Whole Grain Sourdough Made Simple: Easy Recipes for Artisan Loaves and Specialty Breads

by Heather Perine

  Copyright © 2021 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Rockridge Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608.

  Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The Publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the Publisher is not engaged in rendering medical, legal, or other professional advice or services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the Publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization, or website may provide or recommendations they/it may make. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

  For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (866) 744-2665, or outside the United States at (510) 253-0500.

  Rockridge Press publishes its books in a variety of electronic and print formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books, and vice versa.

  TRADEMARKS: Rockridge Press and the Rockridge Press logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Callisto Media Inc. and/or its affiliates, in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Rockridge Press is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

  Interior and Cover Designer: Eric Pratt

  Art Producer: Samantha Ulban

  Editor: Van Van Cleave

  Production Editor: Sigi Nacson

  Production Manager: Riley Hoffman

  Photography © 2021 Laura Flippen; © Tom Story, pp. 12, 28, 29, 31, 34. Food styling by Laura Flippen. Author Photo Courtesy of Emily Brenchley.

  ISBN: 978-1-64876-413-4 | eBook 978-1-64739-414-1

  R0

  To my sister, Emily, who always inspires me to try new things

  CONTENTS

  Introduction

  PART I

  The Fundamentals of Whole-Grain Sourdough Baking

  CHAPTER 1

  A Simple Approach to Making Whole-Grain Sourdough at Home

  CHAPTER 2

  Putting Your Whole-Grain Sourdough Starter to Good Use

  PART II

  The Recipes

  CHAPTER 3

  Artisan Loaves

  100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

  100% Spelt Bread

  Light Rye Bread

  Multigrain Boule

  Honey Oat-Porridge Loaf

  Quinoa, Fig, and Pecan Bread

  Cheddar-Chive Amaranth Loaf

  Cranberry-Walnut Kamut Loaf

  Pumpernickel Sourdough Bread

  Polenta-Rosemary Einkorn Loaf

  CHAPTER 4

  Sandwich Breads and Pan Loaves

  Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

  Einkorn Sandwich Bread

  New York Deli Rye

  Sesame Spelt Sandwich Bread

  Honey Kamut Sandwich Bread

  Kamut Cinnamon-Raisin Swirl Bread

  Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

  Buckwheat French Bread

  Whole Wheat Chocolate Babka

  Millet Hamburger Buns

  CHAPTER 5

  Pizza, Rolls, and Specialty Breads

  Whole Wheat Pizza

  Buckwheat Dinner Rolls

  Spelt Bagels

  Rosemary Rye Focaccia

  Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

  Rye Pretzels

  Hot Cross Buns

  Garlic Naan

  Multigrain Ciabatta

  Einkorn English Muffins

  CHAPTER 6

  Sourdough Discard Recipes

  Whole Wheat Pancakes

  Spelt Waffles

  Einkorn Pumpkin Bread

  Whole Wheat Banana Bread

  Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Amaranth Crackers

  Caramelized Onion Rye Biscuits

  Cranberry-Orange Millet Scones

  Blueberry-Lemon Spelt Muffins

  Sourdough Crumb Cake

  Buckwheat Chocolate Brownies

  Measurements and Conversions

  Resources

  About the Author

  Introduction

  Before we dive into the wonderful world that is sourdough, let me first introduce myself. My name is Heather, and I love to bake. And what I love to bake the most, as you can probably guess, is sourdough. It’s like part magic, part science.

  As a child, I baked chocolate chip cookies like most kids, but my childhood was mostly spent outside. I grew up on a farm, raising animals, horseback riding, and growing vegetables in our family garden. I first honed some of my baking skills as a member of 4-H for more than 10 years. Then, when I was in my 20s, I took a cake decorating class that changed my life. After that, I became passionate about baking. Who knew that 15 years later I would have a baking blog sharing my own recipes and become a published cookbook author! As I tackled more difficult baking projects, I tried my hand at the ultimate baking challenge: sourdough bread. I fell in love with the process and here I am today, telling you that you, too, can learn to make sourdough, no matter what your baking experience.

  As my sourdough journey progressed, I began to experiment with whole-grain flours. My original intent was simply to make a more nutritious loaf. If I’m being honest, I was a bit skeptical. I thought that to increase nutrition I would have to sacrifice texture and flavor. I could not have been more wrong. I discovered that using whole-grain flours produced a more flavorful loaf in the end.

