I enjoy incorporating kefir into my sourdough for its health benefits and rich nutrient profile.

To include kefir in your recipe, consider replacing some or all of the water with it, experimenting with ratios to suit your taste. If you opt for a complete water replacement, you might need to boost the overall hydration, as kefir can stiffen the dough.

Wondering when to add it to your dough? Personally, I prefer to autolyse flour and water for a couple of hours first and then introduce kefir along with my starter/levain. In the case of this particular bread, I used a small amount of kefir, so no extra water was needed, and it was fine to add it along with the levain. However, if you opt for a larger amount of kefir (instead of water), you may need to mix it with the flour right away and skip the autolyse process.

Ingredients

Yields 2 loaves

140g active starter/levain

350g white bread flour

350g whole wheat flour

70g kefir

480g water (+10g)

14g salt

Steps

STEP 1 | Autolyse

In a large bowl, combine the flour with 480g water and knead until there is no dry flour left. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours.

STEP 2 | Add starter/levain and kefir

Add 140g active starter/levain and kefir knead until fully incorporated. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 min.

STEP 3 | Add salt

Add 14g salt and 10g water and knead for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and supple. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 min.

STEP 4 | Bulk fermentation

Perform one stretch and fold, rest the dough for 30 min, then perform four sets of coil folds, each 30 min apart.

Once you complete the last coil fold, cover the bowl and wait until the dough increases in volume by about 80%-90%.

STEP 5 | Pre-shape

Transfer the dough onto a work surface, cut it in half with a bench scraper and pre-shape each part into a round. Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for 30 min.

STEP 6 | Shape & cold proof

After the 30-minute bench rest, shape the dough and transfer to the proofing baskets. Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for about 12 hours in the fridge.

STEP 7 | Score & bake

The next morning, score the dough, transfer to your baking dish, cover with the lid and place in the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes at 250°C/480°F, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes at 230°C/450°F.

Once baked, repeat with the second loaf.

Happy baking!

If you require more detailed recipe instructions, refer to our Beginner’s Sourdough Recipe.

And if you haven’t baked sourdough bread before, or need more guidance, check our New To Sourdough Baking section, where you can find details such as how to make your starter from scratch or the tools required to bake your first loaf of bread (including some of the tools we personally recommend).