Description
This Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Sourdough Bread combines the tangy flavor of sourdough with sweet bursts of fresh blueberries, zesty lemon, and smooth cream cheese. The result is a beautifully golden, aromatic loaf perfect for breakfast or a delightful snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup active sourdough starter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1/4 cup honey or sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 cup room temperature cream cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Feed Starter: Feed your sourdough starter at least 8 hours before baking to ensure it is active and bubbly for the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt thoroughly to evenly distribute the salt.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, blend the water, honey (or sugar), lemon zest, and cream cheese until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until no flour remains and the dough comes together.
- Add Blueberries: Gently fold the fresh blueberries into the dough, taking care not to crush them.
- First Rise: Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it rise at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours until it has nearly doubled in size.
- Shape and Second Rise: Turn the dough onto a floured surface, shape it into a round loaf, then place it into a proofing basket to rise further for 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) with a Dutch oven inside to ensure it is thoroughly heated.
- Bake Covered: Carefully transfer the loaf into the preheated Dutch oven, cover it with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes to create steam and a crisp crust.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the lid and bake an additional 15 minutes until the bread is golden brown and crusty.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Make sure your sourdough starter is very active for best rising results.
- Use freshly picked or completely thawed blueberries for the best texture.
- You can substitute honey with sugar if preferred.
- Let the bread cool fully before slicing to avoid a gummy interior.
- Using a Dutch oven traps steam that helps develop a crispy crust.
