The Okanagan is a region in the interior of British Columbia, Canada, with hot, dry summers and cold winters. The first European settlers to this area failed with ranching and other crops. Then a French Catholic priest, “Father Pendosi” brought in orchardists and started a fruit orchard industry that is still important in in our area today.
Later on the wine industry discovered the potential of the Okanagan and made the region one of the most important wine producing area in north america.
Even after many orchards were changed to growing grapes, the apple orchards survived.
Looking for new ways to market their products, some apple growers started producing apple cider. Today the region is known for crafting superb wine, cider and beer.
Apple harvest is a big event here and last year I developed an apple bread that is deliciously fruity while also hearty.
Whenever our daughter comes to visit, we make sure we either visit her favourite cidery or have some of Ward’s Cider on hand. After her last visit we had a few cans left so I decided to see if I can bake sourdough bread with hard (containing alcohol) apple cider. The resulting bread is delicious and smells amazing.
Flour Used
As usual my recipes use at least 50% whole grains. While this means that they get less high in the oven and they come across as “heavier”, they also have more nutrition and a more complex flavour profile.
To accompany the robust apple flavour, I have chosen about 25% dark rye flour, 25% whole grain wheat flour and 50% white bread flour.
Baking with hard apple cider
With 76% hydration this hard apple cider sourdough bread is still beginner-friendly and relatively easy to handle.
I have noticed that – similar to beer bread it takes a little longer to bulk ferment than sourdough using water. As always, make sure you examine your dough rather than going by the time mentioned in a recipe. There are many factors, like room temperature, ingredients and starter health to consider. It seems like the alcohol is another factor.
Are you ready to try your hand at apple cider sourdough bread?
Ingredients
- 60 grams starter fed / bubbly / active
- 374 grams hard apple cider at least room temperature. If you already drank too much of it, you can add a little bit of water.
- 100 grams dark rye flour
- 150 grams whole wheat four
- 250 grams bread flour
- 9 grams salt
Instructions
- Mix the sourdough starter and cider in a large bowl.
- Add flour
- Roughly mix the liquid and the flour. Do not add the salt yet.Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
- If you haven't already, now is a good time to feed your starter and store it according to your preference.
- Add the salt and mix well. This stage is as close to kneading as it gets. If you think the dough is too dry, you can add some water now or wait a little.
- Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and place it in a warm location. After about one hour, stretch and pull the dough. Repeat twice more.
- When the dough has about doubled in size you can shape it with your hands into a round shape. It mainly depends on room temperature and how active your starter as to how long it will take to get to this stage. The rule of thumb is about seven hours.
- Place your bread into a banneton and cover it with a shower cap. Place it in the fridge for at least six hours. I usually leave it over night.
- Heat your oven to 450 degrees Farenheit (200 C). Score the loaf with at least one large slash so it rises in a controlled manner. I like simple scoring. Place it in the heated Dutch oven and place two ice cubes beside it to create steam.
- Bake for 20 minutes and then remove the lid.
- Take the lid off and bake for another 20 minutes
- Let your bread cool for at least two hours before cutting! The baking process continues.
Notes
 Experience and knowing how your dough should feel, look, and smell is key to making great bread. If you feel like the dough is too dry, add a splash of water during the stretch & folds. If you don’t have a sourdough starter, I invite you to make your own using my free step-by-step course. We have a convection oven that works very well for baking bread in a Dutch oven. Depending on your oven, you may have to remove the bread from the vessel and bake it for another 10 minutes. The alcohol in the hard cider dissipates out of the bread.
