If you want to make use of some discard and like the flavor of really tart, tangy, sourdough, give this mini boule a try. It has a strong sourdough flavor thanks to the amount of discard used. I make this Dutch oven bread often, and it's always successful, even though sometimes the crumb is slightly different due to the consistency of the discard or how much water I add. But this bread is kind of a staple around here. Plus you can make it with only one rise!
Steps for Making Sourdough Discard Bread
- Proof the yeast right in the mixing bowl with ¼ cup of water and a teaspoon of sugar.
2. Add the flour, salt and discard. Here you can see the consistency of my discard.
3. Mix the ingredients with a scraper to make a scraggly dough, then set the bowl on the mixer stand and knead with the dough hook for about 6 minutes.
4. After kneading, it should look something like this. Transfer to a greased bowl to rise.
Allow it to rise for 30 minutes to an hour depending on what type of yeast you used.
After the first rise, punch down lightly, shape into a ball again and put a piece of parchment under it. Let the dough rise for another 30 to 45 minutes while you preheat a Dutch oven. Use a razor or knife tip or scissor tips to make an X in the top of the dough.
Drop the dough and parchment into the hot Dutch oven.
Bake at 450 for 25 minutes with the lid on, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for 20 minutes with the lid off.
Larger Loaf, Less Discard Flavor
My recipe has a pretty strong sour flavor. If you want a milder sourdough flavor, use the same amount of discard (120 grams) but add 1 ½ times everything else - so about 3 oz of water, ¾ teaspoon of yeast, 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar, a generous teaspoon of salt, and about 1 ½ cups of bread flour. Adjust water as needed. Bake until the bread is golden brown. Alternatively, just use less discard. I've added a range to the recipe card.
One Rise Bread or Single Rise Sourdough Loaf
This recipe uses so much discard that the dough doesn't need to ferment very long to develop flavor. That means you can make a really good loaf with just a single rise. I've been doing this a lot lately and have added directions for the quick version (single rise) in the notes.
Recipe
Sourdough Discard Bread
Equipment
- 1 ½ quart bowl
- 1 ceramic Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ¼ cup warm water (115 degrees F) (56 grams)
- ½ teaspoon instant yeast or active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 80-120 grams sourdough discard, room temperature**
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup bread flour (135 grams)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
- Put the warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer and add the yeast.
- Add sugar and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes to proof.
- Set the bowl on a scale, set tare to "0" and add 80 to 120 grams of discard. Use 80 grams for less sourdough flavor and up to 120 if you like a lot.
- Give it a stir and then add salt and 135 grams (1 cup) bread flour. If you added the smaller amount of discard, add 2-3 tablespoons more water.
- Continue stirring until you have a clumpy, shreddy, dough. Set on the mixer stand and knead with the dough hook for about 5 minutes.
- After kneading, the dough should be supple and cling to the hook and to the bottom of the bowl only. It should not be sticking to the sides of the bowl. If for some reason it is very dry, add 1-2 more tablespoons of water and knead for a few more minutes. If it is loose and extremely sticky, you can add a tablespoon or two of flour and knead again.
- Grease a 1 ½ quart bowl with olive oil and scrape the dough into the bowl. Using a heavy duty scraper, Scrape around the sides, folding it over on itself and shaping it into a ball. It will spread out again, but that's okay. Cover and let rise for about an hour.
- Once dough has risen, scrape it out of the bowl onto a piece of parchment, then set the parchment and dough back in the bowl for the second rise. This second rise should only take about 30 minutes with the instant yeast.
- Meanwhile, put a lidded Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 450F.
- When the dough has risen, use a razor or knife tip to make a small slash in the top of the dough. Remove the hot Dutch oven from the oven, and plop the dough ball with its parchment paper into the Dutch oven. Close and put in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes at 450, then remove lid and bake for about 20 minutes at 375F. If it doesn't seem done, continue baking until the outside is golden brown. You can also test with a meat thermometer. If it registers over 205, it's done.
- Let cool for about an hour before slicing.
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