The simplest way to make sourdough

Everything but the Bagel Crackers

SNEAK PEEK RECIPE 🌟 today I am sharing one of the recipes coming in my new book…as requested, the book includes a selection of ‘discard’, or fast, recipes for making tasty goodies simply with your starter. I hope you like them – be warned, they’re very tasty and very easy to eat, and also easy to make ahead and bake when you’re ready.

My new book, The Sourdough Bible, is available now to pre order HERE

‘Everything but the Bagel Crackers

Sourdough crackers are so popular, I couldn’t produce a “bible” without including some. These are made using Everything but the Bagel seasoning, which I have also used in the Everything but the Bagel Sesame-Crusted Baby Loaf in the book, to ensure that you get more uses out of the ingredients that you may have needed to buy for my recipes. These crackers are truly moreish; they also keep well in a tin if you do have leftovers.’

Equipment:
Digital scale,
Medium-sized to large mixing bowl,
Rolling pin,
Pizza cutter,
2 large baking sheets, lined with parchment paper

Makes 40 to 45 crackers, depending on the size you cut them into

200 g (1 cup) starter in any form: fed for the purpose/unfed/discard
150 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour or strong white bread flour, plus more for dusting
25 g (⅛ cup) oil of your choice, I used olive oil
25 g (⅛ cup) Everything but the Bagel seasoning blend (shop bought or you’ll find simple recipes for making it online and in my book, it’s a blend of sesame seeds, salt, dried garlic, dried onion, black sesame seeds and poppy seeds, very aromatic and very tasty!)

Note:
No additional salt is needed, as the seasoning is very salty.

Step 1: In a medium-sized to large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. The mixture will seem dry, but it will come together to make a firm ball of dough.

Step 2: Cover the bowl with a shower cap or cover of your choice and place it in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours.

Step 3: When you’re ready, place the dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick or a little less.
Use the pizza cutter to cut the dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) strips, then cut them into 1½-inch (4-cm)-long pieces. I cut mine at a diagonal, purely for aesthetics.

Step 4: Place the cut pieces on the prepared baking sheets—they can be placed close together but should not overlap.

Step 5: Prick each piece twice with a fork to prevent them from puffing when they bake.

Step 6: When you are ready to bake, decide whether you would like to bake in a preheated oven or from a cold start. If preheating, set the oven to 350°F (180°C) for convection or 375°F (200°C) for conventional.
If you preheated the oven, bake, uncovered, for 7 minutes.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven, turn the crackers all over and bake for a further 7 minutes.
If using a cold start, bake uncovered for 12 minutes on one side. Carefully remove the pan, turn the crackers all over and bake for a further 7 minutes.

Step 7: Once baked, allow the crackers to cool briefly and serve. Or cool completely and place in a tin for later.

My baby master sourdough loaves

My master recipe can be very simply scaled up or down to make whatever sized loaves you would like, and this recipe shows the baby master version of the recipe which makes a perfectly sized smaller loaf, ⅔ of the full size loaf. This recipe is based on using strong white bread flour, you can find many variations of the recipe in my books, and can watch the video for making these smaller loaves on my YouTube channel here.

Yield:

Make 1 small loaf

Ingredients:

30 g (1⁄8 cup) starter

200 g (3⁄4 cup) water

300 g (21⁄2 cups) strong white bread flour

4 g (1⁄2 tsp) salt, or to taste

Timing:

The timing and temperature are here to show my ideal proving scenario. If it is colder than stated, the dough will need longer to fully prove; if it is warmer, the dough will need to be made differently from the start with less starter.

Equipment:

Digital scales

Large mixing bowl, ideally 23cm diameter and 9cm deep duralex glass bowl

Bowl scraper

Clean shower cap

Round cane banneton, 17 cm diameter and 8.5 cm deep OR wood pulp banneton 21.5 cm diameter and 8.5 cm deep

Rice flour, for dusting

Medium/large baking pan with a lid, lined with parchment paper

Wire rack

Method:

Step 1: In your mixing bowl, roughly mix together all the ingredients. Cover and leave the bowl on the counter.

