Description
This Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread recipe combines the tangy, complex flavors of naturally fermented sourdough with fresh blueberries and bright lemon zest, creating a moist and fragrant loaf. Paired with a luscious whipped blueberry honey butter, this artisan bread is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a unique snack. The recipe guides you through the detailed process of making sourdough bread from feeding the starter to shaping, proofing, scoring, and baking in a Dutch oven to achieve a beautiful crust and tender crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread
- 50g active sourdough starter
- 350g water (filtered)
- 500g bread flour
- 11g salt
- 150g fresh blueberries
- Zest of 1 lemon
Whipped Blueberry Butter
- 8 tablespoons (113g) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (75g) fresh blueberries, mashed
- 2 tablespoons (45g) honey
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Feed Your Sourdough Starter: Begin by ensuring your sourdough starter is active and bubbly. This can take between 4 to 12 hours depending on ambient temperature. Adjust timing accordingly to have a fully active starter before beginning the dough.
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine 50g active sourdough starter with 350g filtered water and mix until milky. Add 500g bread flour and 11g salt, mixing until incorporated. The dough will look shaggy. Let rest for 30 minutes.
- Stretch and Folds: Using a bowl scraper, lift the dough and with wet hands, stretch and fold it over itself, rotating the bowl a quarter turn between folds. Complete a full circle. Rest for 30 minutes and repeat this stretch and fold process three more times with 30-minute rests in between each.
- Bulk Fermentation: Allow the dough to ferment at around 68-70°F for 6-9 hours until it has increased in size by at least 50%, looks light, jiggles when shaken, has visible bubbles, pulls easily from the bowl, and passes the windowpane test without tearing.
- Pre-Shape: Wet your fingers and gently remove the dough from the bowl without deflating the bubbles. Let gravity help release it onto a clean counter. Do another full circle of stretch and folds, then turn the dough seam side down, cover with the bowl, and rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare Proofing Basket: Dust a banneton or bowl lined with a tea towel with flour to prevent sticking. This helps the dough keep its round shape during proofing.
- Collect Blueberries and Lemon Zest: Set aside 150g fresh blueberries and the zest of one lemon for layering in the dough.
- Final Shape: Flip the rested dough seam side up. Gently stretch it into a large rectangle using lamination technique, careful not to tear. Spread half the blueberries and lemon zest over the dough.
- Fold Dough: Fold the left side toward the middle and spread half of the remaining blueberries and zest over it. Then fold the right side toward the middle like a tri-fold, spreading the remaining blueberries and zest on top. Roll the dough starting from the edge nearest you.
- Form Dough Ball: Shape the rolled dough into a tight round by cupping your hands and turning it clockwise, gently pulling it toward you. Stop if tearing occurs; some blueberries may break through, which is fine.
- Proof Dough: Place the dough seam side down into the prepared proofing basket. Cover with plastic or a shower cap and refrigerate for cold proofing for 8 to 72 hours to deepen flavor and improve flexibility on baking time.
- Prepare for Baking: Thirty minutes before baking, move the dough to the freezer to help scoring. Preheat your oven to 450°F with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
- Score the Dough: Gently invert the proofed dough onto parchment paper. Using a lame or sharp knife, score a crescent moon or any preferred design to allow for oven spring.
- Bake the Bread: Carefully place the dough with parchment paper into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 27 minutes. Then remove the lid and bake uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool the Bread: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven using parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool completely, at least 1 hour, before slicing to avoid a gummy texture.
- Make Whipped Blueberry Honey Butter: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 113g room temperature butter, 75g mashed fresh blueberries, 45g honey, and a pinch of salt on high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Serve: Slice the cooled sourdough bread and spread with the whipped blueberry honey butter. Enjoy your artisanal lemon blueberry sourdough!
Notes
- Adjust sourdough starter feeding schedule to match your ambient temperature to ensure peak activity.
- The stretch and fold technique is flexible; spacing between folds can be 30-60 minutes.
- Bulk fermentation times vary with temperature—observe dough rather than relying on the clock.
- Use regular all-purpose flour dusting for proofing basket if rice flour is unavailable.
- Cold proofing between 8 to 72 hours deepens flavor but avoid over-proofing to prevent collapse.
- Freezing dough before scoring helps achieve cleaner cuts and better oven spring.
- Allow bread to cool fully to develop optimal crumb texture before slicing.
- Some blueberries may burst during shaping; this enhances the flavor inside the bread.
- Use a Dutch oven with a heavy lid for best crust development during baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approximately 80g)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
