High Protein Sourdough Sandwich Bread
A soft, pillowy sourdough sandwich loaf made with nonfat Greek yogurt for a genuine protein boost in every slice. No protein powder needed.
Servings: 15 slices
Calories: 150kcal
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- Stand mixer with dough hook or large mixing bowl
- 10x5 loaf pan (USA Pan recommended)
- Parchment paper
- Instant read thermometer
- - Pastry brush
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
- 400 grams bread flour 3⅓ cups
- 120 grams active peaked sourdough starter 1/2 cup
- 240 grams nonfat Greek yogurt slightly warmed (1 cup)
- 50 grams unsalted butter softened (3½ tablespoons)
- 40 grams whole milk room temperature (3 tablespoons)
- 20 grams granulated sugar 1½ tablespoons
- 7 grams fine salt 1 ¼ teaspoons
- 4 grams baking powder 1 teaspoon
- 1 large egg room temperature
For finishing:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing after baking
Instructions
- Warm the Greek yogurt and milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds, just enough to take the chill off. You want it slightly warm but not hot. If the yogurt is too warm it can weaken your starter when they are mixed together.
- In a large bowl whisk together the bread flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the sourdough starter, warmed yogurt, milk, and egg until smooth. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients then throw walnut size chunks of the butter on top. Mix until a cohesive dough forms. Let rest 10 minutes.
- Two options: Knead the dough on a clean surface for 6 to 7 minutes, OR mix on medium speed with a stand mixer dough hook, until the dough smooths out and becomes elastic. This dough will feel sticky at first because the Greek yogurt releases moisture slowly and differently than water would. Do not add extra flour yet. Give it the full knead time. The bread flour will absorb the yogurt and the dough will tighten up considerably.
- Scrape the dough into a ball after removing the dough hook.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. After the first 30 to 45 minutes, perform a set of stretch and folds until the dough begins to tighten up. Perform one slap and fold to get the seam in the dough to the bottom of the bowl. Creating a smooth rounded top. Then cover and leave it undisturbed. Bulk ferment until the dough is 50 to 75 percent larger in volume, the surface looks domed and jiggly when you gently shake the bowl, and bubbles are visible around the edges. This takes 6 to 10 hours at room temperature depending on your kitchen temperature. For a longer overnight bulk ferment, a room temperature of 66 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it gently into a rectangle roughly the width of your loaf pan, about 10 inches wide and 8 inches long. Roll the dough up tightly from the short end, pulling gently and rolling (Like you roll a sleeping bag) creating surface tension as you go. I like to pull the ends in every few rolls to keep them well shaped. Pinch the seam firmly all the way across and place the shaped loaf seam side down in a parchment lined or lightly greased 10x5 loaf pan. (see the blog post for a video guide)
- Cover with a plastic bag (make sure the bag is inflated so the plastic doesn't touch the dough) and let the shaped loaf proof at room temperature for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, until the dough crowns about 1/2 inch above the rim of the pan. However the poke test is the most accurate way to tell if your dough is ready to be baked. If your kitchen runs cool, you can place the pan in the oven with just the oven light on, for a short period to create a gentle proofing environment. You don't want to go above 80 degrees fahrenheit.
- Remove the loaf from the oven if proofing inside and preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven heats, whisk together the egg and water to make the egg wash and brush it gently over the surface of the loaf.
- Bake for 38 to 42 minutes until deep golden brown. Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. You are looking for 190 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the loaf. If the top is browning faster than you would like, tent the loaf loosely with foil after the first 25 minutes and continue baking.
- Remove from the oven and immediately brush the top generously with melted butter. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer to a wire rack.
- Cool for at least 45 minutes to one hour before slicing. Cutting into an enriched loaf too soon results in a gummy crumb even when the loaf is fully baked. The interior is still setting up as it cools and the wait is worth it.
Notes
Storage:
Once fully cooled, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight bread bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. The butter and yogurt in this dough give it better staying power than a sourdough loaf. For longer storage, slice the cooled loaf completely, place a small piece of parchment between each slice, and freeze in an airtight bag for up to one month. Pull slices directly from the freezer and toast as needed.
Proofing Signs to Watch For:
This is an enriched dough with butter, yogurt, and egg, so it will not rise as dramatically as regular sourdough during bulk fermentation. Do not wait for a full double. Instead, look for a 50 to 75 percent increase in volume, a surface that looks domed and jiggly when you gently shake the bowl, and bubbles visible around the edges and across the top. The dough should feel light and airy when you touch it rather than dense and heavy.
For the final proof in the pan, the most reliable test is the poke test. Press a lightly floured finger about half an inch into the side of the shaped loaf. If the indentation springs back immediately and completely, the dough needs more time. If it fills back in slowly and leaves a slight dent, it is ready to bake. If the indentation stays completely without springing back, bake it immediately as it is at the edge of the proofing window. The dough should crown about 1/2 inch above the rim of the pan before it goes in.
Temperature has the biggest impact on proofing time. At 65 degrees Fahrenheit the final proof takes 2 to 3+ hours. At 75 degrees or warmer it can be done in as little as one hour. Never leave this dough unattended in a warm kitchen. It can go from perfectly proofed to overproofed in under 30 minutes at high temperatures.
Troubleshooting:
If the loaf splits on the side during baking, this almost always means it went into the oven underproofed. The oven spring was too aggressive for the tight dough structure and it burst through the weakest point. Next bake, make sure the poke test shows a slow, partial spring back before baking, and that the dough has visibly crowned above the rim of the pan. An oven running too hot can also contribute. Check your oven temperature with a separate thermometer if side splitting is a recurring issue.
If the crumb is gummy or dense in the center, the loaf either was not baked long enough or was cut before fully cooling. Use an instant read thermometer and pull the loaf at 190 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit every time. Then wait the full 45 minutes to one hour before slicing.
If the dough feels very sticky right after mixing, do not add extra flour immediately. Nonfat Greek yogurt releases its moisture slowly and the bread flour absorbs the yogurt differently than it would absorb water. Give the dough a full 5 minutes of mixing, then let it rest for 10 minutes. It will tighten up significantly on its own. If it is still very sticky after that rest, add flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough feels soft and slightly tacky but not sticking to your hands.
