Elderflower Sourdough
- 30m Prep Time
- 35m Cook Time
- 9h Ready In
A fragrant sourdough bread infused with elderflowers, perfect for spring. The dough is made with white bread flour and a sourdough starter, then shaped and baked until golden.
Ingredients
- 1 9/16 lbs white bread flour
- 6/13 lbs white sourdough starter
- 1 1/12 lbs water
- 8/15 oz fine/table salt
- 1 3/13 oz elderflowers cleaned
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 2 of 5 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 121 mg
- Iron: 31.3 mg
- Magnesium: 182 mg
- Phosphorus: 689 mg
- Potassium: 710 mg
- Zinc: 6.08 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 9/16 lbs white bread flour
- 6/13 lbs white sourdough starter
- 1 1/12 lbs water
- 8/15 oz fine/table salt
Prepare
- 1 3/13 oz elderflowers, cleaned
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
In a large bowl, combine 710g white bread flour, 210g white sourdough starter, and all but 20g of the 490g water. Mix thoroughly until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until the dough comes together. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes.
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Step 2.
After the rest, stretch the dough out on the work surface. Sprinkle 15g salt and the reserved 20g water over the dough. Knead for about 8–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and stretchy. It should feel supple and pass the windowpane test (a small piece can be stretched thin without tearing).
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Step 3.
Gently knead 35g cleaned elderflowers into the dough until evenly distributed. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (about 725g each). Shape each piece into a tight ball by pulling the edges to the center and pinching. Cover the balls with a cloth and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
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Step 4.
Dust two large proving baskets (bannetons) generously with flour. After the rest, shape each dough ball into a round or oval to fit the baskets. Place them seam-side up in the baskets. Cover with a cloth and let prove at room temperature for about 4 hours. The dough should be slightly under-proved (it will spring back slowly when poked) to achieve large holes and good oven spring.
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Step 5.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/425°F/gas 7, with a baking stone or inverted baking sheet inside. When the dough is ready, turn one loaf out onto a floured peel (or parchment). Slash the top with a sharp knife or lame (e.g., a single deep cut or cross). Slide the loaf onto the hot baking stone. Repeat with the second loaf. Bake for 20 minutes, then check the loaves. Continue baking for another 10–15 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.