Step 2: After 2 hours, perform a set of pulls and folds on the dough. Cover the bowl and leave it on the counter.

Step 3: After 1 hour, perform two more sets of pulls and folds. Cover the bowl again and leave it on the counter again each time.

Step 4: Leave to prove until the dough has doubled in size. If you are using the duralex bowls that I use, aim for the dough to grow level with the middle set of lines engraved on the bowl.

Step 5: Pull the dough into a tight ball and place it into your prepared banneton. Cover the banneton with your shower cap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Step 6: Transfer the cold dough to your prepared pan, score it. If you’ve chosen to preheat your oven, preheat to 220°C (425°F) fan/convection or 230°C (450°F) conventional.

Step 7: Bake at the above temperatures for 40 to 45 minutes from preheated. Or, if baking from a cold start, bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Step 8: Remove from the oven and pan, and allow to cool fully before slicing.

Refer back to THIS page for the full detailed master recipe process, hints and tips.

For full details of making and baking baby loaves in cube Pullman pans see the full steps and lots of variation recipes in my new book, The Sourdough Bible.

My sourdough sandwich loaf recipe

My sourdough sandwich loaf

This recipe takes my standard master recipe and shows how to convert it to make a sandwich loaf. This recipe is the short version, and goes hand in hand with the full length master recipe here, the video of how to then use it to make a sandwich loaf here and the video on my YouTube channel here.

Find the full length step by step sandwich loaf master recipe in my new book, The Sourdough Bible: https://foodbodsourdough.com/the-sourdough-bible-is-coming/

Yield

Makes 1 standard loaf

Ingredients

50 g starter

350 g water

500 g strong white bread flour

7 g salt, or to taste

Timing

The timing and temperatures are here to show a typical proving scenario, but is NOT prescriptive, merely a starting point. If the overnight temperature is colder than stated, the dough will need longer to fully prove; if it is warmer, the dough will need to be made differently from the start with less starter. For more information and help with this, see my FAQs and top tips.

Equipment

Digital scales

Large mixing bowl, ideally 23cm diameter and 9cm deep (2.25 to 2.5 L)

Bowl scraper

Clean shower cap

Pullman loaf pan, 21.5 x 12.5 x 11.5 cm, minus the lid, lightly sprayed with a neutral oil, or lined with baking parchment paper

Wire rack

Method

For best results, start this process in the evening; if you choose to start the dough in the morning, allow time for the dough to fully prove.

Step 1: In a large bowl, roughly mix together all the ingredients, then cover the bowl with your shower cap and leave the bowl on the kitchen counter.

Step 2: After 2 hours, perform a set of pulls and folds on the dough, lifting and stretching the dough across the bowl. Cover the bowl again and leave it on the counter.

Step 3: After 1 further hour, perform 1 more set of pulls and folds on the dough, bringing it into a nice smooth ball. Cover the bowl again and leave it on the counter.

Step 4: Now leave the dough to prove until it has doubled in size. If it is between 18-20C in your kitchen overnight this will take 8-10 hours, see the notes above.

Step 5: Shape the dough for your pan (see the video for how to), cover it with your same shower cap and prove again on the counter or in the fridge. It will grow slowly. Once the dough has grown level with the edge of the pan, it’s time to bake.

Step 6: If you’ve chosen to preheat your oven, preheat to 180°C (360F) fan assisted/convection or 200°C (400°F) non fan.

Step 7: Bake at the above temperatures for 45 to 50 minutes from preheated. Or, if baking from a cold start, bake for 50 to 55 minutes.

Step 8: Remove from the oven and pan, and allow to cool fully before slicing.

Pizza dough..

This recipe utilises my master recipe as a base, and the dough is made with Cotswold Flour pizza flour, link below. This flour has been created specifically for making pizza bases (but is also great for making sourdough loaves too as I can fully attest) and is made with strong white bread flour plus a flour conditioner, vitamin C powder (aka ascorbic acid), which helps to produce not only a great structure in the dough but mostly to give us a wonderfully relaxed and easy to stretch dough which is ideal for making pizzas.

