Easy to Master Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
Whole Wheat Sourdough
If you like the earthiness and richness of whole wheat bread, try this easy to master Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread. I use rye sourdough starter (click to find the recipe for this starter), whole wheat flour, and white bread flour in this recipe. It produces a flavorful artisan style bread. It’s great for dipping in olive oil and vinegar, for making sandwiches, or just eating with plain or compound butter (butter with herbs or spices mixed in).
Baking Artisan Bread
I like to play with different shapes and have a few different Dutch ovens and one long clay baker. In this recipe I shape the dough into a baton shape and bake it in the long clay baker. A friend found a clay baker at a yard sale and picked it up for me. It has turned out to be one of my best bakers! It bakes up crispy, lofty bread with no burnt bottoms. Excellent yard sale find.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT:
CONTAINER WITH LID
Perfect for proofing dough, no wasted plastic wrap and you can see the progress of the dough as it rises.
DOUGH WHISK
Danish whisk is an essential tool for mixing together heavy dough. Easy to clean.
CLAY BAKER
Love this clay baker. Bakes up consistently great bread every time in a long shape.
Alternatively, you can bake this bread on a sheet pan. I suggest you spritz the dough all over with a water sprayer before baking it to keep the crust a little softer or add a pan of water to the oven during baking. This mimics the action of a steam oven. I personally use a a non-aerosol pump sprayer designed for olive oil. I only use mine for water. It creates the fine mist that I want for spraying the outside of the bread before baking. Hint: it’s also useful for lightly spraying dough that needs a little extra hydration during mixing.
Retarding Whole Wheat Sourdough
This sourdough (pictured left) was made yesterday. I retarded the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Retarding dough means to slow down the gluten development (proofing) by using a cooler temperature. In this case, I proofed my dough in the refrigerator overnight. This resulted in increased flavor (making the final bread more sour). It also serves to open the crumb for big holed sourdough bread. Proofing at room temperature and baking the same day will result in a tighter crumb and less sour flavor, but absolutely delicious. It’s personal preference. Some people do not like open structure as butter and toppings drip through the holes.
RECOMMENDED INGREDIENTS:
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
This recipe uses a combination of whole wheat and bread flour. I recommend King Arthur as it is always consistent and bakes up a great tasting bread.
BREAD FLOUR
This recipe uses a combination of bread flour and whole wheat. i recommend King Arthur flours.
INSTANT YEAST
Use INSTANT yeast for all no-knead recipes. I recommend Fleischmann’s. It is a reliable and consistent product.
Sharing is Caring
This is a great beginner whole wheat sourdough bread recipe since it is a no knead, easy to master recipe. Bake One Share One – Great Bread For All, double the recipe and give one to a friend. If you give this easy Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread recipe a try, don’t forget to snap a few photos and share with @christinasbreadbakes on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook. I would love to see your results. Happy baking, Bread Bakers!
Rustic Whole Wheat Sourdough
Equipment
- 4 Liter food container (or bowl)
- Cover for container (or plastic wrap)
- Digital Metric Scale
- Bowl scraper
- Banneton (or other proofing dish)
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 100 grams Rye Sourdough Starter
- 300 grams Warm Tap Water baker’s percentage: 75% hydration
- 100 grams Whole Wheat Flour
- 300 grams Bread Flour strong white flour at least 14% protein
- 11 grams Sea Salt
Instructions
Mixing
- Using a digital scale set to metric, measure 100 g rye sourdough starter into a minimum 3 liter food grade container or large bowl. (In photos, you will see a 6 L Rubbermaid food bin with lid).
- Using a scale, measure 300 g warm (not hot) water. Add water to starter. Mix well with your hand to break up the starter and create a milky slurry.
- Using a scale, measure 100 g whole wheat flour.
- Using a scale measure 300 g bread flour and mix together with whole wheat flour.
- Add flour mixture into slurry. Mix well with your hand to hydrate flour until there are no dry bits remaining.
- Cover container tightly, set aside, rest for 30-35 minutes so flour will autolyze.
