How Does Sourdough Rise Without Yeast?

Contrary to what many may believe, sourdough most certainly does not rise without yeast, just like regular bread dough. The difference is, that sourdough does not require commercial yeast to rise, but rather a natural culture of wild yeasts and good bacteria, otherwise known as the sourdough starter. This sourdough starter is quite literally a living breathing organism, that resides on your kitchen counter, requiring regular feedings to remain alive and healthy. The naturally occurring yeasts in the sourdough starter feed on the flour and water to create carbon dioxide gas. This also creates air bubbles in your sourdough bread recipe. You will require a strong gluten network so that the dough is able to maintain the gas bubbles produced by the sourdough yeast.

How Much Should I Feed My Sourdough Starter?

When it comes to feeding your sourdough starter , the simplest way of feeding it is to combine equal weights of starter, with flour and water. The night before baking, reserve 60g of sourdough starter, then proceed to mix in 60g of fresh wholegrain rye flour and 60g of water. The next morning you should have 180g of sourdough starter all ready for you. Then simply measure out 120g for the bread, 20g to feed, and discard the remainder. Finally, feed the remaining 20g of sourdough starter with 20g of flour and 20g of water.

What is The Best Flour to Feed My Sourdough Starter?

When it comes to choosing the best flour for your starter, you should aim for the most nutritious flour i.e., whole wheat or rye flour. This is so that it can supply a good amount of nutrients for your yeast and bacteria to flourish, as well as produce wonderfully flavored sourdough loaves.

Can You Use A Bread Machine To Make A Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread?

Absolutely, and why not? Simply swap your regular flour for wheat flour, and toss the ingredients into the machine and let the bread maker work its magic! The bread machine is great for baking basic sourdough bread, but if you're looking for something a little more healthy and flavorful, then you can certainly experiment with a variety of flour. You can even sweeten the no-yeast sourdough bread with a smidge of granulated sugar, honey, or even maple syrup. I like to add this in with my main ingredients so that it blends with the smooth beautifully.

The Best Sourdough Bread Machine Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

120g sourdough starter
180g water
360g whole grain dark rye flour, bread flour, or all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt

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Instructions

Place the wet and dry ingredients in the bread machine pan and in the order recommended by the bread machine manufacturer.
Start the dough cycle and let it complete, then let the dough rise for 2 hours using the rise cycle.
Remove the dough from the bread machine.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and make a smooth ball.
Line a parchment paper in a Dutch oven and place the dough onto it.
Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and let the dough rise for 4 hours until it’s about twice in volume.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Meanwhile, score the dough with a sharp knife.
Place the Dutch oven in the oven with the lid on and bake the bread at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes.
Remove the bread from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
Slice the bread with an electric knife or serrated bread knife after it has cooled down completely.

Author: Natasha Krajnc
Prep Time: 8 hrs 5 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Category: bread
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 117 kcal
Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 24g
Protein: 4g