Turkey-Shaped Sourdough Bread (Printer-Friendly)

Festive artisan sourdough shaped like a turkey with crusty exterior and soft, tangy crumb for holiday centerpieces.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3.5 cups bread flour (500g)
02 - 1.5 cups water, room temperature (350g)
03 - 0.5 cup active sourdough starter, 100% hydration (100g)
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (10g)

→ 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

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, mix flour and water until just combined. Cover and let rest for 30-45 minutes to develop gluten structure.
02 - Add sourdough starter and sea salt to the autolysed dough. Mix until fully incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
03 - Perform 3-4 sets of stretch and folds over 2 hours, spacing each set 30 minutes apart to develop gluten network.
04 - Cover and let dough ferment at room temperature (70-74°F) for 5-7 hours until doubled in size with visible bubbles on surface.
05 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface. Shape one large oval for body, one small round for head, and multiple teardrop shapes for tail feathers and wings.
06 - Place oval body on parchment paper. Attach head with water dab, arrange feathers and wings around body. Score feather details using sharp knife or lame.
07 - Press black olive pieces or peppercorns into dough for eyes. Shape small wattle from red bell pepper or dough and attach to face.
08 - Cover assembled loaf and proof at room temperature for 1-2 hours until slightly puffy and dough springs back slowly when touched.
09 - Preheat oven to 450°F with baking stone or steel inside for at least 30 minutes to ensure proper heat retention.
10 - Brush loaf with egg wash for golden shine and sprinkle seeds as desired for decorative feather accents.
11 - Slide bread on parchment onto preheated stone. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes with steam, then reduce heat to 400°F and bake 20 additional minutes.
12 - Transfer loaf to wire rack and cool completely before slicing to preserve crumb structure and prevent gumminess.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It turns your holiday table into an edible art gallery without needing professional pastry skills.
  • The tangy sourdough crumb pairs beautifully with butter, gravy, or even cranberry sauce.
  • Guests always ask for the recipe before they even taste it.
  • You can make it entirely vegan and still get that gorgeous golden crust.
02 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, bulk fermentation can take up to 10 hours, so plan accordingly or use a warm spot near a heater.
  • Attach the head and feathers with just a dab of water, too much and they slide off during baking.
  • Scoring the feathers deeply enough ensures they open up beautifully in the oven instead of staying flat.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper to move dough pieces without deflating them, your hands can be too warm and sticky.
  • If your oven runs hot, tent the turkey loosely with foil halfway through baking to prevent the feathers from burning.
  • Let your starter peak at full bubble before mixing, a sluggish starter means a dense loaf.
Return