How to Identify Good Sourdough Bread (2024)

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    When it comes to breads, #SourdoughBread is the real star right now. Everybody wants a piece of it! If you’re not baking sourdough bread, you’re buying it, hash-tagging it or talking about it. Sourdough bread has ‘risen’ to prominence because of its nutritional value. Theobroma’s very own wheat sourdough loaf is a treat to eat. Crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside, our sourdough loaf is the gold standard of high-quality sourdough bread. If you’re a sourdough fan, or keen on becoming one, you must know how to identify good-quality sourdough bread. And that’s because there are a lot of low-quality breads in the market. Inferior breads lack the nutritional value high-quality breads offer. Read on to find out the obvious and not-so-obvious markers of good-quality sourdough bread.

    Here are some of the tastiest types of croissant fillings you can try out:

    Commercial sourdough bread

    Unfortunately, most commercially available sourdough loaves are not of the best quality. Since there are no regulations on ingredients, commercial bakeries often take the liberty of adding unhealthy ingredients like oil and yeast in a bid to bake more bread by minimising the time taken for proofing (allowing the dough to rest and rise before baking).
    All good things take time and the process used to make high-quality sourdough bread is a time-consuming one. There are a few key components that are needed to bake the perfect sourdough bread. These are fresh flour, water, salt, and a natural starter (leaven or levain).
    Real sourdough bread is made without the use of commercial yeast or any other commercially available leavening agent. Leavening agents make bread rise when it is baked. The leavening agent or preferment used in real sourdough bread is a natural starter. This natural starter is nothing but a pre-fermented mixture of flour, water, and salt.
    The natural starter is fed into a fresh mixture of flour, water, and salt and is then kneaded to perfection. At Theobroma, this is the process we follow to make our wheat sourdough loaf. If you wish to know how to identify a good sourdough bread, look at the packaging label to see whether the manufacturer has used a natural starter or not.

    Importance of the ‘au naturel’ starter

    The natural starter used to make sourdough bread is allowed to ferment in the bread dough so that wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria present in the atmosphere can multiply within it. Think of this yeast and bacteria as Fairy Godmothers, who weave their magic on the bread and convert gluten into acids and sugars that give the bread it’s signature tangy taste.
    The acids in the sourdough mixture also keep the bread free of harmful microbes, making the bread safer and healthier for consumption. Yeast, on the other hand, is responsible for giving sourdough bread its fluffy and bubbly texture.

    3 pointers to identify authentic sourdough bread

    According to renowned microbiologist Marco Gobbetti, there are 3 main factors that can be used in the identification of good sourdough bread. For one, you should buy bread that is replete with wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, a.k.a. The Fairy Godmothers. Secondly, there should be approximately 100 lactic acid bacteria cells for every yeast cell present in the sourdough mixture. (If this ratio is off, it tells you that the manufacturer has used commercial yeast). Thirdly, there should be four-parts acetic acid and one-part lactic acid in the bread.

    Layman’s guide to spotting fake sourdough bread

    If you find Gobbetti’s 3 pointers too cumbersome to follow, here are six factors that will help you easily differentiate between real sourdough bread and the so-called ‘sourfaux’ (fake sourdough) bread.

    Simple ingredients

    Simplicity is a virtue, and a marker of good sourdough bread. The bread should only have Flour, Water, Salt, and Starter (also referred to as Culture on some labels). While the first three are the basic ingredients, the Starter or Culture should be the natural starter used to leaven (raise) the dough. Apart from a natural starter, at Theobroma, we use whole wheat flour to boost the nutritional value and fiber content of our sourdough loaves.

    No commercial yeast

    Real sourdough bread will never contain commercial yeast since it suppresses the natural fermentation process of flour. This eliminates the important health benefits of sourdough bread like easy digestion.

    No sweetener

    Since commercial yeast is not used in real sourdough bread, it does not require sweeteners that are generally used to activate commercial yeast. If the ingredients list of the bread contains sweeteners, it may not be real sourdough bread.

    Short expiry period

    One of the easiest pointers on how to identify a real sourdough bread is the short expiry period. If the bread you purchase has a shelf life of a few weeks or even months, it is not real sourdough bread.

    Crisp crust

    Real sourdough bread is also characterised by a crisp crust that gives off a slightly smoky and roasted aroma. Moreover, the crust of real sourdough bread is usually thin and airy and makes a distinctive crackling sound when the bread is broken in half. The inside of the bread should be bubbly and chewy and the bread should have a slightly tangy taste.

    Other distinguishable factors

    Real sourdough bread does not contain additives like oil, milk, corn, and dough conditioners. It is made with whole grains and is generally more expensive than regular bread.

    Based on these pointers, identification of good sourdough bread should now become easier. Real sourdough bread is a prebiotic, and therefore aids digestion as well as your immunity. At Theobroma, we only offer authentic, artisanal sourdough bread. Shop for our wheat sourdough loaf online to eat healthy and also keep your social media game on point!

