Soft Lavender Lemon Sourdough Loaf
A tender and fragrant loaf with gentle floral notes of lavender and the bright zest of lemon, perfect for breakfast with coffee.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 100 g active sourdough starter (bubbly and recently fed)
- 240 g milk (warm, not hot)
- 45 g honey
- 30 g butter (melted and cooled a bit)
- 1 large egg
- 2 pieces lemons (zest of 1 to 2 lemons, typically 2 for extra pop)
- 1 to 2 tsp culinary lavender (start with 1 tsp if you’re unsure)
- 400 g all purpose flour (plus a little for shaping)
- 8 g salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional, only if your lemons are super mild)
Instructions
Preparation
- Infuse the lavender by warming the milk until it’s just warm to the touch. Stir in the lavender and let it sit for 10 minutes. Strain if a smoother crumb is desired.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, warm lavender milk, honey, melted butter, egg, and lemon zest.
- Add flour and salt to the mixture and mix until a shaggy dough forms. It may be sticky at first.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- After resting, perform gentle kneading in the bowl or on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smoother and stretchy.
- Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature until puffy (approximately 4 to 6 hours).
- Lightly flour the counter, press the dough into a rough rectangle, and roll it into a log. Tuck the ends under for a neat appearance.
- Place the shaped dough into a greased small loaf pan and cover. Let it rise until it domes about 1 inch above the rim (2 to 4 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the loaf for 35 to 45 minutes. Tent with foil if it browns too quickly.
- Allow the loaf to cool for at least 45 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Keep lavender light when using for the first time. If you like, brush the warm loaf with a mix of honey and lemon juice for added shine and sweetness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 200mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5g