A stunning centerpiece loaf that will fill the kitchen with a delightfully aromatic smell.–Vanessa Kimbell
WHAT IS A SOURDOUGH STARTER?
A sourdough starter is made from wild yeast (found in the air and flour in your kitchen. It’s true!), rather than from a jar. The beauty of this recipe is that you can whip up a loaf quickly, if you’ve done the important work ahead of time. That means making a starter–that yeasty, bubbly, takes-on-a-life-of-its-own, culinary milestone we all love to brag about. But don’t worry, it’s possible for even the newest of newbs. We have lots of links for starting a starter (#sorrynotsorry) as well as how to dry your starter for storage. so you’re covered, darling.
☞ LEARN MORE, READ: HOW TO DRY SOURDOUGH STARTER
Rosemary-Garlic Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
- 12.7 to 13 ounces water at 81°F (27.2°C)
- 3.5 ounces bubbly, lively sourdough starter,
- 8.8 ounces organic stone-ground whole-wheat flour (11.5% protein)
- 8.8 ounces organic white flour (13% protein)
- 0.4 ounces fine sea salt (2 teaspoons)
- Butter, ghee or coconut oil, for the pan
- 8 garlic cloves, skin on
- 3 long sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1.4 ounces olive oil
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- In a large, wide bowl, whisk together 12.3 ounces (350 g) of the water and the sourdough starter. Refresh the remaining starter in your jar.
- Add the flours and 0.35 ounces (1 3/4 teaspoons or 10 g) of the salt to the bowl and use a strong spatula to mix vigorously until it forms a stiff ball, about 2 minutes.
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then mix in the remaining 0.4 to 0.7 ounces (10 to 20 g) water using your hands to fold the dough until the water is incorporated. This should take less than 1 minute. Cover, and leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes more.
- Slick a 10-inch (25 cm) bundt pan thoroughly with butter, ghee, or coconut oil. Arrange the garlic cloves in the pan, curved side down. Curve the rosemary sprigs around the inside of the pan, then drizzle the olive oil over the inside of the pan, covering all of the rosemary. Sprinkle in the remaining salt (1/4 teaspoon or 2 g).
- In the bowl, form the dough into a rough doughnut shape, then place it in the Bundt pan.
☞ TESTER TIP: If you have a silicone bundt pan, it works well here, and allows for easier removal of the finished loaf.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and leave to prove at room temperature overnight. The next morning, your loaf will be at least 50 percent bigger.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) for 30 minutes and place a shallow baking pan in the bottom of the oven.
- Spray the top of the loaf with olive oil. As you place the bread in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and carefully throw a little water or some ice cubes into the hot tray at the bottom. Close the door quickly to trap the steam this creates.
- Bake until the loaf has a gorgeous burnished copper crust, and an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C), 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
☞ TESTER TIP: If your loaf wants to stick to the pan, use a chopstick to carefully pry it away from the edges.
- Once cool, wrap your loaf in a clean, dry dishtowel or parchment bag to store. The bread is best enjoyed within 2 to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
What a showpiece! But that’s not all, this rosemary-garlic sourdough bread paired its visual stunning-ness with an incredibly flavourful crust and an enticing crumb chew.
In the name of testing, and because I wanted an excuse to make a second loaf, I replicated the first one exactly as the recipe and then made a third using only 30 ml of olive oil over the rosemary sprigs.
Sourdough is a finicky thing and has a mind of her own. Sometimes a perfectly poofy starter yields a heavier crumb than others while using the same recipe. That was exactly what I experienced. I still had the same chew but with a few more air pockets in the second version.
Use a great-tasting olive oil because you’re going to be licking your fingers. If you grow your own garlic or have access to purple-skinned garlic cloves, use those. Mine looked like jewels studding the bundt crown.
I stored my cooked bundt bread in a parchment bag instead of a towel and that worked beautifully. I reused the parchment bag to freeze one-half of the loaf and wrapped it all in foil. Thawed in this package in 375°F oven for just over 20 minutes and then in the open package for 5 minutes to crisp up the exterior. Looked and tasted like freshly baked.
This rosemary-garlic sourdough bread recipe delivers exactly what it promises, a Bundt shaped flavorful bread that is redolent with the flavor and aroma of herbs and garlic. If you are also a cook who prefers more crumb than crust then this also would squarely meet your expectations!
