The Best Rustic Rosemary Olive Sourdough Spelt Bread
Learn how to make the best Rustic Rosemary Olive Sourdough Bread with this easy-to-follow recipe. This artisan loaf combines the fragrant aroma of rosemary with the tanginess of olives, making it perfect for a cozy meal or as a showstopper on your dinner table. Simple techniques and natural fermentation bring this bread to life - perfect for home bakers of any skill level.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven best results are achieved by baking sourdough in a Dutch oven
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 275 grams Spelt flour whole-grain
- 275 grams Bread flour or all-purpose
- 10 grams Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 60 grams Sourdough starter, fed and active 1/4 cup
- 365 grams Water, room temperature 1.5 cups
- 55 grams Honey 3 tbsps
Add-ins
- 2 tsps Dried rosemary
- ½ cup Kalamata olives roughly chopped
Instructions
Mix Ingredients
- Whisk together the spelt and bread flours with the salt in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the water, honey, and sourdough starter to a liquid measuring cup and stir well.
- Mix the liquid ingredients in with the dry ingredients. Combine well with your hands until there is no dry flour remaining.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
- After an hour, add the olives and rosemary to the bowl.
Stretch and Folds
- Take one side of the dough and stretch it until it's about to break but doesn't. Fold it over to the other side of the dough.
- Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat until you have made a full rotation, or until the dough resists being stretched.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough sit for 15 minutes.
- Repeat 3 or 4 rounds of stretch and folds, allowing the dough to rest for 15 minutes between each round.
First Shaping
- Lightly dust a clean surface and transfer the dough to it. Gently shape the dough into a ball with a dough scraper (or your hands).
Bench Rest
- Sprinkle a little flour over the dough and leave it to rest for 15-20 minutes to allow the gluten bonds to relax.
Final Shaping
- Fold two opposite sides of the dough towards the centre, then fold the remaining two sides into the centre. Gently flip the dough over using the dough scraper and begin rotating the dough with the scraper and your free hand (or with just your hands), gently tucking the bottom sides of the dough under itself. Do this until a round ball has formed. This helps the dough to hold its shape.
Basket Proofing
- Using a gluten-free flour such as rice or sorghum, generously dust a linen-lined banneton basket (or tea towel-lined bowl).
- Gently flip the dough into the banneton, smooth side down. Place the banneton into a clean plastic bag and seal it. Leave the dough to proof in the basket for 1-3 hours. If this is your first time making this recipe, start with 1 hour. Whole-grain flours tend to ferment faster than refined flours. If your kitchen is very warm, you may only need to basket proof for 30 minutes.
Cold Proofing
- After the basket proofing, transfer the banneton to the fridge for at least 8 hours or up to 36 hours to cold-proof it.
Baking Prep
- An hour before baking, preheat a Dutch oven with lid on at 525 F for 30 - 60 minutes.
- When ready to bake, lay a piece of parchment paper that will fit in your Dutch oven (the edges should stick out the top a bit) on a work surface.
- Transfer the sourdough from the banneton to the parchment, gently flipping it out of the basket with the rounded side facing up.
- Brush excess flour off the sourdough and dust it with a little more if not evenly coated with flour. This will provide a contrast for when you score the dough; the design will pop.
- Score the sourdough with a lame (razor blade or very sharp knife) with your desired design. Use a simple curved slash down the middle if you would like to keep it simple.
Baking
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and transfer the sourdough and parchment into it by holding the edges of the parchment. Replace the lid and return to the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 475 F. Bake for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid of the Dutch oven and bake for another 15 minutes at 425 F.
- Once baked, transfer the bread onto a cooling rack. To prevent the bread from drying out, it is best to let it cool for at least 3 hours before slicing it.
Notes
- Ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before using it in the recipe. If you're new to sourdough baking, feed your starter 4-6 hours before using it to ensure it's at its peak.
- Kalamata olives can be substituted with green or other types of olives.
- Honey elevates the flavour of this loaf. If preferred, you can substitute it with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Sourdough should be slightly sticky, not dry. Wet hands and a dough scraper makes it easier to handle. To create an airy loaf that is not dense, be careful not to add too much flour.
- Sourdough will stay good for a week or more, although it will become stale over time. Toast it to improve the texture and taste after a few days, or make it into croutons. It can also be sliced and kept in the freezer for longer storage.