Sourdough With A Sesame Crust

We thought this was a great way to upgrade your already delicious homemade sourdough.

Back to routine? Maybe. Back to baking sourdough? Most definitely. 

Those of us who have jumped on the sourdough bandwagon are happy to be back to feeding their starters and baking new breads after Pesach. 

While this tip seems like a very small and insignificant idea, it actually delivers a lot of taste and crunch. You see, the crust at the bottom gets baked in with the sesame seeds, making it crunchy and even more delicious than when the sesame is on top. 

And it’s simple- this tip will work on any sourdough you prepare. Here is how we do it. 

After your dough has risen, and is now ready to be baked–but before you place it on the silpat/ parchment paper, use your hands and a few teaspoons of water to moisten the dough. 

Liberally sprinkle sesame seeds, enough to cover every inch of dough. Be generous!

Pressing sesame seeds onto moistened dough in paper towel lined banneton.

Now you are ready to flip the dough onto your silpat or onto a piece of parchment paper.

The sesame seeds are now under the loaf of sourdough. 

Sprinkle a bit of white rice flour and using your hand, spread it around the entire surface, making sure it covers all the dough. White rice flour is recommended because it will stay nice and white while baking, unlike traditional flour which might burn a bit. It can be found on Amazon, but many grocery stores and places like Shop-Rite carry it as well. 

Use a sharp knife, or better yet a lame bread razor blade, to cut with confidence and incision across the dough. This creates a “weakness” that allows controlled expansion and a distinct “ear.”

In order to achieve an even better ear, we like to go in a second time and cut into the side of the ear (as opposed to the first cut which was pushing downwards). This will result in a better incision. 

Bake your dough like you normally would.