Soft & Airy High-Hydration Sourdough Whey Bread
- AI Kitchen
- 2 days ago
- 12 min read
This bakery-style sourdough bread has a tender crumb, crisp crust, and subtle aroma thanks to high hydration and protein-rich vanilla whey. Perfect for slicing, toasting, or dipping in olive oil.
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Also check out this cool Sourdough Bread Baking Supplies kit.
Recipe
Servings: 12 slices
Calories per serving: 165 kcal
Total time: 7.5 hours (includes proofing and baking time)
Soft & Airy High-Hydration Sourdough Whey BreadIngredients:
Instructions:1. 7:30 AM — Autolyse In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and vanilla whey. Mix until fully hydrated with no dry flour. The dough will be sticky and shaggy — perfect. Cover and rest for 45 minutes. 2. 8:15 AM — Add Starter, Salt, and Butter Add the sourdough starter, salt, and softened butter. Mix thoroughly using your hands, pinching and folding the dough until well incorporated. 3. 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM — Bulk Fermentation with Stretch and Folds Perform 5 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes:
Use wet hands. Each fold will strengthen the dough. After the final fold, let the dough rest undisturbed for 30 minutes. 4. 11:00 AM — Pre-shape Gently turn the dough onto a floured surface. Lightly shape into a round ball. Let it rest uncovered for 30 minutes. 5. 11:30 AM — Final Shape & Proof Shape the dough into a taut ball or batard. Place it seam-side up in a floured proofing basket or towel-lined bowl. Cover and let proof at room temperature for about 2 hours. 6. 1:30 PM — Preheat Oven Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C). Place a Dutch oven inside while preheating. 7. 2:00 PM — Bake Turn the dough out onto parchment paper, score it, and transfer into the hot Dutch oven. Bake:
8. 3:00 PM — Cool Remove from Dutch oven. Let cool completely on a wire rack (at least 1 hour) before slicing. Nutritional Information (Per Slice):
Storage Instructions:
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Prompt
I had whey from the vanilla yogurt I made so I wanted to put it to good use. I asked ChatGPT to help with some ideas:
What can I make with whey? It's leftovers from slightly sweetened vanilla yogurt making. Give me a few ideas.It provided a nice list:
You have a wonderful ingredient on your hands — whey from slightly sweetened vanilla yogurt is both nutritious and surprisingly versatile! It’s like having a subtle, sweet, protein-rich liquid gold you can work into all sorts of recipes. Here are a few ideas you might like: 1. Baking Booster: Use the whey in place of water or milk in baked goods like pancakes, muffins, waffles, or quick breads. It adds a mild tang and a gentle depth, similar to what buttermilk does in recipes. For instance, imagine vanilla whey waffles — lightly sweet, tender inside, and golden crisp outside. 2. Smoothies and Protein Shakes: Since your whey is slightly sweet and vanilla-flavored, it would blend beautifully into smoothies. Think of it as a ready-made upgrade to plain milk — great with fruits like strawberries, bananas, or even a tropical blend with pineapple and mango. 3. Oatmeal or Porridge Base: Swap the water for whey when cooking oats or other grains. The natural sweetness will subtly flavor the oats without needing extra sugar. It’s a cozy, nutritious breakfast, much like slow-cooked oatmeal but with a little extra character. 4. Homemade Bread: Bread dough loves whey! It not only improves flavor but also helps with browning the crust. Try using whey instead of water when making a soft sandwich loaf or rustic artisan bread — you’ll notice a delicate flavor enhancement without much extra effort. 5. Popsicles or Frozen Treats: Turn the whey into popsicles by blending it with a bit of fruit purée or a splash of citrus juice. Freeze them in molds for a light and refreshing dessert — think of it like making a healthier, natural fruit ice pop. 6. Soup or Broth Enhancer: Although slightly sweet, vanilla whey can still work in certain creamy soups — especially carrot, sweet potato, or squash-based ones — where a hint of sweetness complements the dish naturally, much like adding a touch of cream or coconut milk would. 7. Overnight Oats or Chia Pudding: Use the whey to soak oats or chia seeds overnight. Its subtle vanilla flavor will infuse the whole mixture, giving you a convenient, grab-and-go breakfast that’s a bit more exciting than just plain milk or water. If you want, I can also suggest a specific recipe using your vanilla whey — like a small-batch vanilla whey muffin or a fruity whey smoothie. Would you like one? |
