouts in your bread.

Why do you want an ear on sourdough? ›

A sourdough ear is the prominent flap of crust that rises in the oven where the dough was scored. And while having one is not critical to taste, an ear is a sign that you baked a great loaf of bread. Sourdough ears have become especially popular and sought after on social media.

Why is my sourdough bread so gummy? ›

tips for avoiding a gummy sourdough loaf - 1) try making a loaf with lower hydration 2) make sure to develop the gluten sufficiently, whether through autolysing, laminating, kneading, or folding 3) make sure to proof long enough 4) make sure to bake long enough and let the loaf cool before cutring #sourdoughtok # ...

Can you use any type of flour for sourdough bread? ›

You can feed your sourdough starter with any flour you like, as long as it provides the starches the wild yeast in your sourdough starter need to convert to Co2 to rise your dough. The flour you choose should always be unbleached flour.

Do you need special flour for sourdough bread? ›

Substituting all purpose flour in a sourdough recipe that specifically calls for bread flour is not always an even swap. You'll need to REDUCE the total amount of water first. All purpose flour absorbs less water than bread flour, which can make the dough too sticky to work with otherwise.

Should I use bread flour or all-purpose flour for sourdough? ›

Bread flour is a high protein flour, usually made from hard wheat varieties. It contains about 12- 13% protein, depending on the brand. Because it's a “strong” flour, it's excellent for chewy bagels, artisan-style sourdough bread and anything else that needs structure and height.

Does type of flour matter for sourdough starter? ›

You can create a sourdough starter with any flour in your pantry, though I find it easiest to use a portion of whole-grain rye flour to help speed up the process.

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