Strawberry Swirl Sourdough Loaf
- spellboundsourdoug
- Apr 23, 2024
- 4 min read
Ingredients
Dough
100g active, bubbly starter
300g warm water
40g white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon strawberry extract
470g bread flour
10g salt
Freeze Dried Strawberries
Approx. 1/4c strawberry preserve
Approx. 5g purple sweet potato powder for coloring
Pink Pitaya Powder for dusting
Directions
In a large bowl add warm water, strawberry extract, vanilla extract, sugar and starter. Mix until combined.
Add flour and salt into the starter mixture (if you're wanting to add coloring to the bread add the pitaya powder - about 5g) and mix to incorporate.
Combine everything until dough forms. To fully incorporate the dough wet your hands and use them to fully combine everything. There should be no dry spots. Cover and let sit for 35min.
Now that the dough has rested we're going to be doing a total of 3 sets of stretch and folds/coil folds. If your dough looks like it needs an additional fold you can absolutely add more. Wet your hands and do a set of stretch and folds. Cover and let sit for 30 min.
After the first set of stretch and folds I like to switch to coil folds (completely preference if you like to do one or the other). So for the second set of folds you'll wet your hands again and do your folds. Cover and let sit for 30 min.
Again wet your hands and do a set a folds. With this third set of coil folds you should notice that the dough has a smoother consistency.
Now it's time to let the dough bulk fermenting on the counter. This process can take anywhere from 3hrs-12hrs depending on multiple factors. You'll have a good idea of when your dough is finished bulk fermenting when you see larger bubbles on the top and it has a bit of a domed top and is no longer sticky to touch.
While your dough is fermenting go ahead and mix 1/4c strawberry preserve (you can use jam as well) with about 1/2 tbsp flour. Stick it back in the fridge until we're ready to shape.
Once your bulk fermentation is completed flour your surface and turn the dough out onto the floured surface to start shaping the dough. Stretch the dough into a rectangle shape.
Add strips of the preserve mixture to the dough making sure to avoid the edges and evenly disperse the strips. Then add as much of the freeze dried strawberries as you'd like.
Then fold the left side into the middle and then the right side into the middle. Add some more strawberries to this layer. Start from the bottom and roll the dough to the top.
Pinch all the sides together. If you want to make a batard shape you can finish your shaping now (this is much easier than trying to shape into a boule) and move on to the next step. If you'd like the boule shape you'll want to turn the dough long ways facing you. Gently grab the top and push it into the bottom. It'll look like there's a split on the left and right side.
Place your tea towel into your proofing basket and lightly flour. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough and put it upside down into the proofing basket. For the batard shape go ahead and sprinkle some more flour on top, cover with the tea towel and move onto the next step. For a boule - once in the proofing basket gently pinch the sides so that you don't see the seam. You can try and pinch the bottom and top together but just be careful because the preserve will try and escape. Sprinkle flour over the top of the dough again. Once the dough is in the basket you'll want to tuck in the sides that we brought together a little tighter so that it holds it's boule shape
Cover the dough and stick in the fridge to cold proof for 12-48 hours.
When you're ready to bake preheat the oven to 500 for an hour. I advise to stick your loaf in the freezer 15 mins prior to cooking. Then cut a piece of parchment paper and turn the dough out onto it. At this point you can flour and score the dough how you'd like. If you'd like to dust with the pink pitaya powder do so before scoring. Place the parchment paper into your dutch oven with the lid on. Throw a couple f ice cubes in the dutch oven if you'd like to create more steam. Turn the oven down to 440 and bake for 40 min. After 40 min remove the lid and continue baking for 10 min or until the bread is to your desired color on the top. NOTE- if you have a loaf recipe that works well with your oven please feel free to use that. When it comes to cooking sourdough each oven is a little different so the times may be greater or lesser depending on your oven. I would just add a couple more mins to the initial cooking because of the preserve*
Remove your bread from the oven and off of the parchment paper and place on a cooling rack. Let the bread cool for at least 2 hours.
Enjoy!
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