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Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Close-up of soft, evenly sliced sourdough sandwich bread on a white plate.
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A beginner-friendly recipe for a soft, sliceable sourdough loaf perfect for sandwiches, featuring a tender crumb.

Ingredients

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  • 100g active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
  • 350g warm water
  • 500g bread flour
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 20g honey
  • 20g avocado oil

Instructions

  1. Mix the active starter, warm water, honey, and avocado oil in a large bowl until combined.
  2. Add the bread flour and salt to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes (autolyse).
  4. Perform four sets of stretch and folds, spaced 30 minutes apart. Gently stretch the dough up and fold it over itself, repeating four times per set.
  5. After the final set of folds, let the dough rest, covered, at room temperature (around 70-74°F) for 3 to 5 hours, or until it has increased in volume by about 50% and shows signs of aeration.
  6. Gently shape the dough into a tight log or batard shape suitable for a standard loaf pan (9×5 inch). Place it seam-side down into a lightly greased loaf pan.
  7. Cold proof the dough in the refrigerator for 12 to 16 hours.
  8. Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) with a rack positioned in the lower third.
  9. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. Let it sit on the counter while the oven heats.
  10. Bake for 20 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
  11. Remove the loaf from the pan immediately and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

  • Using honey and oil helps keep the crumb soft, mimicking commercial sandwich bread texture.
  • For a slightly more open crumb, use a longer bulk fermentation time at a slightly cooler temperature.
  • Wait until the bread is completely cool before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://eatableempress.com/sourdough-sandwich-bread-soft-easy-recipe/