Given how much I love getting things done quickly, and given how much I love baking with sourdough, I had been dying to try out a very quick, very easy sourdough bread. And, today, I want to share it with you. Let me first clarify for all the purists out there that this is not a true sourdough bread, as in it is not fully leavened with a sourdough starter. A true sourdough bread, like this no-knead sourdough bread or this sourdough sandwich bread, would need at least two rises, of which one would be a pretty long, even overnight one, with nothing but sourdough helping it rise and develop flavor. I love those breads, and I love baking them when I have the time. But don’t you have those days when you truly, madly, deeply want a homemade loaf of bread, warm from the oven, to serve with that lovely tomato soup you just made and you know it will be impossible to make a loaf instantly, which sends you into a downward spiral and makes you want to throw in the towel and just serve PBJs, which just ruins the day for everyone else as well and then…well, you get the picture? 😉 Anyhoo. This is the loaf you want to bake on that day, so everything is just as it should be, and everyone–especially you–is happy.
Why you’ll love this one-hour sourdough bread
Easy recipe with no extensive kneading involved, and a short rise time. The bread has a soft, slightly crusty crust and a fluffy, soft crumb. It slices easily. It’s delicious. There is no flavor compromise here. The reason most breads have two rise times is to develop both the flavor and the structure of the bread, and when you are rushing things along you want to compensate adequately for both. To rush the gluten production along, helping develop the bread’s structure, I use bread flour and the yeast. And to add flavor, I use the sourdough. The sourdough also helps give the bread some oven spring. A real loaf of bread! Sure, it might appear a bit of a gimmick to make bread in an hour, but this is a real, yeast-leavened bread loaf, and it tastes great.
How to make one-hour sourdough bread
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl–this includes the flour, sourdough discard, sugar, salt, vegetable oil and nondairy milk. The only thing you shouldn’t add to the bowl at this stage is the water. Mix all the ingredients until a dough begins to form. Make sure the milk is lukewarm when you add it, which will also help wake up the yeast faster. Check to get new recipe updates by email.
Now trickle in the water slowly to form a supple dough that’s soft but not sticky, You might not need all of the water. As soon as you have the dough, place it on a square of parchment paper, then lift the parchment paper and place it in a small Dutch oven. This is not a huge loaf, so a smaller pot will help create a better shaped, more rounded boule. A wider Dutch oven will create a flatter loaf. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and place it in a warm spot for 20-25 minutes. It’s really important you find a cozy, warm spot because you are looking for a quick rise. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit while the dough is rising. After 20 minutes the dough should have nearly doubled. Use a sharp or serrated knife or blade to make a quick gash at the top of the dough, taking care not to deflate it. Place the Dutch oven, uncovered, in the oven and bake 30 minutes or until the top of the loaf sounds hollow when you rap it with your knuckles. Place the Dutch oven on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove the bread by lifting up the parchment paper and continue cooling on the rack. Slice and serve.
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