I started my sourdough journey in the third trimester of my pregnancy specifically to distract myself from being pregnant. I had been avoiding it for years because it sounded intimidating and honestly a little precious, but once I finally dove in I completely understood why people become obsessed with it. I made a lot of bad loaves before I made good ones and I would do it all again because the process itself turned out to be something I genuinely love. Adding rosemary to the dough was a decision I made on a whim one afternoon and it elevated everything to a completely different level. This is now the only sourdough I make.
What I love most about sourdough is that it takes more than one day. That might sound like a reason not to make it and I used to think the same thing, but now I see it as exactly the point. It reminds me to slow down, be patient, and trust a process that does not benefit from being rushed. There is something really satisfying about feeding your starter the night before, waking up the next morning to check on it, doing your stretch and folds throughout the day, and then watching a beautiful loaf come out of a screaming hot dutch oven after three days of quiet, patient work. Making things from scratch to feed my family has become one of my favorite ways to spend my time and sourdough is the most intentional version of that.
If you are where I was a few years ago and feeling hesitant to try, I want to encourage you to just start. The most important thing to know about sourdough is that it is genuinely forgiving. A few grams off here or there, a slightly different kitchen temperature, a longer or shorter bulk ferment because your house runs warm or cool. None of these things will ruin your loaf. What you are learning each time you make it is how to read your specific dough in your specific kitchen, and that knowledge comes from doing it, not from being perfect. No two loaves are exactly the same and that is part of what makes it so interesting.
The rosemary gets added gradually during the stretch and fold process so it gets worked into the dough naturally and distributes evenly throughout every slice. The aroma when this loaf is baking is one of the best smells in the entire world and the flavor is herbaceous and complex in a way that makes plain sourdough feel unfinished in comparison. You can absolutely omit it for a classic loaf but once you add it I have a feeling you will not want to go back. Let me know how your first loaf goes.
Foolproof Rosemary Sourdough Bread
Ingredients
For the Levain:
- 14 g active starter
- 68 g warm water
- 68 g bread flour
For the Dough:
- all of the levain
- 290 g warm water
- 13 g coarse sea salt
- 450 g bread flour
- 3 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
Day 1
- Activate your starter: Feed your starter in the afternoon (if you’ve been storing it in the fridge) and before you go to bed, make your levain.
- Make your levain: In a separate jar, combine 14g active starter with 68g warm water and 68g bread flour. Keep on counter covered with a towel overnight to rise.
Day 2
- Make your dough: in a large mixing bowl, mix 290g warm water, 13g sea salt and all of your levain until salt and starter are dissolved and there are no clumps.
- Add 450g bread flour and stir until dough is shaggy and there are no exposed flour bits. Let rest on counter, covered for 35 min.
- Perform your first set of stretch and folds, sprinkling in chopped rosemary on each fold. Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds allowing the dough to rest 35 min between each round. Here is a video explaining what this looks like: CLICK HERE
- Allow your dough to rest and bulk ferment for 5-8 hours until your dough has increased by 50%. You know it’s ready when you shake your bowl and the dough jiggles and shows bubbles on the top and when pressed, makes an indent and slowly disappears. This will depend on the temperature of your kitchen and humidity where you live. Sometimes I put mine covered in the oven with the light on!
- Once the bulk fermentation is done it’s time to shape. Dump your dough out onto the counter and gently pop any bubbles you see. Stretch the top of the dough up and fold it in to the center of the dough. Do the same with the bottom and then the sides. Flip your dough over and cup your hands around the dough, gently twisting and pulling it down toward you. Let it rest on the counter for 20 min.
- Final Shape: Flip your dough over so the seam is up. Stretch your dough into a chubby rectangle. Stretch the top of the dough up and out and then bring it to the center of the dough. Repeat with all 4 sides. Flip dough over and cup your hands around it, pulling it down and towards you while turning counter clockwise like before. Flip the dough upside down into a wicker basket or banneton (seam side up) and gently pinch the seam closed. Cover with a towel or plastic (I like using a shower cap) and refrigerate overnight for 12-36 hours for the final fermentation.
Day 3
- Preheat your oven to 500F with your dutch oven inside for 30 min minimum. (45-1 hour is ideal)
- Flip your dough out onto a floured surface or silicone bread sling (seam side down) and score with a bread lame or sharp knife.
- Transfer your loaf to your dutch oven and bake with the lid on for 15 min.
- Take the lid off and lower the temperature to 450F and bake for another 20 min or until golden brown.
- Remove loaf from the dutch oven and let rest until completely cooled on a rack. (this step is super important! wait until the bread has fully cooled, 2-3 hours before slicing.)
- Enjoy! (Store in a bread bag or box for up to 1 week.)
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