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Not all bread machines can make sourdough bread. Most machines are designed to work with dough with commercial yeast and have a short and steady period in which the bread rises. Sourdough is different, though. It can rise at varying times depending on the culture used. If you want to make a loaf of sourdough bread, make sure your bread machine has a sourdough cycle or an adjustable cycle so you can make changes to the rise time when necessary. If your machine doesn’t have an adjustable option, you may be able to use the machine for the mixing and kneading part of the bread-making process and allow the dough to rise outside of the machine where you have more control. Alternatively, you can play with the timing of the bread machine cycles to try to make it work.
Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe
Sourdough bread is a little more complicated to make than a regular loaf of white bread but the extra effort is well worth the outcome. Sourdough bread uses something called a starter that is made ahead of time. While some people make it just a day ahead, others feel a full week gives the bread a better taste and texture.
Starter Ingredients
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Now for the Best Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe
Starter prep:
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Bread Ingredients
As with most bread machine recipes you can make different size loaves. This recipe is for a 1lb loaf.
*This recipe makes the sourdough mild for good sandwich bread. If you want it sourer, take the following steps before putting ingredients in the bread machine:
- Combine water, starter and ½ the flour
- Cover and let it sit for 24 hours. It will get sourer and bubble.
- Combine the mixture that was standing in the bread pan with the rest of the ingredients
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Once you are ready for the bread pan, put the wet ingredients in then the dry except for the yeast. That can be put in a well in the dry ingredients once they are in the machine as the yeast can’t touch the wet ingredients. If the starter is too thick, you may need to add a little extra water.
Use the sourdough setting if you have one on your machine or use the basic/white bread one. Just be sure to use a medium color setting.
Once the dough has been kneading for a few minutes, check to see what the dough looks like. It should be a smooth ball. If it’s too stiff or gooey, add more water or flour in small bits depending on which it needs. Keep doing this until it gets to the proper consistency but don’t add more than 4 teaspoons of water or flour.
When you feel the dough is the right consistency, close the lid and let the cycle continue until the bread is baked. Once completed, remove the bread from the pan and leave on a wire rack to cool down.
Tips for the Best Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe
