Sourdough Cottage Loaf

A cottage loaf is a beautiful, traditional British bread with a distinctive two-tiered shape. Originally popular with bakers because its height saved space in the oven, it’s now a rare find in bakeries—perhaps because its shape makes it tricky to slice for sandwiches. But I love it for its wonderful crust-to-crumb ratio and the joy of shaping it.

I first came across this bread while watching The Great British Bake Off. Inspired, I challenged myself to make it, using the recipe from Baking School by Justin Gellatly, Louise Gellatly, and Matthew Jones. My daughter fell in love with it, and since then, it has made occasional appearances in our kitchen.

Last weekend, I decided to take it a step further and bake a cottage loaf using my sourdough starter. ıt resulted in a beautifully risen, deeply flavorful loaf with a crisp crust and soft interior. Here’s how I made it:

Sourdough Cottage Loaf

Ingredients

• 30g unsalted butter, melted

• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 150g leaven

• 300g water

Method

1. Mixing the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the leaven and water. Add the flour and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes.

2. Kneading

Add the salt and melted butter to the bowl. Knead using a stand mixer for 5–10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball. If mixing by hand, knead for about 10 minutes.

3. First Rise

Transfer the dough to a well-oiled bowl and let it rise for four hours at room temperature.

4. Cold Proof (Optional)

For a deeper flavor, refrigerate the dough for 12–16 hours, or proceed directly to shaping.

5. Shaping & Bench Rest

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into one 700g piece and one approximately 300g piece. Shape each into a ball, cover with an upturned bowl, and let rest for 20 minutes.

6. Final Proof

Place each dough ball into a well-floured bread-proofing basket or a bowl lined with a tea towel, seam side up. Proof at room temperature for about two hours, or refrigerate overnight for slower fermentation.

7. Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 250°C with a baking tray or cast iron pan inside.

8. Assembling the Cottage Loaf

Turn out the larger dough ball onto a piece of baking paper. Place the smaller dough ball on top. Press a well-floured finger through the center, all the way down, to join them together. Dust generously with flour.

Using a sharp blade or knife, make 12 downward cuts around the base and 10 around the top. Cover and leave to proof for 45 minutes.

9. Baking

Carefully transfer the loaf (using the baking paper) onto the preheated tray or cast iron pan. Immediately lower the oven temperature to 220°C, spray the oven with water, and bake for 30 minutes. Cover with foil after the first 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.

Let the loaf cool before slicing ideally overnight—or simply tear off chunks and enjoy!

Have you tried baking a cottage loaf? Let me know in the comments!