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–+ servings
Sliced sourdough fougasse topped with herbs de provence on a sheet of parchment paper.

Sourdough Fougasse

If you're looking for a delicious homemade bread recipe with a bit of flair, this Sourdough Fougasse is just what you need. A beautiful, leaf-shaped traditional French bread, fougasse has a chewy interior and crisp crust, perfect for tearing and sharing. Whether you're a sourdough enthusiast or just love experimenting with new loaves, this recipe is sure to impress!
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Fermenting and Proofing 16 hours
Total Time 18 hours 35 minutes
Course Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine French, Sourdough
Servings 1 large fougasse bread
Calories 1316 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 270 g strong bread flour
  • 190 ml water
  • 100 g active sourdough starter 100% hydration
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 g salt

Topping

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes

Instructions
 

DAY 1

  • Once your starter is at least doubled in volume, mix the flour, sourdough starter and water in the bowl of a stand mixer to a rough dough. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave the dough to fermentolyse for 30-60 minutes.
  • Add the salt and olive oil, and run the mixer for approximately 10 minutes on medium speed. Your sourdough should look elastic and slightly shiny, although it will be quite wet and sticky.
  • Scoop the dough into a shallow, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel or cling film.
  • For the next 2 hours, every 30 minutes, perform a set of coil folds (see video below).
  • After 4 sets of folds, leave the fougasse dough undisturbed in a warm spot for 3-4 hours, until almost doubled in size.
  • Place the dough in the fridge to finish proofing overnight (or up to 48 hours).

DAY 2

  • The next morning, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with a thin layer of oil. Take your sourdough out of the fridge and scoop it out onto the baking sheet.
  • Using your hands, stretch it out into a rectangle (the dough should be no thicker than 1.5 cm). If it shrinks back, leave it for 10 minutes, and then stretch it out again.
  • Using oiled scissors or a sharp knife, cut down the middle keeping both ends intact. Make 3 diagonal cuts on each side of the middle cut (see photos in the text above). Using oiled fingers, stretch the cuts wider, so they don't close up when proofing or baking.
  • Cover the shaped fougasse loosely with an oiled sheet of cling film and leave it to proof in a warm spot for 1-2 hours, until risen by about 50%.
  • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 220°C Fan. Place a small ovenproof dish with water at the bottom of the oven to create steam. It will make sure you have crusty fougasse.
  • Remove the cling film from the dough, brush the top with olive oil, sprinkle it with herbs de Provence and sea salt flakes and bake in the centre of the oven for 15-18 minutes.
  • Leave the bread on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 1316kcalCarbohydrates: 216gProtein: 35gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gSodium: 1954mgPotassium: 279mgFiber: 8gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 43IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Sourdough Fougasse, Sourdough Fougasse Bread, Sourdough Fougasse recipe
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