It said bread. When I hear bread, I think sourdough. Here's how I made Soft & Airy High-Hydration Sourdough Whey Bread. I asked:
I want a sourdough whey bread recipeIt provided:
Perfect — sourdough and whey go beautifully together! I'll give you a clear Sourdough Whey Bread recipe using your slightly sweet vanilla whey. I'll balance it so the sweetness from the whey doesn't overpower — it will end up as a mildly flavored, beautifully tender bread. Here's a full recipe: Sourdough Whey Bread (using slightly sweet vanilla whey)Ingredients:
Instructions:1. Mix Dough (Autolyse Phase):In a large bowl, combine the flour and whey. Stir just until no dry spots remain. Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 30–45 minutes. This helps hydrate the flour. 2. Add Starter and Salt: Add the sourdough starter and salt to the dough. Mix until fully incorporated. (You can knead by hand for 2–3 minutes or stretch and fold the dough in the bowl.) 3. Bulk Fermentation (First Rise):
4. Pre-shape and Rest: Lightly flour your counter. Turn the dough out, shape it into a round ball (boule) or oval (batard).Let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes. 5. Final Shape and Proof: Shape it again, tighter this time, and place it seam-side up in a well-floured proofing basket (or a bowl lined with a floured towel).Cover and proof for:
6. Preheat Oven: Place a Dutch oven (or heavy lidded pot) inside your oven. Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) for at least 30 minutes before baking. 7. Bake:
8. Cool: Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing (resist the urge — it finishes cooking as it cools!). Notes:
Nutrition Estimate (per slice, assuming 12 slices):
Would you also like me to suggest a "serving idea" (like a flavored butter or topping) to match the vanilla-whey bread? I can also suggest a second version if you want a sandwich-style loaf instead of a rustic boule. |
I was a little concerned because autolyse last time turned out to be super stiff. I asked:
In step 1, will I end up with a stiff clump?It explained:
Good question — and you're right to ask. In Step 1 (mixing just flour and whey), yes, the dough will be a little rough and shaggy, but you should not have a stiff clump. It should look hydrated but lumpy, sort of like this:
If it feels stiff — like it's resisting mixing or forming a tight ball without effort — then you should add a splash (maybe 10–20g) more whey to loosen it up. The key is: at this stage, you want it soft, not a tight dough yet. The stretch-and-folds later will smooth it out and develop gluten properly. If you want a visual guide: Imagine the texture somewhere between:
Would you like me to also suggest an "optional visual test" you can do after autolyse to be extra sure you're on track? (Takes 10 seconds.) |
I wanted to learn more about autolyse:
Why not also add the starter during that phase?ChatGPT explained the logic:
You can add the starter during the autolyse — some bakers do — but there’s a reason I suggested holding it back until after: Classic autolyse (as taught by Professor Raymond Calvel, who coined the term) is just flour + water (or liquid like whey), without salt or starter. Why? Because:
In short:
That said: Some "high hydration" recipes (like super wet sourdoughs) do add starter earlier to shorten timelines or make flavor more complex. But for a beginner to intermediate style sourdough whey bread, it's safer and better to stick to classic autolyse first. Would you like me to also explain when it would make sense to skip autolyse and mix everything at once? (It’s useful depending on your schedule.) |
I then asked for the updated recipe (without tables, because it messes up the formatting on this blog):
Ok. I'm convinced. Can you give me the recipe, with times, assuming I start at 7:30 AM? Also, please don't use table formatting anymore. I dislike that.It provided an update:
Got it — no tables. I’ll write it naturally, with clear times based on you starting at 7:30 AM. Here’s your Sourdough Whey Bread Schedule: 7:30 AM — Autolyse: Mix 500g bread flour + 300g room temperature vanilla whey. Stir until no dry bits. Cover and rest. 8:15 AM — Add Starter and Salt: Add 100g active sourdough starter and 10g salt. Mix until everything is combined into a shaggy dough.(Optional: add 15g softened butter now if using.) 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM — Bulk Fermentation (with stretch and folds):First 2 hours: every 30 minutes, perform a set of stretch and folds. Do 4 sets total:
