Turkey-Shaped Sourdough Loaf (Print Version)

Artisan sourdough loaf shaped like a turkey with crusty exterior and soft, tangy crumb, ideal for gatherings.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 1/4 cups bread flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups room temperature water
03 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter (100% hydration)
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

→ Decoration

05 - 1–2 black olives or peppercorns for eyes
06 - 1 small piece red bell pepper or dough for wattle
07 - Additional flour for dusting

→ Optional Topping

08 - 1 egg for egg wash (omit for vegan option)
09 - Seeds (poppy, sesame, or flax) for feather accents

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine bread flour and water in a large bowl until just mixed. Cover and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes.
02 - Add active sourdough starter and fine sea salt to the autolyzed dough and mix thoroughly until fully integrated.
03 - Perform 3 to 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over a 2-hour period to develop gluten structure.
04 - Cover dough and ferment at room temperature (70–74°F) for 5 to 7 hours, until doubled in size and visibly bubbly.
05 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into one large oval for the body, one small round for the head, and multiple smaller teardrop shapes for tail feathers and wings.
06 - Arrange shaped pieces on parchment paper: place the oval body, attach the head using a touch of water, and position feathers and wings around. Use a sharp knife or lame to score feather details.
07 - Insert black olive pieces or peppercorns as eyes and create a small wattle from red bell pepper or dough to complete the turkey appearance.
08 - Cover assembled loaf and proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours until slightly puffed.
09 - Preheat oven to 450°F with a baking stone or steel placed inside to ensure even heat.
10 - Brush the loaf with egg wash for a shiny crust and sprinkle desired seeds for feather accents, if desired.
11 - Slide the loaf on parchment onto the preheated stone. Bake with steam for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 400°F and bake for an additional 20 minutes until golden and hollow sounding.
12 - Transfer bread to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that actually tastes incredible, with that perfect balance of tangy sourdough and crusty-chewy texture.
  • Your guests will remember this bread long after the meal, partly because it's edible art and partly because you made it with your own two hands.
  • The whole process becomes meditative once you understand the rhythm of fermentation and folding.
02 -
  • If your dough is overproofed (puffy and slow to rise), it won't have enough strength to hold its shape in the oven—watch for that slight jiggle and bubbly surface during bulk ferment, not a collapsed, slack appearance.
  • Steam is not optional if you want that crackling crust; a bone-dry oven will give you pale, tough bread, so commit to creating moisture in those first 20 minutes.
  • Your starter needs to be genuinely active and fed—if it's sluggish or hasn't peaked, everything will move slowly, so taste-test it the day before and feed it again if needed.
03 -
  • Freeze your shaped turkey (wrapped well) for up to 3 days before the final proof and bake—this lets you spread the work across two days and actually makes the final crust even darker and crispier.
  • If your oven runs cool, add 10-15 minutes to the second bake; every oven behaves differently, so look for that deep golden-brown color and hollow sound rather than relying purely on time.
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