How Much Filling Can You Add to Sourdough?

Do fillings ruin sourdough bread… or make it better? In this video I use the exact same dough and bake three different loaves to see what really happens to the crumb and oven spring when you add fillings. ✅ 1 loaf stays plain (for comparison) ✅ 1 loaf gets sun-dried tomatoes + capers ✅ 1 loaf gets cheddar + fresh dill You’ll see my full process: pre-shape → add fillings in layers → shape → overnight cold proof → bake → and the most important part… the crumb reveal. 🧠 How much filling can you add (without ruining the structure)? All fillings are calculated as a % of total flour weight. Basic formula: Filling (g) = Flour (g) × 0.10–0.20 • 10–12% = best for open crumb • 13–15% = balanced • 15–20% = rich filling (heavier dough) Important: fillings behave differently 💧 Wet / salty (olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes) → 8–12% max 🧀 Cheese / fatty → 10–15% 🌾 Seeds → 8–15% 🌿 Herbs / spices → 1–5% Golden rule: if you’re not sure → add less. 🔥 Pro tips (what I do in the video) ✔ Add fillings during shaping / layering (stretch → sprinkle → fold) ✔ Dry wet ingredients very well ✔ Even distribution matters (avoid “one spot” filling) ✔ Keep dough cold until baking time ✔ Score about 1.5 cm deep 🥖 Base dough (Lievito Madre / stiff starter) Autolyse (40 min): • 500 g flour (bread/strong flour) • 300 g water Dough: • 135 g lievito madre (stiff starter) • 10 g salt • 30–40 g water (to dissolve salt) Which loaf would you choose — plain, tomato + capers, or cheddar + dill? Tell me in the comments 👇 And if you enjoy baking experiments like this, subscribe so you don’t miss the next one.