If you don’t have access to this flour, try using straight strong bread flour, all purpose flour or type 00, the same guidelines will apply, all you may need to do is tweak the amount of water but I’d still suggest using my quantities as your starting point. Or you could try adding a tablespoon of lemon juice to your mix or some vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid) to see how it changes the feel and behaviour of the dough.

What you need to know about my pizza dough recipe…

Water: I have got 2 versions of the same recipe, the only difference being how much water is used in the mix. I never talk about hydration percentages as I find it redundant information, I’m only using them here as an example to explain what I’m sharing. For information only and to compare, my standard master recipe is 70% hydration; all that means is that as a standard, the water content (350g) is 70% of the flour content (500g).

The first version of the recipe therefore uses what equates to 60% hydration and the second version equates to 65%. The one with less water is a perfect starting point for your pizza making as it produces dough that is easy to work with and not too soft and scary. This version is also ideal if you are doing the first mixes in an electric mixer.

If you feel comfortable with that level of water then try to slightly higher one and see how it feels.

Both options produce perfectly light and airy pizza crusts and tasty bases.

Starter: I have used less starter than usual in these recipes as it is summer at the moment, and summer is often a pizza making time. Feel free to increase it to my standard 50g if you feel it’s needed taking into account all of the information about making sourdough and how it is affected by the weather and heat.

Yield: as there are 3 of us in my family, these recipes produce 3 balls of dough, and each ball is perfect for a 12” pizza base.

You can easily scale this up or down based on your requirement.

Flour: As mentioned above, click HERE for the pizza flour I have used in these recipes.

Timing: these doughs REALLY benefit from a long rest in the fridge, 2-3 days works well, I’ve even left them for 5 days before using the dough balls and they’ve been fine. This can really help with planning ahead.

Equipment: a covered pan like the one I use is perfect for proving the dough balls in the fridge, if you can I highly recommend getting one or some, plus these will work well for making focaccia and other things. Mine is a ‘Nordic Ware Naturals Baker’s Quarter Sheet with Lid, Aluminium Baking Tray’.

You can find the ones I use here in the US. Or here in the UK.

Also needed:

Mixing bowl

Digital scales

Bowl scraper

Shower cap

Version one (60%):

20g starter

270g water

450g pizza flour (see intro)

Salt to taste

Version two (65%):

20g starter

290g water

450g pizza flour (see intro)

Salt to taste

Fine semolina flour or rice flour

Method

Step 1: late afternoon/early evening, roughly mix together all the ingredients in your mixing bowl, cover with your shower cap and leave the bowl on the counter.

Step 2: after 2 hours, perform one set of pulls and folds on the dough, lifting and pulling the dough up and over and across the bowl, repeatedly, all the way round and round the bowl, until it becomes smooth. The dough will be stretchy. Cover the bowl again and leave it on the counter.

Step 3: After 1 hour, perform two more sets of pulls and folds, each time the dough should come into an easy bouncy smooth ball. Each time it comes into a ball, cover the bowl again and leave it on the counter. These actions do not need to be a set time apart.

For more details about how I make my dough and what this recipe is based on, visit my full master recipe: https://foodbodsourdough.com/the-process/

Step 4: Leave to prove overnight/until doubled in size.

Step 5: Split the dough equally into 3 pieces. Sprinkle semolina or rice flour in your pan/tub and over the counter. Shape the dough pieces into tight balls, place them smooth side up in your prepared pan, cover it, and place it into the fridge. It will prove again and the dough will develop into the beautiful orbs of dough you can see in my photos.

Step 6: to then use the dough, my pizza advisor, Scott’s (see below) best advice, and what I’ve been doing as a result, is to take the covered pan holding the balls of proved dough from the fridge a few hours before needing to use them, this helps the dough to relax which makes them easier to stretch and handle.

To use: shape your base, top with your favourite toppings and cook/bake it as you always do.

Or for lots of tips and to see and hear more about this, watch our new podcast episode with Scott and see him give me a lesson in shaping pizza bases – and in that episode I am using sourdough pizza doughs made exactly as above so you’ll be able to see it in action. Have your dough made and ready!

Listen:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-foodbod-pod/id1670904926?i=1000665566081

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1a7lsV2w51qYRq8zSw5ucx?si=IK29cjJ0T8a5wu1CjRSuVA

Or search for the Foodbod Pod on all podcast platforms.

