Rosemary Garlic Sourdough Boule Recipe

Fold roasted garlic cloves and chopped rosemary into a standard country sourdough during bulk, shape a boule, and bake with steam for a fragrant savory loaf.

Inclusions

• 1 head garlic, roasted until soft, cloves peeled
• 1–2 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
• Optional: 1 tbsp olive oil to toss herbs

Add on the second fold. Avoid raw garlic overload — it can be harsh and antimicrobial in large amounts; roasted is friendlier.

Base dough

Use your favorite 500g flour country dough at ~72% hydration. Bulk, shape boule, cold proof overnight, bake hot with steam to 205–210°F.

Baker's notes

Weights assume a digital scale. If your kitchen is warmer than ~75°F, expect faster fermentation and consider reducing starter percentage or using cooler water. If colder, extend bulk and rely on dough cues over the clock. Pat mix-ins dry; wet inclusions effectively raise hydration and can wreck strength.

Make-ahead and storage

Shaped dough can usually cold-proof overnight. Baked loaves keep best cut-side down on a board for a day, then bagged. For longer storage, freeze slices or whole loaves and reheat with a light sprinkle of water in a moderate oven.

One thing to remember

Consistency beats intensity: a boring weekly routine outperforms chaotic heroic weekend bakes.

Serving ideas

This bake shines the day after as much as fresh — plan sandwiches or toast so you are not forced to slice piping hot.

Flour notes

Bread flour gives structure; a little whole wheat boosts flavor and fermentation. If swapping to all-purpose, expect a softer, slightly lower loaf and don't chase the same open crumb.

Field notes

The fastest way to improve at this is to pair the technique with the same base dough for several weekends. Document one success in enough detail that you could hand the notes to a friend and they could reproduce it. If results swing wildly, stabilize feeding and room temperature for a week so you can see the signal again. Season the process to your kitchen, then play with inclusions once the base loaf is trustworthy.

Also useful: weigh everything, preheat longer than you think, and cool fully before you judge crumb quality. Those three habits make every other tip more reliable.

Frequently asked questions

Dried rosemary?

Use less (about ⅓); rehydrate in a little oil if possible.

Garlic burns on crust?

Tuck cloves inside rather than on the skin.

Pairings?

Olive oil, tomato soup, roast chicken.

Save this as a repeatable formula in SourdoughAI with your exact bulk times for your kitchen.