Really cute, fun and delicious Sourdough Animal-Shaped Breads made with sourdough starter, touch of vanilla extract.Excellent fun baking with your kids.
Do you want to engage your little helpers with sourdough bread baking? If so, try this Sourdough Animal-Shaped Bread recipe. Basically, you need a vanilla brioche type dough then create different animals according to your creativity. I am not that great artist. Still able to create these sourdough Animal-shaped breads. I made Koala bear, birdie, and dog. These are simple but kids will love it.
If you are looking for a cute and cuddly carbs then this sourdough animal-shaped bread is your answer.
How to make Sourdough Animal-shaped Bread?
You need to make slightly rich dough with following ingredients.
Levain: I used young leavain of 100% starter (50: 50 All-purpose flour: whole wheat flour)
Flour: Try to use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour as latter tend to make bread chewier.
Egg: Egg makes fine-crumbed and light bread.
Sugar: Sweetener in this recipe is sugar you can add maple syrup or honey
Milk: I have used milk for hydration of the dough instead of water
Salt: Not only brings the flavor of the bread but also control fermentation
Butter: Adds to the richness of the bread dough
Vanilla extract: I have use vanilla extract to flavor the bread.
Raisins for eyes
Almonds for nose
Red chili for tongue.
Points to remember
You can do either overnight bulk fermentation like in the recipe or you can do a same day bulk fermentation
If you are using same day fermentation you need to shape and bake on the same day.
Use young levain/Leaven means around 4-5 hours of feeding with starter.
This recipe yields 5 koala bear, 2 birdie and one dog. If you are planning to make dog, you can get around 2-3 sourdough animal shaped dog with this recipe.
For Eyes I used raisins, if you want you can use black olives or chocolate chips. If you are planning to use chocolate chips then press them into once the bread comes out of the oven and still warm.
If you are little more artistic than me, you can create better ones. My kids were happy to see them. It is hard for them to eat those cute Sourdough Animal-Shaped Breads.
Here are few other animal- shaped bread I have tried earlier.
I made this Sourdough Animal Shaped Breads as part of Bread baker’s this month
- Beef and Sweet Onion Dim Sum Pandas from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Bird Bread Rolls from Ambrosia
- Easter Bunny Buns from Cook with Renu
- Ham and Cheese Elephant Rolls from Food Lust People Love
- Hedgehog Bread from Making Miracles
- Honey Bear Loaf from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Sourdough Animal-shaped Breads from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
- Matcha Milk Bread Turtles from A Messy Kitchen
- Meyer Lemon Custard-Filled Matcha Turtles from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Peacock Shaped Pizza Rolls from Magical Ingredients
- Piglet Bread Rolls from Sneha’s Recipe
- Turtle Bread from Passion Kneaded
Sourdough Animal-Shaped Breads
Ingredients
Leavain
- 20 g starter
- 30 g All-purpose flour
- 20 g Whole Wheat flour
- 50 g Water
For The Dough
- 340 g All purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 40 g Sugar
- 100 g Leavain/Leaven
- 99 g milk
- 5 g salt
- 40 g Butter
- 5 g Vanilla extract
For Decorations
- For eyes tongue and nose
- Raisins for eyes
- Almonds for nose
- Red chili for tongue
Egg wash
- Egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Leavain/ Leaven
- Mix bread flour, whole wheat flour, active starter and water and mix well. Set aside at room temperature for 5 hours.
Dough
- In a kitchen aid stand mixer add all the ingredients except the butter knead with dough hook to form a cohesive, sticky mass, 2 to 3 minutes on low speed of a stand mixer.
- Gradually add butter and incorporate about 1 minute on low speed. Once all the butter is incorporated, turn the mixer up one speed and knead the dough.
- Until it is smooth and supple though still somewhat soft and tacky, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rest in a warm (75°F) place for 8 to 12 hours. To develop strength in the dough, stretch and fold it in the bowl three to four times during the rest. This will increase the elasticity of the dough.