Watch:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/xWwv1-6IK0o?si=40MUvD_Gx26Lk7YJ

Me with my first ever Ooni cooked sourdough pizza –
all coming up on the next episode!

The tips and guidance I share the most…

These are some reminders and tips from the conversations I’ve had, and things I’ve been asked recently, but these are also the things I am asked about the most often, they are all things I’ve said many times before, but they may be a useful reminder for you, or they may be new to you if you’re new to me ☺️

🌟 These tips are all based on using my standard master recipe and are based on my own practices and methods.

In your dough:

🌟 if it’s hot where you are, or in your kitchen, use less starter in your dough to prevent over proving
🌟 if it’s humid where you are, or in your kitchen, use less water in your dough to prevent it from being bubbly and sticky and impossible to handle and shape
🌟 if it’s hot AND humid use less starter AND less water
🌟 in all 3 of the above, nothing else in the recipe needs to change only those aspects

🌟 if your water is soft, use 25g less water in the recipe
🌟 if your water is hard, nothing needs to change
🌟 if you’re using organic or supermarket bread flour use 25g less water to prevent soft unmanageable dough

🌟🌟 the loaf in this photo above was made with 10g of starter
🌟🌟 less starter does NOT equate to less flavour or texture (as this photo shows), less starter always mean MORE flavour as the dough works harder which creates more flavour
🌟🌟 more starter does NOT mean more flavour, all it means is more risk of over proving at any time of the year

In your starter:

🌟 if it’s hot where you are, or in your kitchen, don’t leave your starter on the counter for too long, watch it carefully and once it’s started to grow and is responding put it into the fridge, it will keep growing just more slowly
🌟 if it’s hot where you are, or in your kitchen, use less water in your starter than flour to prevent it from becoming thin in the heat, as above
🌟 if it’s humid where you are, or in your kitchen, using less water in your starter if it’s getting too thin from the added moisture in the air
🌟 don’t be afraid to give your starter what it needs, ratios are not necessary, equal weights are not necessary if your starter needs different input
🌟 thick is always better than thin in a starter, a thin starter won’t rise and won’t lift your dough
🌟 if you’re making a new starter these things also apply, learn to watch your starter and see what it needs

I hope these help!

For more tips and help read more of the posts here on my website.

These are also some of the posts I send people the most often to assist their sourdough making:

Why does dough spread https://foodbodsourdough.com/why-does-my-dough-spread/

Gummy loaves https://foodbodsourdough.com/gummy-loaves/

It’s about the dough not the lame https://foodbodsourdough.com/its-often-about-the-dough-not-the-lame/

How long: https://foodbodsourdough.com/how-long/

Don’t blame starter: https://foodbodsourdough.com/dont-blame-your-starter/

How to make a starter: https://foodbodsourdough.com/how-to-make-a-starter/

My master recipe: https://foodbodsourdough.com/the-process/

Hot temps: https://foodbodsourdough.com/making-sourdough-in-hot-temperatures/

Heat and humidity: https://foodbodsourdough.com/making-sourdough-in-hot-and-humid-environments/

FAQ: https://foodbodsourdough.com/faq/

Cocoa peanut butter and chilli flake loaf…

Welcome to my cocoa peanut butter and chili flakes loaf! This is a play on my chocolate and chili flake loaf and my peanut butter loaf, which you’ll find in my first book, Whole Grain Sourdough at Home.

Adding peanut butter to my standard sourdough recipe brings a wonderful richness to the dough and the loaf, the loaf will be slightly crusty with a soft inside, plus the oils mean the loaf lasts longer. The dough will be sticky initially but as the peanut butter mixes through the dough it becomes silky and smooth. The chilli flakes add a warm kick to the loaf, you can make this hotter if you prefer by using stronger chilli flakes or more of the Aleppo chilli flakes.

I used my absolute very favourite brand of peanut butter, Manilife, I love love their products, and this cocoa peanut butter is fabulous! I hope you’ll try it…

The recipe below provides the basics of the recipe and everything you need to know. See my main full master recipe for more timing, equipment and more complete/fully detailed process steps.

