Lavender & Berry Sourdough

Experience the whimsical elegance of the Honey, Lavender & Freeze-Dried Fruit Sourdough loaf, a delightful blend of floral aromas and subtle sweetness. Perfectly paired with Earl Grey or espresso, this artisanal bread is a luxurious treat for any time of day.

Note that this loaf takes around 24-30 hours from mixing the dough!

Recipe Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this aromatic loaf.

Sourdough starter – You should use active (bubbly and peaked) sourdough starter for this recipe

Water - Tap water works just fine!

Honey - Pure wildflower honey brings a subtle, complex floral sweetness that complements the sourdough tang and helps create a beautifully caramelized, golden crust.

White Bread Flour - A high-protein white bread flour (around 12–14% protein) gives this loaf the structural strength it needs to support the inclusions while holding a tall, open crumb and airy oven spring.

Fine Sea Salt - Regulates fermentation, strengthens the gluten matrix, and balances the natural sweetness of the honey and berries.

Mixed Freeze-Dried Fruit - Freeze-dried berries (like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries) work best here because they rehydrate inside the dough during fermentation by absorbing moisture from the surrounding crumb without making the dough soggy or bleeding excessive liquid.

Culinary Lavender Flowers - Be sure to use food-grade/culinary dried lavender buds. A little goes a long way—just 2 grams imparts a fragrant herbal aroma without overpowering the loaf or tasting soapy.

 

Tools & Equipment

  • Digital Kitchen Scale: Weighing in grams is essential for precision and consistent hydration.

  • Large Mixing Bowl & Dough Whisk: For easily combining your wet ingredients and bringing the shaggy dough together.

  • Bench Scraper: Helps handle the dough cleanly and build exterior surface tension during final shaping.

  • Banneton Proofing Basket: A round boule or oval batard basket dusted with rice flour to support the loaf during its cold retard.

  • Bread Lame / Razor Blade: For clean, precise scoring before the loaf hits the oven.

  • Dutch Oven or Heavy Bread Cloche: Traps steam during the first part of the bake to maximize oven spring and create a crisp, blistered crust.

  • Parchment Paper: Makes transferring the loaf into the hot Dutch oven safe and effortless.

  • Wire Cooling Rack: Allows air to circulate completely around the base so the bottom crust stays crisp while the loaf cools.

Lavender & Berry Sourdough

Rachel Pardoe

Servings

10

Prep Time

1 hours

Cook Time

45 minutes

Calories

204

Cuisine

Bread

Category

Breakfast

Experience the whimsical elegance of the Honey, Lavender & Freeze-Dried Fruit Sourdough loaf, a delightful blend of floral aromas and subtle sweetness. Perfectly paired with Earl Grey or espresso, this artisanal bread is a luxurious treat for any time of day.

 

Lavender & Berry Sourdough

Ingredients

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    • 500 g white bread flour

    • 380 g water, room temperature

    • 90 g active sourdough starter

    • 45 g honey

    • 10 g fine sea salt

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    • 35 g mixed freeze-dried fruit

    • 2 g culinary lavender flowers

    Directions

    1. In a large bowl, whisk together the water, active sourdough starter, and honey until dissolved. Add the white bread flour and fine sea salt, mixing until no dry pockets remain and a shaggy dough forms. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

    2. Perform your first set of standard stretch and folds around the edges of the bowl to build initial dough strength. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

    3. Pour the freeze-dried fruit and lavender on top of the dough and perform coil folds to gently incorporate the inclusions into the dough.

    4. Complete 3 more sets of coil folds spaced 30-45 minutes apart, handling the dough carefully to keep the fruit intact. Let the dough rest undisturbed until it has roughly doubled in size and feels aerated and soft.

    5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a round boule or oval batard, creating surface tension. Place seam-side up into a rice-flour dusted banneton, cover, and place in the refrigerator for an overnight cold proof (8–12 hours).

    6. The next morning, preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) with your Dutch oven or bread cloche inside for 45–60 minutes. Turn the chilled dough out onto parchment paper, dust lightly with rice flour, and score with a sharp lame.

    7. Bake for 35 minutes, covered. Remove the lid and bake uncovered for 8 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden and the internal temperature reaches 195°F (90°C).

    8. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let rest for 60 minutes before slicing.
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