- Next morning divide the dough and shape it into various animal-shaped dough.
- Divide the dough into two pieces one is ¾ while rest is ¼ pieces.
- Then divide ¾ piece into seven 52 g each piece. This is for the bear, and bird shaped bread.
Bear shape
- For Bear shape make the dough into round ball and place almond for nose and raisins for eyes. And small dough pieces attached as ears.
Bird shape
- For bird shape Make the dough into a rope and make a knot and place small round ball for the head. Tuck raisins for eyes and small dough pieces as beak.
For Dog
- For the dog shape divide the rest of the dough into two pieces on is slightly larger than other. First roll it into cylinder. Cut it in the middle from both sides leaving some space in the middle. Fold back portion to make back two legs. And front portion to make front legs.
- Rest of piece spread it into a small oval shape and make slit from the middle to side in top portion. Then roll the dough through the slit like a croissant. This will make both ear and face of the doge. Then place raisins for eyes and red chili for the tongue.
- Set aside for 1 hour.
Bake
- While the dough is resting pre-heat the oven to 375F. When you ready to bake brush with egg wash and bake them for about 30-35 minutes or until it is slightly golden brown in color.
- Enjoy
Video
Nutrition
This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread. All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.
Renu says
Wow love the puppy, and the all the different shaped animals. I was like wow so nicely done and then more and more…Loved it, I will not dare to show this to my kids 😀 .
Janeane Davis says
I like this idea of making beautiful bread. I would like to take this idea and apply it to other things like flowers and hourshold items.
rika says
Oh my…. so adorable! I think my daughter would love to make one of these.
Kelster says
Wow! I love how you shaped that puppy. Thanks for the video.
Anosa Malanga says
Oh this is so cute and adorable. I haven’t thought of making such but it’s too cute not to do it. Kids would definitely enjoy eating bread like this.
Beth says
I’m partial to the dog, but all of these sourdough animals are so cute! These would be a fun treat!
Monica Simpson says
I love sourdough bread! Never seen it shaped like an animal before. So cute!
Marysa says
These are just adorable! What a fun idea. I would love to try making these for the kids.
Lynndee says
That is just the cutest bread that I have ever seen. I may not eat it and just stare at it. LOL. Good job!
heather says
I love all of your sourdough recipes! These animals are so cute! My kids would love them.
Nikki Wayne says
I’m sure kids will love it..Even I myself find it so cute.
Kate | Life of a Ginger says
Oh my goodness! These are absolutely adorable. I just love them.
Fiona says
Oh wow! These are so good. They’ll be great to make with the kids. I’m sure ours will be pretty unidentifiable… but hopefully they’ll taste good regardless!
Tasheena says
You’re so talented. I would love to give this a try.
Kelly says
Oooooooh, the puppy, yes. And great video! Love all your animals!
Radha says
Amazing Swathi! Koalas, bird, and dog – all of them look cute and wonderful.
Karen @Karen's Kitchen Stories says
Oh my goodness, that puppy! What a work of art! Almost too cute to eat! “Almost.”
Amber Myers says
Oh my gosh, how cute! I need to make these with the kids for sure. Not only are they adorable, but tasty as well!
Leelo says
How adorable! These animal shaped breads look so cute. I should give these a try!
Ben says
You did a really great job on these. They’re adorable. I think I’ll give this a try.
Rebekah Hills says
I love that you did so many different shapes and sizes – they are all adorable; that puppy though! SO cute!
Wendy Klik says
Oh my gosh Swathi. They all turned out great but that dog…..my heart melted. I love that dog bread!!
Camilla M. Mann says
How cute! I have some sourdough starter just aching to be baked. I might have to try my hand at an animal shape. Thanks for the inspiration.
Stacy says
They are all sweet but THAT DOG! He is perfection, Swathi!
Sneha Datar says
Cute looking animal shaped breads!