🫐 Blueberry Sourdough Bread

A beautiful homemade sourdough loaf filled with juicy blueberries and a hint of sweetness. This bread has a crispy golden crust, soft chewy crumb, and bursts of fruity flavor—perfect for breakfast, toast, or a snack with butter or cream cheese.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Fermentation Time: 8–12 hours
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: About 10–14 hours
Servings: 10–12 slices

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🛒 Ingredients

Sourdough Dough

• 100 g active sourdough starter (about ½ cup)
• 350 g warm water (about 1½ cups)
• 500 g bread flour (about 4 cups)
• 10 g sea salt (about 1½ teaspoons)
• 40 g honey or sugar (optional, for a sweeter loaf)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Blueberry Filling

• 1½ cups fresh blueberries (or frozen, not thawed)
• 1 tablespoon flour (to coat berries)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon sugar or honey (optional)

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Mix the Dough

1. In a large bowl, combine sourdough starter and warm water.
2. Add flour and mix until no dry flour remains.
3. Cover and let rest for 30–45 minutes (autolyse).
4. Add salt, honey, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.

2. Add Strength to the Dough

• Perform 3–4 sets of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes:
  1. Pull one side of dough upward.
  2. Fold over itself.
  3. Rotate bowl and repeat.

3. Add the Blueberries

1. Toss blueberries with flour, lemon zest, and sugar.
2. Gently fold them into the dough during the final stretch-and-fold.
3. Be careful not to crush the berries too much.

4. Bulk Fermentation

• Cover the dough and let rise at room temperature for 4–6 hours, until it becomes puffy and increases by about 50–75%.

5. Shape & Cold Proof

1. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Shape into a round loaf.
3. Place into a floured proofing basket or bowl.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 8–12 hours.

6. Bake

1. Preheat oven with a Dutch oven inside to 450°F (230°C).
2. Place dough on parchment paper and score the top.
3. Bake:
   • 20 minutes covered
   • 25 minutes uncovered
4. Cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing.

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🍽️ Serving Ideas

Enjoy with:

• Whipped butter
• Cream cheese
• Honey drizzle
• Greek yogurt
• Almond butter
• Lemon glaze

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🍋 Optional Lemon Glaze

Mix:

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Drizzle over cooled bread for a bakery-style finish.

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💡 Tips for Perfect Blueberry Sourdough

✅ Use an active starter that doubles in size within 4–8 hours after feeding.
✅ Fresh blueberries give the best texture; frozen berries help prevent excessive bleeding if used straight from the freezer.
✅ Avoid adding too many blueberries—they can make the dough wet and difficult to shape.
✅ Let the loaf cool fully before slicing to prevent a gummy interior.
✅ Store at room temperature for 3–4 days or freeze slices for longer storage.

Flavor Upgrade: Add white chocolate chips, cinnamon, or chopped pecans for a bakery-style blueberry sourdough loaf. 🫐🍞