- Using a scale, measure 11 grams of sea salt. Sprinkle sea salt over the autolyzed flour and water mixture.
- Cut through the mixture three times by squeezing two fingertips together (like you are forming the “okay” symbol). Next, grab a small portion of dough from one side and pull dough up, then fold the dough down over itself. Be careful not to pull too much as dough will tear. Rotate the container a quarter turn and repeat. Do this a total of four times. After the final fold flip the dough over so folds are tucked below dough mass.
- Replace the cover and allow dough mixture to rest for 10 minutes.
Folding
- This recipe requires five folds over the next 2-3 hours. After the 10 minute rest, perform the first fold.
- Remove cover. Pull a small portion of dough from the outside of the dough mixture and stretch dough up (being careful not to tear it) and fold it down over itself. Do this a total of eight times while turning the container clockwise (no cutting this time). After the final fold, turn the dough over in the container so folds are tucked below the dough mass.
- Hint: When pulling and stretching, be careful not to tear the dough. It will not stretch very far during the first fold, but do not worry, you will do this four more times, each time the dough will stretch further. This process produces a loose round that tightens with each additional fold.
- Replace cover and allow dough to relax 30 minutes.
- Remove cover. The dough will have relaxed. Perform the second fold. Pull a small portion of dough from the outside of the dough mixture and stretch dough up (being careful not to tear it) and fold it down over itself. Do this eight times while turning the container clockwise after each stretch and fold. After the final fold, turn the dough over in the container so folds are tucked under creating a round shape. Repeat this process two more times at 30 minute intervals.
Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)
- After the fifth fold, cover the dough, allow it to complete the bulk fermentation in a warm place. Be patient! This will take between 4-8 hours depending on the temperature where dough rests. Dough must double in size before moving on to the next step.
- Hint: Using a clear container allows you to easily see the progression of the rise. After the fifth fold, mark the container at the point where the doubled bread will rise; I use either a marker or an elastic around the container to indicate this point.
- Hint: Yeast needs a warm place to multiply and perform its magic. If you have a cold kitchen (below 68 degrees) or are using air conditioning in summer, you may need to create a warm environment. If dough is not rising, move it to a warm location, in an oven with the light on is an option.
Shaping
- When dough has doubled in size it will be lofty with good structure, bubbles on top and inside. Flour a work surface.
- Prepare the banneton (if using) with 1-2 Tablespoons of flour. Set aside.
- Hint: If you do not have a banneton (which are costly and not required), simply use a colander or other bowl lined with a very generously floured, clean, linen kitchen towel.
- Turn dough out carefully onto a floured work surface so as not to lose too much of the gas structure. Use the bowl scraper to coax the sticky dough out of the container. Set container aside.
- Pull each of the four corners of the dough towards the center.
- Flip the dough so the folds are now on the bottom and you have a very loose shape.
- Curve fingers around the rear of the loose shape and drag the dough towards you on the work surface to produce a baton shape. Gently pick the dough up, turn in around, and place it further away from you again. Tuck loose ends back under on the left and right to keep a uniform shape. Repeat the drag and tuck four times or as many times as it takes to create a tight baton ball.
- Hint: You will need a little friction to drag the dough ball to tighten it into the desired shape. I am using a baton shape for this dough. You can just as easily make this into a round. If there is no friction, clear the work surface of the majority of flour and try again.
- Once you have a tight shape, flour the top of the dough. Pick it up by gently by sliding cupped hands under either side of the shape.
- Gently lay the it into the banneton. Cover the banneton with plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or a linen towel.
Proofing (Second Rise)
- Set the banneton in a warm place to proof. Allow the dough ball to rise until it has relaxed and doubled in size. This may take 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature.
Baking
- Approximately 45 minutes prior to the second rise being complete, place your Dutch oven onto the middle rack of your oven. Set oven temp to 475 F degrees. Set timer for 45 minutes. For this recipe, I used a clay oven baker. Regardless, it is preheated with the lid on just like a dutch oven.
- When timer buzzes, check if your dough has doubled and is ready to be baked.
