Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Loaves
Soft Blueberry Sourdough Bread Recipe (With Sweet Stiff Starter)
February 03, 2023
| Recipe by Bake with Paws
Last Updated on May 9, 2025
By Bake with Paws
Blueberry Soft Sourdough Bread (With Sweet Stiff Starter)
Welcome to Bake with Paws! Today, I’m excited to share my Blueberry Soft Sourdough Bread recipe — a beautiful, soft, and fruity loaf made with a sweet stiff sourdough starter. This recipe creates a tender crumb, subtle sweetness, and juicy bursts of blueberries — perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a special afternoon treat.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the process, share helpful tips, explain why I use a sweet stiff starter, and suggest variations. Let’s bake!
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Soft Sourdough Bread
- Soft, moist crumb: Thanks to the enriched dough and gentle handling, the bread stays soft for days.
- Naturally leavened: Made with a sweet stiff sourdough starter, giving rise without commercial yeast.
- Mild, non-tangy flavor: The sweet starter reduces sourness, making it appealing even to those who don’t usually like sourdough.
- Burst of blueberries: Sweet, juicy blueberries scattered throughout for natural flavor and beauty.
- Better shelf life: The enriched dough and sourdough fermentation help the bread stay fresh longer.
How To Make Bluberry Soft Sourdough Bread
Ingredients You’ll Need (Yields: 1 Loaf)
Sweet Stiff Starter:
56g sourdough starter (100% Hydration), use at its peak to get better result.
172g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
72g water
28g sugar (I used organic light brown sugar)
Main Dough:
130g bread flour (I used Japan High Gluten Flour)
All stiff starter (above)
15g light brown sugar (I used organic brown sugar), please add more sugar if you prefer sweet bread
1 tsp salt (5.7g)
45g cold egg, whisked (from 1 medium egg), balance use for egg wash
45g frozen blueberry (can be replaced with fresh blueberry)
45g milk, cold ((reserve 10g and add in later if needed) *
50g butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
45g dried blueberry, rinse with hot water and let them dry on a kitchen paper towel
Egg Wash: (Optional)
Balance of whisked egg from the above + 1/2 tsp water
Utensil:
450g loaf pan (21.3 X 12.2 X 11.5 cm / 8.4" X 4.8" X 4.5")
* Depends on your flour, because each flour absorbs liquid and hydrates differently. You may also add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time during kneading if the dough is too dry, when you see that the dough doesn't stick to the bottom at all. We want the dough to clear from the sides of the bowl with only a small part of the bottom sticking to the base of the mixer bowl. You should hear a slapping sound of the dough hitting the sides of the mixer bowl.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Sweet Stiff Starter
- In a bowl of stand mixer, dilute starter with water, stir in sugar and add in bread flour. Mix with paddle attachment until well mixed and all come together. It can be done by hand mixing too.
- Cover and let it ferment until tripled. I prepared a night before and leave it in aircond room (approximately 24 - 25C room temperature) overnight until tripled. It took about 8 - 9 hours depending on your starter. It should take around 4 - 6 hours to get triple at room temperature at 28C - 30C.
- You can choose to ferment the starter in a jar or in the mixing bowl. Keeping it in the bowl makes it simpler to take out later, though you'll have to judge its size visually once it peaks.
- Main Dough:
- Put all ingredients (except butter and dried blueberry) into a bowl of stand mixer. I usually torn the stiff starter first.
- Slightly combine the mixture by hand with the paddle attachment before turning on the machine so that the flour will not splash out. Using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed #2 for about a minute or until all incorporated. This step is critical to prevent an uneven mixed dough as the stiff starter is rather hard and a dough hook may not be able to mix it well enough.
- Change to hook attachment and knead for another 3 minutes at low speed #2 (KA) or until the dough comes together. Add in butter and continue knead for 10 minutes at low speed #2 or until reach window pane stage. The whole kneading process, I stopped few times to scrape down the dough from the hook to be sure it is evenly kneaded and also to prevent the motor from overheating.
- Add in dried blueberry and continue kneading for about 1 -2 minute until the raisins evenly mix in the dough.
- 1st Proofing/Resting:
- In the same bowl, let the dough rest for 30 - 60 minutes. Keep it covered with clingfilm or use a lid. This dough I rested for 45 minutes at 29C - 30C room temperature and the dough rose slightly in 45 minutes.
- Shaping:
- Transfer the dough to a clean floured or slightly oiled surface then divide into 2 or 3 equal portions. Please use a kitchen scale if you want to be exact. This recipe is good for buns too.
- Form each portion to a ball. Flatten with rolling pin.
- Fold right to centre and fold left overlap it. Roll out with rolling pin into long rectangle shape. Roll up the dough like Swiss Roll until a small log is formed.
- Place all dough in the prepared loaf pan.
- Final Proofing :
- Let it proof in a warm place until the dough reaches about 1 cm below the height of the pan. This one took approximately 3 hours at room temperature of 29C - 30C. The duration of proofing depends on your ambient temperature and starter.
- Baking:
- Preheat oven at 180C - 200C (top & bottom heat) for 15 minutes.
- Brush with egg wash (optional) and bake in a preheated oven for about 30 - 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove bread from oven and let them cool on rack completely before slicing.
Sweet Stiff Starter
Main Dough
Key Tips for a Soft, Fluffy Bread
- Sourdough Starter:
- A healthy starter is essential for successful bread baking. To ensure your bread rises well, it's important to feed your starter regularly and use it (the levain) at its peak. A consistently fed starter will be more active and reliable. If the mother starter isn’t strong, the dough may still struggle to rise properly, even if the levain is used at its peak. For more information, click the links: "How To Make Sourdough Starter" and "Sourdough Maintenance".
