Funfetti Sourdough Bread

5 from 9 votes

Funfetti Sourdough Bread is a fun twist on a classic artisan loaf. Naturally leavened with just a touch of sweetness, it’s flavored with vanilla and almond and folded with rainbow sprinkles for bright pops of color. Kids go crazy for this one—perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just because.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Fermentation Time1 1

Total Time1 2 15

Course: Artisan Bread

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Author: Amy Coyne

Equipment

Ingredients

Levain (1:1:1, 3-4 hours until doubled if kept at 78ºF)

45 grams sourdough starter ripe, bubbly, active, about 3 Tablespoons
45 grams water about 3 Tablespoons
45 grams all-purpose or bread flour about 1/3 cup

Funfetti Sourdough Bread

120 grams levain about 1/2 cup
340 grams water about 1 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons
50 grams granulated sugar about 1/4 cup
4 grams vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, about 1 teaspoon
2 grams almond extract about 1/2 teaspoon
10 grams salt about 1.5 teaspoons
500 grams bread flour about 3 3/4 cups
70 grams jimmy sprinkles reserved for stretch and folds, about 1/3 cup

Instructions

Levain (1:1:1 ratio, 3-4 hours peak at 78-80ºF)

Mix together ripe/active sourdough starter with all-purpose or bread flour and water. Cover loosely and let sit 3-4 hours at 78-80°F until doubled, bubbly & peaked.
Note: If you have a ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter that is fed equal parts flour and water – you can substitute 120 grams of it for the levain in this recipe.

Funfetti Sourdough Bread (78-80ºF dough temperature throughout the bulk fermentation)

Mix Dough: In a large bowl, combine the ripe levain, water, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt and bread flour. I like to place my bowl on a kitchen scale and add each ingredient directly to the bowl. Use a dough whisk or spoon to mix until fully combined and a sticky dough forms. Cover with plastic wrap, bowl cover or shower cap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Stretch and Folds: After the dough has rested, you will perform a series of “stretch and folds” over the next 1 ½ hours. The goal is to strengthen the dough through a gentle kneading process. You will also add the sprinkles during these folds.
To “stretch and fold,” wet your hand (so it doesn’t stick to the dough). Reach around the dough down to the bottom of the bowl, pull the dough up and over and place it on top of the dough. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the stretch and fold. Turn another quarter turn and repeat. Perform one more quarter turn, stretching and folding the dough. Cover and set aside. Take note of how the dough feels through this process. It will go from feeling a little shaggy to smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl and wait about 30 minutes between stretch and folds.
Stretch and fold #1: 30 minutes into bulk fermentation
Stretch and fold #2: 30 minutes later, the dough will spread out. Add the jimmy sprinkles on top of the dough. Stretch and fold the dough again, pulling up, folding over, rotating the bowl until the dough doesn't want to stretch anymore and comes together in the center of the bowl. Cover and set aside.
Stretch and fold #3: 30 minutes later, repeat the stretch and folds. Cover and set aside.
Stretch and fold #4: 30 minutes later, stretch and fold again. You should notice the dough feeling more cohesive and strong during this stretch and fold and not needing very much folding to come together. If your dough still feels loose, add in another couple stretch and folds to help strengthen and tighten the gluten strands.
Note: The sprinkles you use matter. If you want defined pops of color in your dough, use traditional waxy "jimmy" sprinkles. Natural colors tend to streak more throughout the dough and you won't get defined pops of color.
Rest: Cover the dough and let rise for 2-2.5 more hours at 78ºF. You’ll know the dough is ready to shape when it is puffed up about 40%, jiggles when you shake the bowl, and has scattered bubbles visible on the sides and top.
If your dough is cooler, this will take longer and you will want to look for a larger percentage rise before shaping the dough.
Pre-shape: Tip the bowl upside down, allowing the dough to fall onto a clean counter surface. Be gentle to avoid degassing the dough as much as possible. Wet your hands and the bench knife if needed and push the bench knife under the dough on one side and your free hand on the other side to tuck the dough under itself. The goal is to introduce some tension into the dough. Repeat this process, going around in a circle until you have a ball of dough.
Bench Rest: Let the dough rest uncovered for about 30 minutes at room temperature. The dough will flatten a little as it sits. This allows the gluten in the dough to relax and prepares the dough to be shaped.
Shaping: Prepare a bowl or banneton. Place a kitchen towel or hair net in the bowl and liberally flour as needed. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Using a bench knife, lift the dough up off the counter and place it on top of the countertop – floured side down. This ensures that the flour is staying mainly on the outside of the dough.
Going around in a circle, pull the dough sideways towards you and then fold up to the top of the round. Move 90 degrees and repeat the same process pulling the dough sideways and then folding up to the top. As you continue this process around the dough, increase the tension as you pull. Gather the bread into a circle and place into a lined bowl. The dough may feel a little wet if the jimmy sprinkles have broken down a bit and the colors start spreading. This is okay. Work quickly and get the dough into the banneton.
Note: It is possible to shape the dough without any extra flour (this is my preference). The dough can stick to a kitchen towel but doesn't stick to the hair nets if cold proofed.
Cold Fermentation: Cover the dough with the tea towel/shower cap/plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 14-20 hours. If you want to bake the same day, you can let the dough rise for about 3-4 hours until puffed up and risen. Then bake according to recipe directions.
Preheat the oven: Put a Dutch oven (top and all) into the oven and preheat to 450°F for 30 minutes. You are working with high temperatures, so make sure you have some good hot pads. Once preheated for 30 minutes, pull the loaf out of the refrigerator. Remove the covering. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Flip the dough over so it is now sitting on the parchment paper. Take off the bowl/banneton and the kitchen towel.
Scoring: Use a very sharp knife or bread lame to score the dough. Take the bread lame and make a shallow cross on the top of the dough, about 1/2 inch deep. Score straight from the refrigerator on the cold dough for best results.
Baking: Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the 450°F oven. Take the lid off and place your bread into the Dutch oven (including parchment paper – this helps with the transfer). Put the lid on and put back in the oven. Lower the temperature to 425°F and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, take the lid off the Dutch oven, reduce the temperature to 400ºF and continue baking for 15-20 minutes until the bread is baked through and registers 205-210ºF. Remove the Dutch oven and let the bread cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!
Note: If your oven runs hot or you are using a dark cast-iron pot, there's a tendency for the bottom of the loaf to burn due to the extra sugar in this loaf. Make sure to put a sheet pan on the rack underneath the pot to deflect the heat or even a thin layer of rice underneath the parchment paper if you are having difficulty with your dutch oven.

Notes

Active Sourdough Starter: If you prefer to use ripe, bubbly, active sourdough starter, it can be substituted for levain in this recipe.

White Chocolate Chips: For a sweeter loaf, add 100 grams white chocolate chips in with the sprinkles during the stretch and folds.

Streaking: I've made this loaf a few different times and the sprinkles you use matter. Sprinkles have sugar on them and that sugar draws out some of the water in the dough. The more "waxy" the sprinkles, the better they will hold up giving pops of color and less streaking. If you want defined pops of color in your dough, use traditional waxy "jimmy" sprinkles. Natural colors tend to streak more throughout the dough and you won't get those defined pops of color.

Same Day Baking: If you want to bake this recipe the same day and skip the cold fermentation, let the dough rise in the bannetons or bowls on the counter. Do your best to keep the dough warm, in the 78-80ºF range, and allow it to rise for 2-3 more hours. Once the dough has risen another 30-40%, pre-heat the Dutch oven and bake the loaves according to recipe directions.

Baking in a Loaf Pan: You can also bake this bread in a loaf pan. Find all the details here.

Nutrition