100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
A hearty yet soft bakery-style loaf, made with 100% whole wheat flour and sourdough leavened for a tart, nutty flavor. Perfect for sandwiches, toasts, or simply smeared with butter.
Ingredients
- 390 grams (2½ cups) whole wheat flour
- 320 grams (1⅓ cup) water
- 8 grams (1⅓ tsp) fine salt
- 25 grams (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- 100 grams (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) sourdough starter active/fed
- Wheat bran, brown rice flour, or whole wheat flour for dusting
Instructions
- Combine flour and water in a large bowl. Mix together just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry bits remain. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Leave to rest overnight, 8-12 hours.
- Add salt and olive oil to the dough and work them in by hand until incorporated.
- Add sourdough starter to the dough and work in by hand or with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
- Knead dough by hand or with a mixer fitted with dough hook. Knead until dough is smooth and supple. Allow dough to rest for 5 minutes. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it into a square with your hands. If you are able to stretch the dough thin enough that light shines through without the dough tearing then it has been adequately kneaded. If dough tears continue kneading, allow to rest, and then repeat this test. Continue until dough passes this “windowpane test”.
- Place dough in a clear bowl or container. Mark the position of the top of the dough with a rubber band, tape, or washable marker. Allow dough to rise until increased in volume by about 50%. This may take around 6 hours but this depends on the ambient temperature and the strength of your starter (see note).
- Fill a small bowl with water. Use your hands to wet a work surface with water and transfer dough to work surface. Stretch dough into a rough square. Fold the corners into the middle. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
- To make a batard: Dust a lined oblong proofing basket with wheat bran, brown rice flour, or whole wheat flour. Uncover dough and wet hands. Fold the dough in thirds like a letter and then roll up like a sleeping bag from one of the short ends into a tight cylinder. If dough is still slack, roll up again from the short end to create a taut cylinder. Pinch seems together. Place dough seem side up in proofing basket and dust the exposed side of the dough with flour or wheat bran.
- To make a boule: Dust a lined round proofing basket with flour or wheat bran. Alternatively, line an 8 to 9-inch bowl or colander with a towel and dust with flour or wheat bran. Uncover the dough. Wet hands and again fold each corner into the middle. Repeat again, folding the corners into the middle. The dough at this point should be a somewhat taut ball, if not fold the corners in again until it is. Pinch seems together. Place dough seem side up in proofing basket and dust the exposed side of the dough with flour or wheat bran.
- Cover dough with a towel and transfer to the fridge. Allow dough to cold proof in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Alternatively, proof at room temperature for 2-4 hours until dough has about doubled in volume.
- When ready to bake preheat oven to 400°. Carefully flip your dough out of the proofing basket and onto a sheet of parchment paper seem side down. Score the top of the loaf about ¼-inch deep with a serrated knife or razor blade. The scoring can be a single slash down the middle, a cross, a square, or any pattern you like.
- If baking a batard, place dough in a deep skillet with lid, if baking a boule place dough in a Dutch oven. Add an ice cube to the pot and cover. Bake for 30 minutes then remove lid and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until browned and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely (at least an hour) before cutting into your bread.
Notes
For faster rising, or if room temperature is below 70°, proof in the oven with the light on (leave yourself a sticky note on the oven so you don’t forget it is in there).