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Purple Sweet Potato Sourdough Bread

Purple sweet potato sourdough bread loaf sliced in half on a wooden board.
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Purple sweet potato sourdough bread is a creative twist on a classic sourdough. It is made with purple sweet potato powder or mashed purple sweet potato, which adds color and a subtle earthy flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

For the levain (an active starter):

  • 22 g sourdough starter
  • 22 g bread flour
  • 22 g water

For sourdough bread:

  • 300 g bread flour (I use King Arthur organic bread flour)
  • 225 g water (75% hydration)
  • 60 g levain (active starter at peak)
  • 6 g fine sea salt (I use Redmond ancient fine sea salt)
  • 15 g purple sweet potato powder

10 g white rice flour (for dusting)

Instructions

  1. Autolyse: Pour water into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and purple sweet potato powder, then add to the water and mix well. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
  2. Incorporate levain and salt: Add levain (active starter at peak) and mix. Add the salt and mix well. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  3. Bulk fermentation: Perform two sets of stretch-and-folds and two sets of coil folds, with a 30-minute rest between sets. If the dough is strong, stop after two sets (don't overwork the dough!). If the dough is weaker and spreads noticeably, add one or two extra sets of coil folds. After the final set of coil folds, allow the dough to continue bulk fermentation and monitor its rise closely. Bulk fermentation is done when the dough shows bubbles on the surface and along the sides, the edges are slightly domed, and the dough gently wobbles when you shake the bowl.
  4. Preshape and shape: Lightly flour your work surface, preshape the dough into a round, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. You can omit preshaping when making a single loaf. Perform the final shaping into a battard, then place it in a prepared 8-inch oval banneton.
  5. Proof: Cover the banneton with a clean towel, disposable plastic cap, or place it inside a reusable plastic bag. Refrigerate overnight (8–14 hours) for a slow, even fermentation.
  6. Bake: Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside for 30 minutes. Transfer the dough onto parchment paper, score the top, and place it inside the Dutch oven. Decrease the oven temperature to 450°F (232 °C), then bake, covered, for 20 minutes; uncover and bake for another 15-17 minutes.
  7. Cool the bread: Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

  1. Adjust the dough hydration. Purple sweet potato powder absorbs water and slightly thickens the dough. Increase the dough hydration by about 3% to keep the dough balanced and easy to handle.
  2. Track dough strength: Check the dough visually and by feel. If it is slack or spreads too much, add extra coil folds. If it is strong, avoid overworking.
  3. Texture notes: When using the purple sweet potato powder, expect the loaves to have a slightly firmer crumb.
  4. Safety tip: Always use oven mitts or silicone gloves when handling hot pans. 
  5. Check for doneness: Your bread is fully baked when the internal temperature reaches 205–210°F (96–99°C). I usually aim for 207°F (97°C) or higher. Use a digital probe thermometer to check.
  6. Storage and freezing: Store sourdough bread at room temperature for 3-5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Freeze individual slices for up to 1-2 weeks, a whole loaf for 1-2 months.
  7. Want to create a custom formula for your loaf? Try my sourdough calculator.
  8. Need help getting started? Check out my beginner's sourdough bread guide to learn sourdough basics first.
  9. Note: Nutritional information does not include the white rice flour used for dusting.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sourdoughtalk.com/purple-sweet-potato-sourdough-bread/