Sourdough Sandwich Bread — Meet Pearl & Let’s Make Some Dough!
Sourdough sandwich bread is officially happening in this kitchen — and it’s all because of Pearl.
If you’ve been following the Sourdough Journey, you know that my sweet friend Sara gifted me a sourdough starter last week. Pearl comes from Sara’s own feisty starter, Cybil — and true to her roots, Pearl has been active, bubbly, and absolutely ready to bake from day one. Sara was also kind enough to share her recipe for a soft sourdough sandwich bread — the exact loaf I tasted at Sara’s house the day she brought Pearl to me. It was incredible. Tender, soft, just the right amount of tang. I knew I had to make it.
So yesterday we mixed up the dough. I measured everything out in advance, dissolved Pearl into the water, added the olive oil and honey and salt and flour, worked it with my hands until it came together — and then I did what I always do. I made two loaves instead of one. Because I cannot help myself. That is just who I am.
Both loaves are proofing overnight in their banneton baskets right now, and tomorrow we bake. Come back for Part 2 — the bake reveal — because I cannot wait to see how these turn out!
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Pearl has been living in the fridge since Sara brought her to me, which is actually perfect for the Florida heat. It keeps her manageable without needing daily feedings, and she wakes right up when it’s time to bake. No drama. Just a ready, reliable, feisty little starter doing her job.
The recipe Sara shared makes a soft sourdough sandwich bread — not the crusty artisan kind, but a tender, pullable loaf that’s perfect for sandwiches, toast, or just eating warm with butter. Sara made this same bread the morning she brought Pearl over, and I tasted it fresh out of her oven. Friends, it was SO good. I have been thinking about it ever since.
Here’s the basic ingredient breakdown for two loaves:
480 grams room temperature water
220 grams active starter (Pearl!)
40 grams olive oil
40 grams raw honey
20 grams kosher salt
830 grams unbleached bread flour (I use King Arthur Bread Flour (Shop at King Arthur) — the high protein content is what gives this sourdough sandwich bread its structure and chew)
The process is beautifully simple — dissolve the starter in the water, add the olive oil and honey, then add the flour and salt and work it together by hand. The dough will be shaggy at first, but keep going. Pinch it, knead it for about a minute, and it comes together. Then it goes into the banneton proofing baskets and into the fridge overnight for a cold proof.
One important note from this video: Stephanie discovered her old kitchen scale was giving inaccurate readings — she noticed when Pearl weighed differently at home than she had at Sara’s house. That was the culprit. She upgraded to the Amazon Basics Digital Kitchen Scale, and now everything is measuring correctly. If you’re baking sourdough, a reliable scale is non-negotiable. Grams matter.
Both loaves are proofing in the refrigerator right now. Tomorrow morning, they go into the oven and we find out if all of this work pays off. Part 2 — the bake — is coming tomorrow. Don’t miss it.
Tools I Use and Recommend for Sourdough Baking
- King Arthur Bread Flour (Shop at King Arthur) — the exact flour used in this recipe. High protein, unbleached, and what gives Pearl’s bread that perfect structure.
- Rattan Banneton Proofing Basket (Shop on Amazon) — you can see both of mine in the photo! Essential for shaping and cold-proofing sourdough loaves.
- Digital Kitchen Scale (Shop on Amazon) — accurate and a game changer. Sourdough baking lives and dies by the gram.
- Weck Tulip Sourdough Starter Jar (Shop on Amazon) — Pearl’s home! Perfect size for watching the rise.
- Disposable Elastic Plastic Bowl Covers (Shop on Amazon) — ideal for covering dough during proofing without plastic wrap.
Need more sourdough supplies? Browse everything I use in the Sourdough Supplies section of my Shop My Kitchen page!
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🍞 Continue the Sourdough Journey
⬅️ New Starter | All Posts | Pearl’s First Bake ➡️
🛒 Starting your own sourdough journey? Find all of Stephanie’s favorite supplies in the Sourdough Supplies section of her Shop My Kitchen!
Sourdough Sandwich Bread — About the Sourdough Journey
The Sourdough Journey is Stephanie’s ongoing series documenting her adventures in sourdough — from her very first attempt at making a starter from scratch, through the dramatic highs and lows of Willy and Nilly, and now into a brand new chapter with two fresh starters and a feisty gifted starter from her friend Sara. One starter is whole wheat for her husband Jason’s Mediterranean diet. The other is an all-purpose starter ready to bake bread, pizza, crackers, and everything in between. The daily check-ins are behind us — now the real baking begins. Follow along at stephaniecooksforacrowd.com and come see what comes out of Stephanie’s oven next!