- Hint: To check if your dough has risen enough, you can perform the poke test. Poke the dough with a floured finger. If the indent springs back quickly, it is not yet ready to be baked. Allow it to continue to rise. If the indent springs back slowly, it is ready to be baked. If the indent does not spring back at all, it is over-proofed.
- Pull preheated Dutch oven from the oven and place on a heat resistant surface. Caution! It will be very hot. Remove and set the lid aside.
- Hint: Leave your oven mitt over the lid so you do not accidentally grab it with bear hands when picking up the lid again. Yes! This is experience talking. 😉
- Uncover the dough. Reach your fingers under the formed dough to gently loosen its grip on the Banneton or dish towel. Slightly tip the banneton sideways allowing the dough ball to gently flip upside down into the preheated pan (resulting in the previously folded side facing up). Cover the pan with the lid and return to the oven.
- Hint: You are able to place the dough directly into the oven without cutting a fancy pattern onto the top of the loaf. The steam will find it’s way out and produce a lovely crown. However, if you want to unleash your inner artist, you can create a pattern by slicing the top of the loaf with a sharp knife or lame after flipping it into the hot Dutch oven giving the steam an escape hatch.
- Bake at 475 F degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the lid from the Dutch oven. Bake at 475 degrees for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Hint: The darker the outside caramelization is on the crust, the more flavor your bread will have. I personally like to bake it to a very rich dark brown.
- Remove the Dutch oven and set on a heat proof surface.
Cooling
- Immediately remove the bread from the Dutch oven after baking has finished. Set bread on a cooling rack to allow air flow around the bread.
- Listen to the symphony of crackling as the crust begins to cool.
- Allow to cool at least 15 minutes, preferably 30 minutes, before slicing.
- Hint: I know it’s hard to wait for that yummy first piece! However, the crumb needs time to cool so it does not get crushed when you try to cut the bread.
Storing
- If you do not use this bread immediately, it can be stored in the open air for 8 hours, or even overnight, as long as it is not cut.
- Once the bread has been cut, allow it to cool completely. Store cut side down on a cutting board for up to one day.
- After that time, slice the remaining bread, place slices in an airtight bag, and freeze the slices. Warm each slice in a toaster before eating.
I love ancient flours, and rye is at the top of the list, but I admit it is not an easy flour to work with. I’d rather go for proven recipes, such as this one:)
Hi Mihaela – The flavor of Rye even in a small amount can really enhance a bread dough, enjoy!
I am making sourdough as we speak or type. Well not at the same time but my dough is in the first stage. I love this recipe because of the rye starter. I would totally love to try that out.
Fantastic, Greg! Enjoy the bread baking process, the aroma, the taste of the finished sourdough, and definitely try adding a touch of rye, it’s delicious.
I’ve been looking for a good whole wheat sourdough recipe that is detailed and easy to follow, im sooooo excited to make this! Thanks for the informative post and recipe
You’re welcome, Sara. Enjoy baking your own bread at home!
This recipe intrigues me a lot, the bread looks so good that I’m eating it with my eyes! I am always looking for new ideas to make my own bread at home, I have never tried the technique of retarding the dough in the refrigerator, I can’t wait to try! Thanks for sharing
Hi Fabiana – Homemade bread is the best, enjoy trying the retarding process in the refrigerator!
I need to try this bread, it looks so healthy and delicious!
Hi Sue! Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy baking this easy bread, it’s definitely healthy & delicious, too!
This bread looks very good! I miss so much the good bread where l live..l m going to make same with your recipe😍
Thank you Francy, I missed good bread when I moved back to the US from Europe, that’s why I started making my own, too! Happy baking!
I love finding different kitchen utensils and gear at garage sales and second hand shops. I really missed not shopping at any last year. Hopefully, this summer will be better for that. This bread looks perfect for a good open-faced sandwich.
Good luck on your hunt this year for second-hand treasures, it’s a great way to find used kitchen tools and cookbooks!
Your bread always look so good! I didn’t know that proofing the dough in the fridge would affect the crumb and flavour.
Cindy – Yes, experiment with your next batch of sourdough bread and you will find a significant flavor difference, enjoy baking!