When I first read this recipe, many years ago, I knew I had to test it. It only took me eight years. But last weekend I finally baked this rosemary sourdough bread. I should point out immediately that it is a bit tedious. The rosemary is not added directly to the dough. First, you have to mix olive oil with fresh rosemary and let it stand for ar least two days, preferably longer. Then you use the oil to flavor the bread. That is probably one reason why it took me so long to test this recipe. I know it’s a poor excuse. But I always forgot to prepare that damn oil.
The Swedish baker Johan Sörberg has created the original recipe. My version of the recipe is almost identical to the original, except that I have ruled out fresh yeast. Instead, I increased the amount of sourdough starter. It meant that I had to increase the fermentation time considerably. I also added som semolina when I formed the bread to get a nice crust.
I let the rosemary sit in the olive oil for two days. It was possible to perceive the taste of rosemary, but just barely. That is the meaning of this recipe. The oil will give a softer, more subtle taste of rosemary than if you had mixed it down directly into the dough. But it was a little bit too subtle for my taste. Next time I will probably go for the longer time, four days. Or maybe a whole week.
I kneaded the dough in a bread mixer, but I think you will get a just as good result if you chose to use a stretch and fold technique. The hydration is about 69%, so the dough is quite easy to handle.
To emulate the original recipe as much as possible, I chose to let the dough rise at room temperature. I don’t think it’s appropriate with longer fermentation in a colder environment. The sour taste you can get may kill the subtle rosemary taste completely. But that’s just what I think. Feel free to do some experimentation.
This bread was almost to my expectations. Slightly more flavor of rosemary and I would have been more than satisfied. But I think that’s easy to adjust with a stronger flavor of the oil. This is a bread that I will bake many times in the future. If I can just remember to prepare that damn oil. We ate it together with lamb and roasted vegetables, and that was a hit. However, I think it goes well with most kinds of food, except breakfast, maybe.
By the way, the oil that is left is excellent as a dressing.
About flour.
The hydration of this dough is about 69%. The flour I used has 11.5-12 % protein. You may have to increase the water amount to get the same result if you are using a much stronger flour.
Rosemary sourdough bread
Ingredients
- 350 gram water
- 450 gram Wheat flour
- 100 gram durum flour
- 40 gram rosemary oil
- 250 gram wheat sourdough starter
- 8 gram cane syrup
- 15 gram sea salt
- 20 gram semolina spread when forming loaves optionally
Rosemary oil
- 1/2 cup rosemary leavs
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
Rosemary oil
- Mix rosemary leaves and olive oil with a hand mixer. Let it stand for at least 2 days. I recommend 4 days or longer.
Rosemary sourdough bread
- Mix all ingredients except salt in a dough mixer until the dough is elastic. Use window pane test. Add the salt the last minutes. If you prefer to knead by hand you can use a stretch and fold technique. You will find a link in the recipe notes.
- Let the dough ferment until doubled in size.
- Spread some semolina on a lightly floured working surface. Form the dough into two loaves with an oblong batard shape. See link in recipe notes. Let the loaves rise in bannetons or on lightly floured parchment paper. Place kitchen towels on the sides to support the bread if you don't use bannetons.
- Let the loaves rise until doubled in size, about 60-90 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 480ºF / 250ºC with two oven plates. One to bake the bread on and one just below.
- Score each loaf along the side and place them in the oven. Lower the heat to 440ºF / 230ºC. Pour some water on the plate below and bake each loaf in 25-35 minutes.
- Let the bread cool on wire racks.
8 Comments
Hello. You might like it breaslkfast as french toast with real maple syrup!
Also, I have two ideas on the rosemary if you forget to soak it in the oil. One is that you can put the stems of rosemary in a coffee mug and pour hot water over it and let it cool to almost tepid before adding it as your water source to the mix. Another idea is just to chop the fresh rosemary with the stems removed very small and just go ahead and add it to the dough. My favorite time to use this method is making pizza dough.
Hello Allison.
First of all, sorry for the late reply. I have been traveling for a couple of days with very limited access to the internet. I didn’t think the flavors from rosemary were soluble in water, but you are actually the second person giving me this advice. Now I just have to give it a try. Adding fresh rosemary into the pizza dough is a must try. I can feel that wonderful taste already. Thanks for the tip.
Firstly, I love how your website has such a clean design 🙂
I have a lot of rosemary in my garden and this is such a lovely way to incorporate it, also sourdough bread is always a winner.
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Rosemary, together with basil and thyme is my favorite herbs. So versatile, and full of flavors. I have to grow my rosemary in clay pots though. It would never survive a Swedish winter, so I have to move it indoors.
I’m so glad you like the design because I try to keep it as clean and free of advertising as possible.
Tomas, I’m going to try using rosemary tea in place of the water to see if it boosts the flavor beyond the oil. Also I am gently heating the oil to infuse it more quickly with the fresh picked rosemary. We will see how it goes!
Hi Kelly,
It sounds like an interesting idea. Please let us know how it turns out.
I have to think there’s about a billion uses for rosemary-infused olive oil. Not to just give you things to do out of the internet, but it really does seem like the sort of thing you’d want hand.
That’s true.
It’s great to drizzle over your salad for example.