Simple Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread Recipe
This Simple Lemon Blueberry Sweet Sourdough Bread recipe combines the tangy depth of sourdough with the bright freshness of lemon zest and juicy blueberries. Perfect as a sweet breakfast treat or a delightful snack, this bread offers a tender crumb with a beautifully golden crust. Whether using fresh or dried blueberries soaked in orange juice overnight, the layers of flavor and texture come together through careful folding and a slow, cold ferment for enhanced taste and crumb structure.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus overnight soaking and starter feeding time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Total Time: About 18 hours (including resting, rises, and bake time)
- Yield: 1 medium loaf (about 12 slices) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Main Dough Ingredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter (about ½ cup)
- 350 grams warm water (about 1 ½ cups, around 85°F)
- 500 grams bread flour (approx. 5 cups)
- 80 grams cane sugar or brown sugar (½ cup)
- 10 grams salt (2 teaspoons)
- Zest from 1 whole lemon
Fruit Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh blueberries (if using fresh)
- OR 1 cup dried blueberries soaked in 1 cup orange juice overnight (if using dried)
Additional
- Additional flour for dusting
Instructions
- Feed the Starter and Prepare Blueberries: The night before baking, feed your sourdough starter to ensure it is active. If using dried blueberries, soak them in orange juice overnight until ready to be incorporated into the dough.
- Mix the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the active sourdough starter with the warm water. Stir until fully mixed, then add the sugar until dissolved. Add the bread flour, salt, and lemon zest, stirring until a shaggy dough forms. Cover with a wet tea towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Perform Stretch and Folds: After the initial rest, perform the first stretch and fold by stretching one end of the dough and folding it over itself. Repeat with the opposite end and then the sides. Perform a total of three stretch and fold sessions, spaced 30 minutes apart.
- First Rise: Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Incorporate Blueberries: Rinse fresh blueberries or strain soaked dried blueberries. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently stretch it into a rectangle. Spread half the blueberries on the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border. Fold the dough like a letter, adding more blueberries in layers during each fold, saving a few for the final fold. Finally, fold the dough lengthwise in half and shape into a smooth ball or oval matching your banneton’s shape.
- Second (Cold) Rise: Cover the shaped dough with a damp towel and place it in the refrigerator overnight (minimum 12 hours) for the final rise. This chilling step improves flavor and makes scoring easier.
- Prepare for Baking: Remove the dough from the banneton onto parchment paper. Score the top about ¼ inch deep to allow expansion during baking.
- Bake: Place the dough with parchment into a Dutch oven, put it in a cold oven, and then set the temperature to 425°F. Bake covered for 1 hour. Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 5 minutes or until the crust achieves the desired golden brown color.
- Cool and Serve: Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing to ensure the crumb sets perfectly.
Notes
- Using dried blueberries soaked in orange juice overnight adds a burst of citrusy flavor and plumps the berries.
- Do not score the bread too deeply; about ¼ inch is enough to control expansion.
- Cooling the bread fully before slicing prevents a gummy, undercooked crumb.
- Chilling the dough overnight enhances flavor development and scoring control.
- You can substitute cane sugar with brown sugar for a deeper sweetness.
Keywords: sourdough bread, lemon blueberry bread, sweet sourdough, homemade bread, blueberry bread, artisan bread, lemon zest bread
