Sourdough Art Valentine Hearts (Printer-friendly)

Beautiful heart-shaped sourdough featuring crisp crust and artistic flour patterns for festive occasions.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Sourdough Starter

01 - 3.5 oz active sourdough starter, fed and bubbly

→ Dough

02 - 2.5 cups bread flour
03 - 1.75 oz whole wheat flour
04 - 9.5 fl oz water, room temperature
05 - 1.5 tsp fine sea salt

→ Decoration

06 - Rice flour for dusting
07 - Edible dried flowers or seeds for garnish, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, mix sourdough starter, bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water until combined. Cover and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
02 - Add fine sea salt to the dough. Mix and knead until salt is thoroughly incorporated.
03 - Perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch-and-folds spaced 30 minutes apart. Cover dough with a damp towel between each set.
04 - After final fold, shape dough into a tight ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled, 4 to 6 hours at room temperature.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape each piece into a heart by flattening slightly, pinching the base to form a point, and indenting the top center.
06 - Place each heart-shaped dough into a floured proofing basket or bowl lined with a floured towel. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
07 - Preheat oven to 465°F with a Dutch oven or baking stone inside.
08 - Remove dough from refrigerator. Invert onto parchment paper, dust generously with rice flour, and score artistic heart patterns using a razor or sharp blade.
09 - Transfer to hot Dutch oven or baking stone. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
10 - Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with optional edible flowers or seeds.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Stunning presentation: Artistic flour-dusted heart shapes and scored designs make these loaves truly Instagram-worthy.
  • Incredible texture: A crisp, crackling crust gives way to a soft, airy crumb that sourdough lovers adore.
  • Made with simple ingredients: Just bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt, and a bubbly sourdough starter.
  • Vegetarian and wholesome: No additives, no shortcuts — just real, fermented bread made with care.
  • Perfect for gifting: Two small loaves mean one to share and one to keep — or both to give away with love.
  • Flexible timing: The overnight cold proof fits easily into a busy schedule, letting you bake fresh in the morning.
02 -
  • Active starter is essential: Only use your sourdough starter when it is fed, bubbly, and at peak activity for the best rise and flavor.
  • Minimal flour when shaping: Avoid adding too much flour during shaping — surface tension is key to a well-structured crumb.
  • Cold proofing makes scoring easier: Scoring a cold, firm dough straight from the fridge gives you much cleaner, more precise cuts.
  • Use rice flour for dusting: Rice flour does not burn as easily as wheat flour and creates a beautiful white contrast on the baked crust.
  • Hot vessel is non-negotiable: Preheating your Dutch oven or baking stone is critical for the oven spring that gives sourdough its lift and open crumb.
  • Cool completely before cutting: The crumb continues to set as the bread cools — cutting too early can result in a gummy interior.
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