Sourdough Strawberry White Chocolate Bread (Printable version)
Tender sourdough loaf combining tangy fermented dough with fresh strawberries and creamy white chocolate chunks
# What You'll Need:
→ Sourdough Starter & Wet Ingredients
01 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly
02 - 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
06 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
10 - 1/2 tsp baking soda
→ Add-ins
11 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
12 - 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together the sourdough starter, lukewarm milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until smooth and fully incorporated.
02 - In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda until evenly distributed.
03 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently with a spatula until just combined. Take care not to overmix as this can result in a dense texture.
04 - Gently fold in the diced strawberries and white chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
05 - Cover the bowl and let the batter rest at room temperature for 3–4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, to allow proper fermentation and flavor development.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
07 - Give the rested batter a gentle stir to recombine, then scrape it into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula for even baking.
08 - Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is deep golden brown.
09 - Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The tangy depth from fermented starter balances the sweet add-ins perfectly, so every bite feels sophisticated yet comfortingly familiar
- It is one of those rare treats that works equally well for lazy weekend brunches or dressed-up dessert plates
02 -
- Overmixing the batter once the flour is added will make the bread tough, so stop as soon as the dry ingredients disappear
- The rest period is nonnegotiable, it allows the sourdough to work its magic and develop those characteristic fermented notes
03 -
- If you only have frozen strawberries, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in to prevent them from sinking to the bottom
- Letting the batter rest overnight in the refrigerator intensifies the sourdough flavor and makes for an even more tender crumb