Soft Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread

This soft sandwich bread is the best of both worlds. It combines a sourdough product, in this case discard, with a touch of commercial yeast which speeds up the fermentation process. The resulting bread is incredibly flavorful, soft and tender. Perfect for lunch box sandwiches or morning toast.

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This particular bread recipe ticks a lot of appealling boxes for a caregiver. First and foremost, it is very easy to make, even with little helping hands. Secondly, it employs sourdough discard as opposed to “ripe and ready” sourdough starter. No forethought required – simply grab the jar of discard sitting in your refrigerator and put it to good use. Thirdly, this bread can be made and baked all in the same day or stretched out over a couple of days. And lastly, the resulting bread is soft, tender, slightly sweet and incredibly appealing to children – and adults! For those that prefer an all sourdough version, be sure to check out my Soft Sourdough Sandwich Bread, which is also very and delicious.

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS

• – Water. In general, water around 100-110° F is best for recipes that call for some instant yeast because the warmth helps activate the yeast. However, if you want to slow down the fermentation process or you are baking in a very hot and humid environment, you can certainly use cooler water. The bread will just take longer to rise.
• – Sourdough discard. I prefer to bake with discard that is at room temperature as opposed to cold from the fridge. Room temperature ingredients always incorporate better. However, cold discard can be used to slow fermentation down if needed. Just understand that colder ingredients slow down fermentation.
• – Canola oil. Many other oils can be used instead of canola or vegetable oil. Avocado and olive oils work very well, but will impart a little flavor to the bread. Melted and slightly cooled coconut oil or butter can be used.
• – Honey. I love using honey in bread for sweetening. It also contributes to the tender elasticity of the dough. Brown rice syrup can be used instead. The recipe call for 1 1/2 tbsp but you can cut that back to 1 tbsp if you prefer.
• – All purpose or bread flour. I have used both flours successfully in this recipe so feel free to use what you have on hand.
• –Whole wheat flour. If you prefer to leave out the whole wheat flour, you can just use more all purpose or bread flour instead. You can also substitute up to 1/2 of the flour called for in the recipe with whole wheat flour.
• – Instant yeast. Active dry yeast can be used instead of the instant yeast.
• – Sea salt. I prefer fine sea salt because it incorporates easily into the dough.

WHAT IS SOURDOUGH DISCARD AND WHY USE IT?

Sourdough discard is simply the “extra” sourdough starter that is “discarded” when you feed a sourdough starter. Whenever I feed my starter, I discard some of it into a jar that I keep in the refrigerator. That discard will continue to ferment in the fridge, but at a much slower pace.

Sourdough discard can actually impart wonderful flavor to baked goods and even make them more tender! In general, it’s recommended to not keep sourdough discard for longer than 1-2 weeks. The longer it sits, the more acidic it will become. But if you feel your sourdough starter daily, your discard is less likely to taste overly acidic as well. Using sourdough discard is great way to minimize waste and to get some of the benefits of a fermented product in your diet!