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    How to Identify Good Sourdough Bread (2024)

    FAQs

    How to Identify Good Sourdough Bread? ›

    Moreover, the crust of real sourdough bread is usually thin and airy and makes a distinctive crackling sound when the bread is broken in half. The inside of the bread should be bubbly and chewy and the bread should have a slightly tangy taste.

    How to identify good sourdough bread? ›

    Moreover, the crust of real sourdough bread is usually thin and airy and makes a distinctive crackling sound when the bread is broken in half. The inside of the bread should be bubbly and chewy and the bread should have a slightly tangy taste.

    How do you know if sourdough is strong enough? ›

    How do I know when my sourdough starter is ready?
    1. Frothy on top = ready! ...
    2. Starter, flour and water just stirred together. ...
    3. Wheat sourdough starter 24 hours after new flour and water added. ...
    4. If it floats, it's ready to use. ...
    5. If it sinks it is not ready to use OR it's past it's peak.

    What good sourdough looks like? ›

    The outer crust of your sourdough bread should be crispy, crackly, and have a glossy, caramelized brown finish. The key to achieving a healthy crust is getting sufficient steam while baking, as it keeps the outer crust moist while the inside cooks.

    How do you know if bread has proved enough? ›

    Feel: Bread dough that has successfully risen/proofed will spring back slowly when poked and leave an indent. If it snaps back too quickly, it needs more time.

    What should a good sourdough taste like? ›

    The sourness can vary, with some loaves having a more pronounced tang, while others may lean towards a milder, well-balanced flavor. The fermentation process contributes depth, and the crust often offers a delightful contrast, providing a slightly bitter note.

    How do you know if sourdough is fermented enough? ›

    Under fermented bread will not spring up in the oven. It's dense, gummy and often pale (depending on the degree of under fermentation). Dough that has not been bulk fermented long enough will also be difficult to shape, sticky and will often spread once tipped out the banneton. Good sourdough takes time!

    What is the finger poke test for sourdough bread? ›

    Gently press your finger into the dough on the top. If the dough springs back quickly, it's underproofed. If it springs back very slowly, it's properly proofed and ready to bake. Finally, if it never springs back, the dough is overproofed.

    What should sourdough look like when done? ›

    A soft, airy interior (the texture depends on the recipe, but should never be dense, gummy, or overly chewy) Even crumb when the bread is sliced. This refers to “the holes” you see once the bread is cut. There shouldn't be any parts with big holes and others that look squished.

    What should active sourdough look like? ›

    Generally, when a starter is ripe, it has risen, is bubbly on top, has a sour aroma, and has a looser consistency.

    What is proper sourdough bread? ›

    Sourdough is naturally leavened bread, which means it doesn't use commercial yeast to rise. Instead, it uses a 'starter' – a fermented flour and water mixture that contains wild yeast and good bacteria – to rise. This also produces the tangy flavour and slightly chewy texture you'll find in sourdough.

    What is the perfect sourdough consistency? ›

    Basically it's about the consistency of the sourdough dough itself. From what the book says(The Bread Baker's Apprentice) the dough should be firm but tacky. Mine is always very firm, but not at all tacky.

    What does overproofed sourdough look like? ›

    Note: As loaves begin to overproof they lose their height and shape. The crumb becomes more dense. The holes become more ragged and irregular in shape. The crust begins to thin and separate from the crumb.

    How to know sourdough is proofed? ›

    With the “poke test” you put some flour on your finger and poke the dough. If it springs back immediately, it needs more time. If it slowly springs back about halfway it is ready to bake. If it does not spring back it is overproofing and should be bake right away.

    How to tell when sourdough is done baking? ›

    Tap the Bottom

    Give the bottom of the loaf a couple firm taps with your thumb. The bread will sound hollow when it's done.

    How do you pick healthy sourdough bread? ›

    When choosing a sourdough loaf, look for ones that have whole wheat, spelt or rye, Rizzo adds. Some studies suggest that Einkhorn wheat, a type of "ancient grain," may offer more nutritional benefits. When comparing nutrition labels, try to opt for the one with fewer ingredients and less sodium and sugar.

    Is store-bought sourdough actually sourdough? ›

    Supermarket sourdough is often sourfaux – here's how to make the real thing. Mass-produced sourdough has been found to be adulterated with everything from vinegar to commercial yeast. Why not bake your own?

    Is Panera sourdough bread real sourdough? ›

    Much like Panera's lackluster rewards program, Panera's sourdough is similarly disappointing -- it isn't real sourdough. Sourdough is the oldest enduring type of bread.

    Is supermarket sourdough real sourdough? ›

    It may have been fermented for longer than standard bread but that does not make it a sourdough. A sourdough is a bread leavened with a sourdough culture, which comprises wild yeasts and lactobacilli bacteria.

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