Garlic and Herb Sourdough

Ingredients

• Sourdough Starter: Sourdough starter can either be made at home or purchased in various forms (typically dried). I used this guide for making a sourdough starter and it hasn't failed me yet. You can also ask a baking friend to share some! It's important to note that sourdough starters are all different in yeast cultures, consistency, yeast activity, etc. and it may take time to figure out how your starter works with specific recipes.
• All-Purpose Flour: When choosing a flour to feed your sourdough starter, select an unbleached flour. Bleached flour likely won't ruin your starter, but I get good results with unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Bread Flour: Not all bread flours are created equal. The protein content and type of wheat used can drastically affect the outcome of your bread. I get the best results with King Arthur bread flour which has a higher protein content than most bread flours. That's not to say you can't use any type of bread flour, but you may have to test the recipe a few times and adjust it to your liking.
• Salt: I use Redmond Real Salt for bread, which is unrefined and has a lower sodium content per gram than regular table salt. If you are using refined table salt, cut the salt down to 8-9 g to make up for the higher sodium content.
• Inclusions: Fresh garlic adds a bold, savory flavor, while thyme and rosemary bring earthy, aromatic notes to the loaf. You can substitute dried herbs for fresh (use about one-third the amount) or swap in your favorite herbs, such as oregano or sage. Grated Parmesan adds a salty, cheesy flavor that pairs beautifully with the herbs, but it's optional if you prefer to leave it out.

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment Notes:

Disclaimer: I know this looks like a lot of equipment! There are a couple of essential pieces of equipment for this recipe and several optional pieces of equipment. You certainly don't need all of them. Read below for which pieces are essential, alternatives, and my favorites!

• Dutch Oven (essential): A cast iron Dutch oven is the perfect vessel for creating a crisp crust while also allowing the bread to rise during the baking process. You can also use a stoneware bread baker.
• Kitchen Scale (essential): A digital kitchen scale is a baker's best friend. Sure, you can measure out the ingredients with measuring cups. But, to get more precise, consistent results, a digital kitchen scale should be used.
• Parchment Paper (essential): Parchment paper is super handy for baking sourdough. It makes a great surface to transfer the dough from counter to Dutch oven to cooling rack and also keeps the dough from sticking to the Dutch oven.
• Banneton (optional): A banneton is a basket specifically made for proofing bread dough. You can also use a cloth-lined bowl in place of a banneton. Bannetons come in two shapes boule (round) and batard (oval). There are many sourdough kits that contain bannetons and other tools listed above.
• Dough Whisk (optional): A dough whisk is great for mixing dough but it isn't necessary. You can mix this dough with your hands or another clean kitchen utensil as well.
• Long Silicone Spatula (optional): You can stir your sourdough starter with any clean kitchen utensil that works for you. But this long silicone spatula is just the right size and shape to effectively stir the starter and scrape down the sides of the jar.
• Silicone Bowl Scraper (optional): A silicone bowl scraper is a handy tool for removing sticky dough from a bowl. I highly recommend getting one!
• Bench Scraper (optional): A bench scraper is a handy tool when it comes to shaping sourdough. But, you can also shape sourdough with your hands.
• Bread Lame or Razor (optional): A bread lame is essentially a fancy razor blade holder and isn't necessary for scoring bread. However, a razor blade or sharp knife is essential for scoring the dough.
• Bread Knife (optional): A good sourdough loaf can be hard to slice with a typical bread knife due to its crusty exterior and soft interior. I recommend a sharp knife with scalloped teeth like this scalloped offset bread knife. As an added bonus, the offset shape keeps you from rubbing your knuckles on the cutting board!

How to Make Sourdough Bread Dough

Making the dough is probably the easiest step in sourdough bread baking. Follow the simple steps below!

How to Bake Garlic and Herb Sourdough

This sourdough bread is baked in a Dutch oven. See below for specific instructions!

Step 1: Place the Dutch oven in a cold oven and preheat it to 500°F. Preheat for at least 1 hour.

Step 2: Place the shaped dough, seam side down, on a piece of parchment paper. Score it with a razor blade, bread lame, or sharp knife. It needs at least one big slash on the side of the dough to let out steam as it rises.

Step 3: You can add decorative scoring as well, but it isn't necessary.

Step 4: Place the dough on parchment paper in the preheated Dutch oven and cover it with the Dutch oven lid. Reduce the oven heat to 450°F. Bake for 23 minutes.

Step 5: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 12-14 minutes.

Step 6: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Pro Tips

• Use an active starter. Your starter should be bubbly and active before you begin. A sluggish starter can result in a dense loaf.
• Don't rush the dough. Sourdough timing can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the activity of your starter. Look at the dough, not just the clock. It should become noticeably smoother, puffier, and more elastic as it ferments.
• Don't worry about perfect timing. The stretch-and-fold intervals are flexible. If life gets in the way and you go 45 minutes instead of 30, your bread will survive.
• Build good surface tension. Take your time when shaping the loaf. A tight outer surface helps the dough hold its shape and encourages a better rise in the oven.
• Don't skimp on the preheat. Give the Dutch oven plenty of time to heat up. Starting with a thoroughly preheated pot helps create that signature sourdough crust.
• Let it cool! I know. It's hard. But cutting into hot sourdough can give you a gummy interior. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing.
• Soften the crust if you prefer. Once the bread has cooled completely, placing it in a zippered bag or airtight container for a few hours allows the moisture from the center to soften the crust and makes it easier to slice.

Baker's Schedule:

With longer recipes like this, it can be hard to picture how long it will really take. See below for my typical sourdough baking schedule. Of course, you can adjust the times to fit your schedule.