Description
This Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Sourdough Bread is a delightful blend of tangy sourdough, zesty lemon, sweet blueberries, and creamy cheese. Perfectly crusty on the outside with a tender crumb inside, this artisan bread is an elegant twist on traditional sourdough, ideal for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet-savory snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup filtered water
Flavorings
- 1/2 cup room temperature cream cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup honey or sugar
Instructions
- Feed Starter: Feed your sourdough starter at least 8 hours before baking to ensure it is active and bubbly for optimal rising.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt evenly to distribute the salt throughout the dough.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the filtered water, honey or sugar, lemon zest, and room temperature cream cheese until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until there are no dry patches of flour remaining, forming a sticky dough.
- Add Blueberries: Carefully fold fresh blueberries into the dough, distributing them evenly without crushing.
- First Rise: Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, until it nearly doubles in size.
- Shape and Proof: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, shape it into a round loaf, then place it into a proofing basket. Let it rise for an additional 1 to 2 hours until it puffs up again.
- Preheat Oven with Dutch Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside to create steam for a crisp crust.
- Bake Covered: Carefully place the dough inside the preheated Dutch oven, cover, and bake for 30 minutes to trap steam and help the bread rise.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes to develop a golden, crisp crust.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing to set the crumb.
Notes
- Ensure your sourdough starter is very active for best rising results.
- Handle the blueberries gently to avoid breaking them and creating too much moisture in the dough.
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven, you can place a pan of water in the oven to create steam but results may vary.
- Let the bread cool fully before slicing to prevent it from becoming gummy.
- You can substitute honey with sugar depending on your sweetness preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
