Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf
I started a sourdough starter during a long stretch at home when I had more time than excuses. I named it. I fed it faithfully. I read about it more than was probably necessary, and then I baked my first loaf and it came out dense and pale and not at all what I had in mind, and my oven and I had words. The whole wheat flour came in on my fifth or sixth attempt when I wanted something with more character: a deeper flavor, a chewier crumb, the kind of bread that actually tastes like something. It also makes me feel, I will be honest, slightly more virtuous about the amount of butter I spread on each slice. The long cold proof in the refrigerator is the piece that changed everything: cold dough holds its shape, scores cleanly, and develops a flavor during its overnight rest that a same-day bake cannot match. Trust the process, which I understand is an annoying thing to say, but I mean it: the bread knows what it is doing even when you do not.
Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf
Sourdough is the recipe that taught me patience, which is not a lesson I was looking to learn. You cannot rush a sourdough loaf. The starter requires feeding, the dough requires time, and the oven requires a confidence I did not have on my first attempt, or my third. But I kept at it, because that is what I do, and this whole wheat version, earthy and deeply flavored with a proper crust that shatters satisfyingly when you cut into it, is the reason I kept a jar of starter alive through everything my kitchen has thrown at me.
Ingredients
100g active sourdough starter, fed 4 to 8 hours before using
300g whole wheat flour
200g bread flour, plus more for dusting
375g lukewarm water, divided
10g salt
1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
The night before baking, make sure your starter is active. Feed it equal parts flour and water and leave at room temperature until bubbly and doubled, 4 to 8 hours depending on your kitchen. When a small spoonful dropped into water floats, it is ready. If it sinks, give it more time.
Combine both flours with 350g of the water in a large bowl. Mix until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 45 minutes. This is the autolyse, the flour hydrates, the gluten begins developing on its own, and you get to do something else for a while.
Add the starter, honey, salt, and remaining 25g of water. Squeeze and fold the dough with your hands until everything is fully incorporated. It will feel strange and shaggy at first. Keep going.
Over the next 3 to 4 hours at room temperature, perform stretch and folds every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours: grab one side of the dough, stretch it up as far as it will go without tearing, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat four times. The dough will become noticeably smoother and more elastic with each set.
Shape the dough into a tight round by folding the edges in toward the center, then flipping it seam-side down and dragging it gently across the counter to build surface tension. Place seam-side up in a well-floured proofing basket or a bowl lined with a floured cloth. Cover and refrigerate overnight, 10 to 14 hours.
One hour before baking, place a Dutch oven with its lid inside your oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C). When the oven is fully hot, carefully remove the Dutch oven, turn the cold dough directly into it, and score the top with a sharp blade in one confident motion. Do not hesitate.
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for a further 22 to 25 minutes until the crust is a deep mahogany brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave for at least 1 hour before cutting, the interior is still setting as it cools, and slicing too early gives you a gummy crumb. This is the hardest part of the whole recipe.
Hi, I'm Sarina!
I'm passionate about food, photography, and food styling. I want to share my unique perspective with you. Have a look around at my recipes and blog
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