Last week, Bekah Kate’s welcomed a full house for our sold-out Sourdough Bread Baking Class led by the talented Deb, a local expert in artisan baking. From first-timers to seasoned home bakers, guests enjoyed a deep dive into the art and science of sourdough—and most importantly, they got to taste each of the breads featured during the class.
Each guest also went home with a portion of Deb’s own sourdough starter, named Jenny in honor of her grandmother, preparing them to begin their own baking journey with the techniques and tools they learned during the evening.
What We Tasted in Class
All of the following recipes were prepared in advance by Deb so participants could sample the final results while learning about the methods and ingredients that go into each one. Below, we’ve included the full recipes used in class, along with links to their original sources.
Country Loaf (Boule)
Adapted from Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson and Jennifer Latham
Original Method Here
Ingredients:
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Leaven: 200g
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Water: 750g
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Bread Flour, high-extraction preferred: 1000g
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Warm water to add: 100g
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Salt: 25g
Instructions:
Prepare the leaven the night before. Mix flour and water, autolyse, then add leaven and salt. Perform stretch-and-folds during bulk fermentation. Divide, pre-shape, and bench rest before final shaping and overnight cold proofing. Bake in a Dutch oven at high heat for a deeply caramelized crust.
German Whole Rye (Roggenvollkornbrot)
Adapted from The Perfect Loaf by Maurizio Leo
Original Recipe & Method
Ingredients:
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Whole rye flour: 584g
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Rye chops (or cracked spelt): 117g
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Flaxseeds: 29g
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Pumpkin seeds: 29g
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Sunflower seeds: 29g
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Water: 584g
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Sea salt: 12g
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Ripe sourdough starter: 16g
Levain:
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16g starter
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234g water
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234g rye flour
Soakers:
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Seeds + 58g boiling water
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Rye chops + 135g boiling water
Instructions:
Let levain and soakers sit covered for 12 hours. Then mix with additional rye flour, water, and salt to form the dough. Transfer to a greased Pullman pan, rise until the top of the pan, and bake: 15 min at 475°F with steam, 60 min at 375°F, then finish outside the pan for 10 more min. Let rest 24 hours before slicing.
Focaccia (Sourdough + Yeast Hybrid)
Adapted from Alexandra Stafford
Original Recipe
Ingredients:
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Flour (AP or bread): 512g
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Water: 455g
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Sourdough starter: 75g
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Active dry yeast: 8g (2 tsp)
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Salt: 10g
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Olive oil, flake salt, herbs, optional toppings
Instructions:
Mix flour and salt. Combine water, yeast, and starter, then add to flour. Mix well and transfer to an oiled container. Cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 3 days). Bring to room temp, stretch and fold dough into a buttered or oiled pan. Let rise until puffy, then dimple with oiled fingers. Top with herbs or other toppings and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Sourdough Crackers (with Discard Starter)
Adapted from King Arthur Baking
Original Recipe
Ingredients:
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Discard starter: 1 cup (227g)
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Whole wheat or rye flour: 1 cup (113g)
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Butter, softened: 4 T (57g)
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Kosher or sea salt: ½ tsp
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Herbs: 4 T
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Olive oil for brushing
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Additional salt or seasoning for topping
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate dough for at least an hour. Divide in half, roll out thin (1/16"), brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs. Cut into squares, dock with a fork, and bake at 350°F until browned and crisp. Cool and store in a sealed container.
All the Tools & Ingredients You Need
The best results come from the right tools and quality ingredients—and we’ve got them all at Bekah Kate’s:
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Sourdough Starter – Available in-store to get you baking faster
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Proofing Baskets – Perfect for boules and bâtards
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Dough Scrapers & Bread Whisks – For easy mixing and clean handling
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Bread Dutch Ovens - For bakery-quality crust at home
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Bread Lame – For confident scoring and shaping
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Olivelle Olive Oil – Exceptional quality for baking and finishing
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Italian Herb Bread Dipping Blend – Use in dough or as a savory serving dip
Join Us Next Time
Our sourdough class with Deb was a hit, and spots filled quickly. If you’d like to join us for future classes, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We’ll keep you posted as new events are announced.
Stop by the shop at 117 3rd St, Baraboo, or give us a call with questions. Until then, happy baking—and we hope to see you in class soon.