Makes 1 standard loaf

50 g starter

400 g water

150-200g Manilife cocoa peanut butter

500 g strong white bread flour

1-2 tbsp Aleppo chilli flakes

7 g salt, or to taste

Option: if you can’t find the fabulous cocoa peanut butter use any of the Manilife peanut butter range plus 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder.

Step 1: Roughly mix together all the ingredients, cover and leave the bowl on the counter. See the photos below to see how the dough might look.

Step 2: After 2 hours, perform a set of pulls and folds, the dough will be sticky and the peanut butter will not yet be fully mixed through. Cover and leave the bowl again.

Step 3: After 1 more hour, perform two more sets of pulls and folds, the dough will become textured and smooth and easier to work with. Cover and leave.

Step 4: Leave to proof until doubled in size, whether overnight (if you’re following my standard process) or during the day (if you’re using one of my other timetables).

Step 5: Shape the dough for your banneton, it will easily come into a smooth ball, cover, refrigerate, and proof again.

Step 6: Score and bake direct from the fridge, from a cold start for 55-60 mins at 425°F (220°C) convection or 450°F (230°C) conventional.

Step 7: Bake at the above temperatures for 50-55 minutes from preheated.

Step 8: Remove from the oven and pan and allow to cool fully before slicing.

I served this loaf with my cocoa peanut butter vegetable chilli dish which you can now find on the Manilife website.

Understanding how to manage your dough making..

If you would like to understand exactly how to manage your dough making, control the timing, and work WITH your room temperature and not against it, you can hear me explaining all of this and more in my latest podcast episode. I explain exactly how I manage my dough making and how you can too.

AND I’ve got new recipes for you – including this focaccia!

🌟

Listen here and enjoy!

Or on Apple, Podbean, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other platforms.

Brought you in partnership with Matthews Cotswold Flour and Shanas Sourdough.

For everything you need to make fabulous sourdough: we’ve got you covered!

Find out more and see recipes featured in this episode and across the series on the podcast website and watch it all on YouTube.

Proudly brought to you with Matthews Cotswold Flour and Shana’s Sourdough.

For great flour visit the Cotswold Flour website and use code FOODBODPOD for our exclusive discount

For all of the equipment you’ll ever need visit Shana’s Sourdough.

Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefoodbodpod

The new season of my podcast starts HERE and we’re talking SOURDOUGH!

I am very excited to announce the new season of my podcast, The Foodbod Pod, and this year we’re packing in LOTS of sourdough chat. Recipes, answers, hints, tips, we’ve got them all. Listen from the links below to hear what we’ll be bringing you – and my latest bigs news 🤩

Listen here and enjoy!

Or on Apple, Podbean, Spotify, Amazon, Google and other platforms.

Brought you in partnership with Matthews Cotswold Flour and Shanas Sourdough.

For everything you need to make fabulous sourdough: we’ve got you covered!

Hot cross loaf

I made the dough for this loaf and baked it in a sandwich tin, but it could also be used to make buns in the same way as my hot cross buns.

I have used oat milk and maple syrup so this loaf is ideal as a vegan option, you could also use milk of your choice and honey if you’d prefer.

Makes 1 loaf or 12 rolls

Ingredients for the dough

50 g active starter

375 g oat milk

500 g strong white bread flour

150 g mixed dried fruits and peels

50 g maple syrup

7 g salt, or to taste

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground allspice

Optional for the criss cross design

50 g plain/all purpose flour

50 g water

Equipment

A lined loaf tin, I used my Pullman tin, minus its cover, 21.5 x 12.5 x 11.5 cm (81/2 x 5 x 41/2 inches)

An icing bag with tiny nozzle or sandwich bag with tiny hole cut in one corner

Method

Step 1: In the early evening, in a large mixing bowl, roughly mix together all the dough ingredients until you have a shaggy, rough dough. Cover the bowl with a clean shower cap or your choice of cover and leave the bowl on the counter for 2 hours.

Step 2: After 2 hours, perform the first set of pulls and folds until the dough feels less sticky and comes together into a soft studded ball. This will be a heavy dough. Cover the bowl again and leave it on your counter.

