Marianne Martinez
Sourdough bread is a delicious, fluffy and crispy treat, but it can be a lengthy process to make. The oven needs to preheat for at least 30 minutes and then bake for another 45. However, you can make a perfect sourdough loaf in your air fryer in under 30 minutes. This is an easy and economical way to bake sourdough bread. It is also a great way to avoid heating up your house in the summer. While some people have noted that the air fryer is designed to cook things quickly, and sourdough is a slow process, many people have successfully made sourdough in their air fryers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Baking time | 25-30 minutes |
| Crust | Crisp |
| Crumb | Soft and airy |
| Temperature | 390°F |
| Preheat time | 3 minutes |
| Starter | Bubbly, active, doubled in size |
| Starter readiness test | Drop in a glass of water; if it floats, it's ready |
| Starter container | Glass jar with straight edges |
| Dough readiness test | Lightly poke the dough; if the surface barely holds a dimple, it's ready |
| Storage | Store in a bread bag or slice and freeze the entire loaf |
| Freezer storage duration | Up to three months |
| Reviving frozen bread | Toast slices straight from frozen or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds |
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What You'll Learn
Pre-heat the air fryer
Preheating your air fryer is a crucial step in the sourdough-making process. It ensures your dough cooks evenly and helps to create a crisp crust. Here are some detailed instructions on how to preheat your air fryer effectively for baking sourdough bread:
Firstly, ensure your dough has risen sufficiently. This usually takes around four hours, but the time may vary depending on the recipe and the humidity in your kitchen. A well-risen dough will be soft and airy, with a slight springiness to it. You should also test the dough by gently poking it; if it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready for the air fryer.
Next, set your air fryer to the desired temperature. For sourdough bread, a temperature of around 390°F is recommended. However, you may need to adjust this slightly depending on your air fryer model and the size of your loaf. As a general rule, reduce the temperature by about 30°F compared to a regular oven recipe. If you prefer a softer loaf, a lower temperature will also help achieve that.
Now, preheat your air fryer. Most models have a specific "preheat" setting, but if yours doesn't, simply set it to the desired temperature and let it heat up for about three minutes. This step is essential, as it ensures your dough starts cooking at the correct temperature as soon as it's placed inside. It also helps to create an even cooking environment, so your bread cooks uniformly.
While the air fryer is preheating, prepare your dough for baking. Lightly flour a work surface and gently flip your dough over. Use a bread lame or a sharp knife to score the surface of the dough. This step helps the dough rise and expand in the air fryer. You want to create a pattern of diagonal slashes across the top of the dough, about 1/4-inch deep.
Finally, once your air fryer is preheated, carefully place the dough inside. Ensure it fits comfortably and has enough room to expand. Place the dough seam-side down onto a grill insert or directly onto the air fryer rack, if your model has one. Now, you're ready to start baking your sourdough bread!
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Prepare the dough
Preparing the dough for sourdough bread is a crucial step in the baking process. Here is a detailed guide to help you prepare the dough for your air fryer sourdough:
Firstly, it is important to plan ahead as sourdough bread requires time and patience. Growing a starter can take several days, and the type of loaf you choose may influence the overall preparation time. For instance, a loaf could take up to three days to be ready for baking. Therefore, ensure you allow ample time for the starter to develop and the dough to rise.
When preparing the dough, you can use a bread machine or opt for a manual mixing and kneading process. If using a bread machine, combine the ingredients in the order specified in the recipe, selecting the "dough only" setting, typically set for around one hour and twenty-eight minutes. This setting will mix, knead, and allow the dough to rise. Ensure the “heat” function is turned off, as you do not want to bake the dough in the machine.
If you prefer to mix and knead the dough by hand, you can follow a traditional sourdough recipe, reducing the cooking temperature by approximately 30°F and halving the baking time to prevent overcooking in the air fryer. A standard recipe may include ingredients such as sourdough starter, unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, sea salt, and olive oil.
Once the dough is prepared, whether by machine or hand, it's time to let it rise. Remove the paddles from the bread machine and allow the dough to rise or ferment for about four hours. After this, transfer the dough to a floured proofing basket, where it will rise for an additional three hours.
