The Prayer Porch

Tag: Sandwich bread

  • Simple Sourdough Sandwich Bread

    Simple Sourdough Sandwich Bread

    There is something deeply comforting about working a small bowl of dough with your hands, watching it come together slowly and patiently. Sourdough has a way of slowing us down – of inviting us to breathe, to soften, to remember that good things often rise in their own time.

    On the Prayer Porch, we often talk about the holiness of simple things: light on a windowsill, a warm mug between your hands, a loaf of bread cooling on the counter. Bread feels like a small miracle – flour, water, and salt turning into something nourishing, warm, and shared.

    And maybe that’s why making sourdough feels like prayer.
    It teaches patience.
    It invites trust.
    It reminds us that rest, waiting, and quiet growth are not wasted time.

    If you’re longing for something simple and grounding to bake this week, here is a gentle sourdough loaf you can make in a bread pan, perfect for sandwiches.

    Ingredients

    • 100g active sourdough starter
    • 360g warm filtered water
    • 400g all-purpose flour + 100g oat flour
    • 10g salt
    • Bread pan (optional but recommended):

    Prepare the Dough

    1. In a large bowl, add 100g active sourdough starter.
    2. Add 360g warm filtered water and stir until dissolved.
    3. Add 500g flour and 10g salt. Mix with your hands until no dry pockets remain.
    4. Cover the bowl with a cloth and rest for 1 hour.
    5. Perform 4 rounds of stretch-and-folds, every 30 minutes.
    6. After the fourth round, cover and let it bulk ferment on the counter for about 2 hours, or until the dough has risen 50–75%. (Warmer homes may rise faster.)

    Shaping

    1. Lightly flour the counter.
    2. Shape the dough into a rectangle. Fold one side toward the center, then the other, and roll it up into a loose ball. Tighten the shape gently by pulling the dough toward you in a circular motion 3–4 times.
      Let rest 30 minutes.
    3. Repeat the shaping one more time.
      Place the dough seam-side up into a loaf pan dusted with white rice flour.

    Proofing

    1. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours to cold-proof.

    Baking

    1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
    2. Bake covered for 35 minutes.
    3. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
    4. Remove from the pan and let cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

    A Prayer as the Bread Rises

    Lord,
    Teach us to trust the slow work of rising.
    Help us to rest when we are tempted to rush,
    to soften when life feels hard,
    and to remember that small, quiet growth is still growth.
    Bless the hands who bake,
    the home this bread fills,
    and the hearts gathered around the table.
    Amen.