Sourdough Loaf with Caramelized Onion and Gouda
There is something very satisfying about baking sourdough bread. The slow fermentation, the tangy aroma and that perfectly blistered crust. Adding caramelized onions and butty melty gouda cheese makes turns your sourdough loaf into something truly amazing.
A flavor combination that works
Sourdough on its own brings a subtle tangy flavor with a chewy and soft crumb. When you add caramelized onions you add a deep and rich sweetness that compliments the flavor of true sourdough. Cooking the onions low and slow create something that melts into the bread.
Adding gouda cheese takes this loaf and elevates it even more. Gouda is known for is creamy texture and slightly nutty taste. By adding this to your loaf with the onions, you create little pockets of savory richness.
TOOLS YOU’LL NEED
Get my Sourdough Loaf with Caramelized Onion and Gouda Recipe below:
Sourdough Loaf with Caramelized Onion and Gouda
Ingredients
- 625 grams white bread flour about 4 cups
- 100 grams active sourdough starter about 1 cup
- 10 grams salt about 1 3/4 teaspoon
- 450 gram water about 1 1/2 cup
Inclusions
- 1 large sweet onion sliced thin
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup gouda cheese cut into small cubes or grated
Instructions
- Take your sourdough start, water, and flour and put them in a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or dough spoon to mix the ingredients together.
- It will begin to be too sticky and dense to manage with a spoon. Mix with your hand until it is completely combined. Let this sit for one hour. This is the autolyse stage. Once the hour has passed you will add the salt and let it sit another 30 minutes.
- Now you will do your first stretch and fold or coil fold. There are two different options. You can stretch and fold which means you pull the dough up from one corner and stretch it and then fold it over the top fo the dough, rotate and do the same action 4 times for the dough.Coil fold is where you lift the dough from underneath with two hands, pulling the dough up and then folding it down in half on itself as you let it back down. I You then rotate the bowl and repeat this 3 more times rotating the bowl each time.`
- Let the dough rest another 30 minutes and repeat the coil fold or stretch and fold. (having wet hands makes this so much easier)
- Repeat this 3 -4 more times. You can do it up to 6 times.
- Once you are at this point you will notice the dough has a very different texture and should be very jiggly.
- Once it had doubled in size, its time to shape your dough and prepare it for the fridge! This will make one large loaf or two smaller loaves. This could take anywhere from 3-8 hours to bulk ferment.
- While your dough is fermenting you can caramelize your onions. Turn your skillet on medium-low heat on the stove and add the butter and sliced onions. Slowly caramelize the onions for about 30 minutes. Stir often to get an even caramelization. Once the onions are cooked, place them in the fridge and let them cool prior to adding them to the dough.
- When you are ready to shape your dough prior to baking, gently stretch your dough into a rectangle shape appx 12 by 18 inches. Spread about half of the onions across the entire surface. Sprinkle about half of your cheese across the surface as well. Now fold over 1/3 of the dough, like a letter. Add more onion and cheese. Now fold the other 1/3 over. If you have any more onions or cheese you can add them here. Now roll up the dough, pinch the sides and carefully shape it into a ball.
- Its time to get a bowl ready. You can use a regular large mixing bowl, but it is recommended to use a bread banneton proofing basket.
- If you use a bowl, line it with a towel, and flour the towel heavily to prevent the dough from sticking. I like to use rice flour for this because it tends to not absorb into the dough.
- If you use a bread banneton basket, flour it as well.
- Take the dough and lift it up, flip it over and put the finished side of the dough down into the bowl or banneton. Cover with plastic wrap and use a rubber band to secure the plastic wrap around the bowl.
- Put the bowl in the fridge and let it sit in there for at least 12 hours. You can go as far as 24 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, let the oven preheat to 450 degrees while this is happening. Put your dutch oven in the oven to preheat with the oven. You want your pan to be hot.
- Lay out some parchment paper, and take the dough gently out of the bowl and flip it over so the smooth side of the dough is on top. Lay it on the parchment paper
- Cut some slits or designs in the dough to allow for more of a rise. Make sure to cut a long deep cut across the length of the dough, either in the middle or to one side. You can use a scoring lame or a sharp knife.
- Immediately take your hot dutch oven out of the oven and take hold of the parchment paper with the dough. Put it inside the dutch oven and carefully place the lid on and put it in the oven to bake.
- If you want, you can add a couple ice cubes on the outside of the parchment paper between the pan and the paper. This will give the crust a bubbly surface and allow more of a rise!
- Bake the dough for 35 minutes. Check around 30 minutes and see if it is done. Tap it, it should feel hollow. You can take the top off of the pan and let it bake if the top is not golden brown. Cook with the top off for another 15-20 minutes.*If you make two smaller loaves your baking time will be less.
- Take it out of the oven when it is done and let it cool completely on a rack before cutting.
Nutrition
This bread is all about patience and layering flavors. Adding inclusions to your sourdough is always an extra step, but it is one worth doing.
The key is to not overwork it. You want ribbons and pockets of jammy onions and creamy gouda cheese. This is why you will fold it into the dough just prior to shaping your loaf.
The depth of flavor in this finished loaf is truly astounding. When you remove your loaf fro the oven you want to let it cool to room temperature before cutting.
The crust is deeply golden brown white the inside is soft and dotted with savory-sweet bites.
This bread is perfect all by itself but imagine toasting a slice with some butter, or making an incredible grilled cheese sandwich to enjoy along side a soup or stew.
Tips & Tricks
- Take your time with the onions: Low heat and patience create that deep caramlized flavor.
- Make sure to cool your inclusions: Warm onions and cheese will disrupt the fermentation process as well as make a melty mess.
- Do not overfill the dough: Too many inclusions and overload the dough and may effect the rise of the loaf.
- Try other cheeses: Try a smoked gouda, or a swiss cheese would be amazing here too! You can also add herbs such as thyme to this bread as it is reminiscent of French onion soup.
Whether you are a novice or an expert at sourdough, its always fun to try something new. This is the perfect loaf to try!
MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST TO SEE ALL THE GREAT THINGS I AM SHARING!
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