After the last set at 10:00, let the dough rest untouched until 10:30 AM. 10:30 AM — Pre-shape: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently shape into a loose ball. Let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes. 11:00 AM — Final Shape and Proofing: Shape the dough into a tight boule (round) or batard (oval).Place it seam-side up in a floured proofing basket or lined bowl. Cover it. Now you have two choices:
If you choose same-day bake: 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM — Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 475°F with Dutch oven inside. 2:00 PM — Bake: Score, load into Dutch oven. Bake 20 minutes covered + 20–25 minutes uncovered. Bread ready around 3:00 PM. If you choose overnight proof (recommended):
Would you like me to also write you a quick "what your dough should look like" guide at each key point (like after stretch and fold, after shaping)?It’s super helpful the first time you do it with whey. |
It didn't use the ingredient format I've grown used to, so I asked for another rewrite:
Can you rewrite the recipe with times and ingredients? Same day bake please ..It did:
Of course — here’s the full Sourdough Whey Bread recipe with ingredients and times, assuming you want to bake the same day starting at 7:30 AM. No table formatting, just clean step-by-step. Ingredients:
Schedule: 7:30 AM — Autolyse In a large bowl, mix 500g flour and 300g vanilla whey. Stir until no dry flour remains. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 45 minutes. 8:15 AM — Add Starter and Salt Add 100g active sourdough starter and 10g salt (and 15g softened butter if using).Mix by hand until fully incorporated. The dough will still be a little rough. 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM — Bulk Fermentation (with Stretch and Folds)Every 30 minutes, perform one set of stretch and folds:
After 10:00 AM, leave the dough to rest untouched until 10:30 AM. It should become puffier but not double in size. 10:30 AM — Pre-shape Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Gently shape into a round ball. Let it rest uncovered for 20–30 minutes. 11:00 AM — Final Shape and Proof Shape the dough into a tighter round or oval. Place it seam-side up into a floured proofing basket or bowl lined with a floured towel. Cover with a cloth or plastic wrap. Let it proof at room temperature for about 2 to 2½ hours. 1:30 PM — Preheat Oven Start preheating your oven to 475°F (245°C).Place a Dutch oven (or heavy lidded pot) inside while preheating. 2:00 PM — Bake Gently turn the dough out onto parchment paper. Score the top with a sharp blade. Carefully place the dough into the hot Dutch oven.Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 20–25 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown. 3:00 PM — Cool Take the bread out of the Dutch oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Quick Visual Tips:
Would you also like me to write a simple "Vanilla Honey Butter" idea you could spread on your fresh bread? It would pair really nicely. |
I noticed that the quantities called for less hydrated dough, and I personally prefer more hydrated dough for more open crumb. I requested modifications:
I like highly hydrated sourdough bread. I assume that works in this case too, right? Usually I use 500 gr flour, 1+2/3 cups water, and 1 cup starter and 2 tsp saltIt made the necessary changes:
Good — you're clearly used to wetter doughs. Yes, your highly hydrated style will work beautifully here too, even with whey. In fact, it'll probably turn out even softer and more tender because whey proteins add a little extra elasticity compared to just water. Let’s compare quickly: Your usual recipe:
The recipe I gave you earlier was more moderate hydration (around 70%), but your style is around 75%+ hydration, and that’s great if you like open crumb and a lighter chew. To match your usual high hydration, here’s how I would adjust the whey sourdough for you: Ingredients for High Hydration Whey Sourdough:
Important tweaks because of higher hydration:
Flavor Note: The slight sweetness of the whey will make the high hydration crumb really creamy-tasting inside, especially if you bake until the crust is deeply colored. Summary: Yes, you can definitely use your typical high-hydration method, just swap water for vanilla whey at the same amount. The final bread will be soft, slightly aromatic from the vanilla, and very open-crumbed. Would you like me to rewrite your full timeline using this high hydration whey version starting from 7:30 AM?(And I can also include quick notes on handling the stickier dough if you want it super smooth.) |
I haven't made sourdough bread with butter yet, so I asked for the version with the butter, out of curiosity:
Yes please. With butter.Scroll to the top or click the link below to get to the final recipe.
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