- Gluten Development:
- Essential for soft, airy bread, gluten is created when flour hydrates. To develop it, use techniques like autolyse or kneading. The windowpane test checks readiness—dough should stretch thin without tearing. From my experience, high hydration dough with high percentage of fat will be easy to stretch and achieve a paper thin windowpane stage.
- Kneading:
- Please regard the timing provided as an indication only. It is only meant as a guide. Times vary by flour and mixer type. For higher fat dough, knead longer (18–20 minutes).
- Flour & Hydration:
- Use high-gluten flour for optimal texture. Always reserve some liquid to adjust dough consistency for best results. If dough is too dry, add the reserve liquid one tablespoon at a time until the right consistency.
- Dough Temperature:
- Maintaining the right dough temperature during kneading is crucial for a fine crumb. If the dough becomes too warm, the crumb will become too big and uneven. To prevent this, use cold water, milk, or eggs, and chill your mixing bowl or hook attachment in the freezer. Knead at low speeds, and if your kitchen is warm, rest the dough in a cooler spot. Proper dough temperature ensures a soft, fluffy bread with a fine, even crumb.
- Proofing:
- Proofing time depends on your environment. Use the finger poke test to gauge readiness. To check dough readiness, lightly press the side with your finger:
- If it bounces back instantly, it’s under-proofed and needs more time.
- If the indentation stays, it’s over-proofed.
- If the indentation slowly bounces back, it’s ready to bake.
- There’s also a final rise called oven spring when the dough bakes, which adds to the bread’s height.
- Wrinkle Top or Shrinking:
- If your bread collapses or develops wrinkles on top after baking, it might be over-proofed during the second rise. Aim for the dough to rise to 80-90% of its final size or just below the rim of the pan to prevent this. Over-proofing leads to weaker structure, causing the bread to lose shape.
- Baking & Oven Temperarate:
- Do also note that the baking temperature and timing provided are what works for my oven and should also be regarded as a guide only. Every oven behaves a little differently, so please adjust accordingly for your oven.
Storage Tips
-
Room temperature: Keep in an airtight bag or container for up to 3 days.
-
Freeze: Wrap slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the oven.
Variations and Add-Ins
✨ Swap blueberries for raspberries or chopped strawberries.
✨ Add lemon zest for a fresh, citrusy note.
✨ Mix in white chocolate chips for a dessert-like loaf.
✨ Shape into dinner rolls or a festive braid.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I make this bread without a stiff starter?
A: Yes, but the result may be slightly more tangy. You can use a liquid levain, but reduce the hydration in the main dough slightly.
Q: Why is my dough so sticky?
A: Sticky dough can also be caused by using flour with lower protein content, adding too much liquid, or not kneading enough to develop the gluten. Make sure to measure ingredients accurately, use bread flour for better structure, and knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic before adding the blueberries.
Q: Can I make this with whole wheat flour?
A: You can substitute up to 30% of the bread flour with whole wheat flour. Add a touch more milk if the dough feels dry.
Troubleshooting
-
Dough too wet after adding berries: Add 1–2 tablespoons of flour if needed.
-
Bread too dense: Check starter activity and proofing time; underproofing often causes dense bread.
Dough too sticky: Use bread flour, knead well, and handle with floured or oiled hands.
- Uneven blueberry distribution: Fold the berries evenly into the dough during shaping.
-
Flat loaf or poor oven spring: Starter may not be at peak activity, or the dough may be overproofed.
Why This Recipe Works
The combination of a sweet stiff starter, enriched dough, and gentle handling creates a beautifully soft loaf with great shelf life and flavor. By controlling fermentation and hydration, we achieve a bread that’s light, tender, and packed with berry goodness.
More Sourdough Recipes You’ll Love
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Final Thoughts
I hope you’ll love this Blueberry Soft Sourdough Bread as much as I do! It’s a stunning loaf that combines the best of sourdough baking with the ease and softness of enriched bread. If you try this recipe, tag me on Instagram @Bakewithpaws or leave a comment below — I’d love to see your creations!
Labels:
Breads (Sourdough) - Soft Loaves,
Can i use discard for this recipe?
ReplyDeleteThanks for interest in this recipe. I normally don't encourage using sourdough discard to build sweet stiff starter unless your discard is very healthy and active.
DeleteCheers :)
Thank's so much
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such a beautiful recipe. I see in your ingredients list that there is 45g frozen blueberries and another 45g dried blueberries. In your method, only the dried ones were used. Is this a duplicate? Can I still use fresh berries?
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing such a beautiful recipe. Your ingredients list has 45g of frozen blueberries as well as 45g dried blueberries but only one is used in the method. Please clarify.
ReplyDeleteHi, You are most welcome. Thank you for the clarification.
DeletePlease refer to:
2. Method.
1.Put all ingredients (except butter and dried blueberry) into a bowl of stand mixer.
All ingredients mean including the frozen blueberry.
I hope the above is clear.
Clear and happy baking:)
it’s still soft n taste good . But When pull the baked loaf apart mine is like with lots of tiny holes (mini crumb shot) and not long layer strand? What went wrong ?
ReplyDeleteHi, thank you for trying and your feedback. It could be the flour you used. Some flours do not produce with good gluten. Did you knead till you get the thin window pane like mine?
DeleteWhen not enough gluten form the texture will be crumbly instead of long strand.
Cheers :)