Here’s a delicious, crusty-yet-moist Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread recipe — naturally leavened, bursting with sweet blueberries and bright lemon flavor. It’s perfect as a breakfast loaf, toasted with butter, or just sliced fresh with a drizzle of honey.
🍋🫐 Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread
🌾 Ingredients
Levain (starter build):
-
25 g active sourdough starter
-
50 g all-purpose flour
-
50 g water
Main dough:
-
450 g bread flour
-
50 g whole wheat flour
-
350 g water (room temperature)
-
10 g salt
-
Zest of 1 large lemon
-
100–120 g blueberries (fresh or frozen; frozen is easier to fold in)
-
All the levain (after it’s ripe and bubbly)
⏱ Timeline Overview (Same-Day or Overnight Bulk)
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Build levain | 4–6 hours |
| Autolyse (mix flour + water) | 1 hour |
| Bulk fermentation + folding | 4–6 hours |
| Cold proof | Overnight (8–12 hours in fridge) |
| Bake | 45–50 minutes |
🥣 Instructions
1. Build the Levain
Mix the levain ingredients and let sit at 21–24°C (70–75°F) until doubled and bubbly (about 4–6 hours).
2. Autolyse
In a large bowl, mix bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water (not salt yet). Let sit covered for 1 hour.
3. Mix Dough
Add ripe levain, salt, and lemon zest to the autolysed dough. Mix by hand or with the stretch and fold method until fully incorporated (about 5–10 minutes). Let rest 20 minutes.
4. Bulk Fermentation with Folds (4–6 hours)
-
Perform 3–4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes.
-
Gently incorporate blueberries during the second fold, spreading them out evenly but carefully to avoid smashing them.
5. Pre-shape & Bench Rest
Once the dough is puffy and aerated, gently shape it into a round or batard. Let it rest on the counter for 20–30 minutes.
6. Final Shape & Cold Proof
Shape the dough tightly, place into a floured banneton (seam side up), cover, and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours).
7. Bake
-
Preheat oven and Dutch oven to 250°C (480°F).
-
Remove dough from the fridge, score the top, and transfer to the hot Dutch oven.
-
Bake:
-
20 minutes with lid on
-
25–30 minutes with lid off, at 230°C (450°F), until deep golden brown.
-
Let it cool at least 1 hour before slicing!
🍞 Tips for Success:
-
Frozen blueberries are less messy to work with.
-
Add a bit of lemon juice (1–2 tsp) for a tangier twist.
-
For extra sweetness, lightly swirl in some honey or maple syrup during shaping.
Would you like a printable version of this or a visual guide with photos?