Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Sourdough (Printer-friendly)
A tangy sourdough loaf swirled with fresh blueberries, zesty lemon, and pockets of creamy cheese—perfect for breakfast or brunch.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sourdough Base
01 - 3.5 cups bread flour
02 - 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
03 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter, 100% hydration
04 - 1 1/3 cups water, room temperature
05 - 2 tsp fine sea salt
→ Cream Cheese Filling
06 - 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
07 - 1 tbsp lemon zest from 1 large lemon
08 - 5 oz cream cheese, softened
09 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
10 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Optional Topping
11 - 1 tbsp coarse sugar or pearl sugar
12 - Additional lemon zest for garnish
# How to Prepare:
01 - Combine bread flour, whole wheat flour, sourdough starter, and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains visible. Cover the bowl and let rest for 45 minutes to allow autolyse.
02 - Add sea salt to the dough and knead briefly until fully incorporated. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes before beginning stretch and folds.
03 - Perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and fold technique every 30 minutes during the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation to develop gluten structure.
04 - While dough ferments, beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to use.
05 - Gently fold fresh blueberries and lemon zest into the dough during the final stretch and fold set, distributing evenly throughout.
06 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and pat into a rectangle. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over surface, then roll jelly roll style and pinch seams tightly to seal.
07 - Shape dough into tight round or oval. Place seam side up in floured proofing basket. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 10 hours for overnight cold proof.
08 - Preheat oven to 450°F with Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes to ensure thorough heating.
09 - Turn dough onto parchment paper, score top, and sprinkle with coarse sugar and extra lemon zest if desired. Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 20 minutes until golden brown and crusty.
10 - Remove bread from oven and transfer to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing to prevent filling from oozing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast of tangy sourdough against sweet cream cheese feels like breakfast and dessert had a delicious conversation
- Your kitchen will smell like lemon zest and toasting crust, the kind of aroma that makes family members wander in pretending they need something from the fridge
02 -
- If your starter isn't bubbling actively, feed it and wait before starting this recipe or it won't rise properly
- Cold proofing isn't optional, it firms up the cream cheese layer so it doesn't dissolve into the dough during baking
- Scoring deeply helps the bread expand where you want it to rather than bursting at the seams randomly
03 -
- If your blueberries are very large, cut them in half before folding into the dough for better distribution
- A hot oven is nonnegotiable, don't be tempted to start at a lower temperature or you'll miss the oven spring