Before placing the dough in the air fryer, test it to ensure it is ready. Lightly poke the surface of the dough, and if it barely holds a dimple from the pressure, it is ready for baking. Now, you can preheat your air fryer and prepare the dough for frying.
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Adjust the temperature
When it comes to adjusting the temperature for cooking sourdough in an air fryer, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind. Firstly, it's worth noting that air fryers, similar to convection ovens, circulate hot air with a fan, resulting in a more even and crispier finish for your bread. However, due to their compact size, air fryers can heat up much faster and more intensely than a conventional oven. Therefore, it is generally recommended to reduce the cooking temperature when using an air fryer.
JL Fields, a cookbook author and culinary instructor, suggests reducing the temperature by about 30°F when using an air fryer for a traditional sourdough recipe. This adjustment is crucial to prevent overcooking or burning your bread. It's also worth noting that the cooking time may vary depending on the model of your air fryer, so slight adjustments may be necessary.
If you're using a recipe specifically designed for an air fryer, such as those from JL Goes Vegan, you may need to increase the temperature. In this case, it's advised to increase the temperature by 30 degrees and double the cooking time compared to a regular oven recipe. This adjustment ensures that your sourdough loaf bakes evenly and thoroughly in the air fryer.
Additionally, it's worth mentioning that the ideal temperature for your air fryer may also depend on the type of loaf you are aiming for. For instance, if you prefer a softer sandwich-style bread, you might want to experiment with lower temperatures to slow down the process and allow for a better rise. On the other hand, if you're looking for a crispier crust and a soft crumb, you may need to adjust the temperature accordingly, taking into account the unique characteristics of your air fryer.
Lastly, it's important to remember that sourdough baking is a slow process, and air fryers are designed for quicker cooking. Therefore, you might need to experiment with different temperatures and cooking times to find the perfect balance for your desired sourdough texture and taste.
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Cooking time
The cooking time for sourdough in an air fryer varies depending on the air fryer model and the type of loaf. It is recommended to preheat the air fryer to 390°F for about three minutes before placing the dough inside. The total cooking time is typically between 25 to 30 minutes. However, it's important to note that the air fryer will be hot after the first loaf, so the second loaf may bake faster, around 26-28 minutes.
When using a regular sourdough recipe in an air fryer, it is advisable to reduce the cooking temperature by approximately 30°F and halve the baking time. This adjustment is necessary because, despite its small size, an air fryer achieves much higher temperatures than a conventional oven.
If you are baking a mini loaf or a sourdough boule, the cooking time may be shorter. One recipe suggests a total cooking time of 28 minutes, including the time for mixing and kneading the dough. Another recipe for a mini loaf recommends baking for 20 minutes and gently shaking the air fryer halfway through the cooking process.
It is worth noting that sourdough bread is best consumed within 48 hours of baking. After two days, any remaining bread should be sliced and stored in a freezer bag. To "revive" frozen bread, you can toast it or wrap it in a damp paper towel and reheat it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
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Storing the bread
Before storing your sourdough, it's important to let the bread cool completely. Slicing a warm loaf will result in a gummy and sticky interior, and the bread will not taste as good. It's best to wait for at least an hour, or even two, before slicing.
Once the bread has cooled, you can store it in a breadbox, a traditional option that keeps the bread fresh for up to a week. Bread should be stored cut-side-down on a cutting board to keep it from drying out. If you don't have a breadbox, plain paper bags and kitchen towels are good alternatives to prevent excessive drying. Beeswax wraps are another option to retain freshness and moisture.
For long-term storage, freezing is a good option. You can slice the bread and freeze the entire loaf in a plastic bag or zip lock bag. You can then toast the slices straight from frozen, and they will keep for up to three months.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes about 30 minutes to cook a loaf of sourdough in an air fryer.
The starter will be bubbly, active, and would have doubled in the starter jar. Drop half a spoonful in a glass of water. If it floats, it is ready to bake.
A glass jar with straight edges is ideal. You can also buy a sourdough starter kit, which comes with a spatula, cloth cover, thermometer, and level bands.
Preheat your air fryer to 390°F for about three minutes.
Sourdough bread is best within 48 hours of baking. After two days, slice any remaining bread and store it in a freezer bag.