Step 3: After another hour of rest, do one more set of pulls and folds on dough, covering the dough again afterward.

Step 4: Leave the covered bowl on the counter overnight, typically 8 to 10 hours, at 18 to 20°C/64 to 68°F.

Step 5: In the morning, hopefully the dough will have grown to double in size, with a smooth-ish dough surface around the dried fruits and peels. If the dough hasn’t grown sufficiently, give it more time, this is a heavy slow dough. Have your pan ready and place the paper liner on the counter. Gently lift and fold handfuls of dough from one side of the bowl into the middle in a line, using the same pulling and folding action as used previously. Turn the bowl 180 degrees and do the same on the other side so that you have a thick sausage of dough in the middle of the bowl.

With a wetted hand, place your whole hand over the dough, turn the bowl upside down and gently ease the dough from the bowl into your hand. Place the dough, seam side down, on the paper and slip your hand out from underneath the dough. Use the paper to lift the dough into the pan, cover it with the same shower cap and leave it on the counter. Allow the dough to proof again, letting it grow level with the edge of the pan until it is just peeking over the top. This may take 2 to 3 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The surface will become smooth and the dough will spread to fill the pan.

This step can also be done in the fridge for a longer, slower second prove, up to 24 hours, and can be baked directly from the fridge.

Step 6: When you are ready to bake, decide whether you would like to bake in a preheated oven or from a cold start. If preheating, set the oven to 200°C (400°F ) convection or 220°C (450°F) conventional.

Option: to add the criss crosses, pipe a flour paste design across the top of the loaf before baking. Mix 50 g plain/all purpose flour with 50 g water until it makes a smooth paste, and use a piping bag to pipe lines across the top of the loaf.

A bit rough but it was my first ever attempt!

Step 7: If you preheated the oven, bake the loaf for 45 minutes. If you are using a cold start, place the pan of dough in the oven, set the temperature as above and set a timer for 50 minutes. If the surface of the loaf looks like it is going to bake darker than you would like, cover the top of the loaf with another pan or some foil.

Step 8: Remove the loaf from the oven and the pan, tap the base of the loaf and if it sounds hollow, the loaf is baked. If not, return it to the oven, out of the pan, directly onto the rack to bake it for a further 5 to 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool briefly on a wire rack before slicing.

To glaze, brush with warmed, melted apricot jam or golden syrup after baking and while still warm.

I must say a huge thank you to the very brilliant Cherie Denham for holding my hand through making these, Cherie is a brilliant baker and cook and helped me hugely! If you’d like hear us in conversation do check out my recent podcast episode – Cherie is wonderful and a true inspiration. Find us talking here: https://foodbodpod.podbean.com/e/the-foodbod-pod-episode-2/ and subscribe to the channel so that you don‘t miss future episodes.

You can also find the podcast on Spotify, Amazon and Google.

If you like the creativeness of these recipes, you’re going to love my new book!

BIG NEWS!!

🌟 PLEASE READ 🌟 Exciting news for all sourdough bakers:

🌟 Season 2 of my podcast, The Foodbod Pod, is about to begin and this year we’re focusing heavily on our glorious SOURDOUGH! Yes! If you love sourdough, have questions, love my tips, fancy expanding your sourdough knowledge and listening to me chat all about it, you’re going to love it! It’s going to be FABULOUS!

You’ll find various links below where you can listen to all of last season episodes and subscribe ready for the upcoming season.

🌟 And and and…we return this year with our partner and sponsor Matthews Cotswold Flour and a brand new partner, Shana’s Sourdough. We are very excited about the new season, we’ve got everything covered for you, I hope you’ll love it!

🌟 So find us and subscribe ready for the first episode at the end of March and hear my next exciting news! 😉😉

Find us on these links or your preferred podcast platform:

🌟🌟 APPLE : SPOTIFY : PODBEAN : AMAZON : GOOGLE 🌟🌟

The Foodbod Pod is brought to you in partnership with Matthews Cotswold Flour and Shana’s Sourdough. Bringing you everything you need to make fabulous sourdough with my recipes and methods.