  There may be many reasons why you want to learn how to make whole-grain sourdough bread. Whether it’s because you are ready to experiment with your own sourdough baking, or you are just looking for ways to make a better loaf of bread, I want to give you all the tools necessary to achieve your baking goals. That’s why this book is divided into two parts. Part I is all about the fundamentals of sourdough bread baking so you can take a deep dive into how the magic happens. Part II is where all our delicious recipes live, waiting to be discovered.

  People devote their entire lives to mastering the art of sourdough, but that doesn’t mean a beginner baker can’t be successful. I, myself, am a self-taught baker, which is why I believe anyone can bake sourdough bread. My goal with this book is to show you how simple it is to bake whole-grain sourdough bread, full of nutrients and flavor, in your own home.

  I hope my tips and recipes will give you the confidence to begin baking and inspire you to crea
te wonderful food memories along the way.

  Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

  PART

  I

  The Fundamentals of Whole-Grain Sourdough Baking

  Although you may be tempted to head straight for the recipes, these first two chapters are crucial to setting you up for success, so don’t skip them! These beginning chapters contain everything you need to know to grow your own whole-grain sourdough starter and put it to use in the kitchen. In chapter 1, I provide you with a step-by-step guide to creating and maintaining a whole-grain sourdough starter. In chapter 2, I cover essential information, such as basic equipment needed, sourdough hydration, making your dough, and, finally, baking with it.

  Although I will cover a lot of information in these chapters, baking whole-grain sourdough bread can be an easy process. Simply follow these best practices that I have outlined here, and I guarantee you will be on your way to baking beautiful, whole-grain loaves at home.

  Multigrain Boule

  1

  A Simple Approach to Making Whole-Grain Sourdough at Home

  In this chapter, I will show you how to create and maintain your whole-grain sourdough starter at home. In addition to walking you through the process, I will introduce you to basic sourdough terminology, different flours you will encounter, how to troubleshoot your starter, and so much more.

  Ancient Bread for Modern Times

  Before we dive into how to make whole-grain sourdough bread, let’s talk about why someone might want to. The appeal of whole-grain sourdough is that it is not only healthy, but also delicious and versatile. By simply combining flour and water, you create a live fermented culture from the wild yeast found on the grains the flour is made from. The more your starter is “fed”—meaning given fresh flour and water—the more the wild yeast multiply. Because sourdough bread relies on wild yeast to help it rise, the process can take much longer than bread made with commercial yeast. But the complex flavor, texture, and health benefits that result are far superior to any other bread you will ever eat.

  Although making whole-grain sourdough bread may be a new concept to you, it actually dates back centuries. Before commercial yeast was made available, bakers had to rely solely on wild yeast to make their leavened breads. And in recent years, sourdough baking has seen a resurgence with home bakers. Though you may associate whole-grain sourdough with old-school bakeries or hip, new pastry shops, this style of sourdough is completely doable for the home baker as long as some best practices are followed.

  Yes, baking sourdough—especially whole-grain—has a learning curve, but it also can be an extremely rewarding experience. And the first steps to making sourdough at home start with understanding the crucial role that starters play in baking this ancient form of bread.

  Health Benefits of Whole-Grain Sourdough

  Making sourdough bread takes considerably longer than making a conventional loaf, but the health benefits make the process worthwhile. These health benefits are attributable to the naturally leavened bread’s long fermentation process. Sourdough is also made with a few simple ingredients, which means you get to skip the added chemicals and preservatives in store-bought bread. Here are some of the health benefits to reap in your next slice:

  Better Gut Health: Sourdough bread contains prebiotics, or indigestible fiber, which help feed the good bacteria in your gut. And whole-grain flours contain more gut-healthy substances than refined flours.

  Heightened Mineral Absorption: The long fermentation process unlocks more minerals from the flour—such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. Typically, the phytates (a unique, natural substance found in plant seeds) present in the grains inhibit the absorption of minerals. However, lactic acid bacteria created through the fermentation process help break down the phytates, allowing your body to better absorb these nutrients.

  Easier to Digest: The long fermentation of naturally leavened bread helps start the process of breaking down the gluten in the bread, making it much easier to digest—especially for those with a gluten sensitivity.

  Glucose Breakdown: Sourdough will also help break down the glucose in the dough because the natural yeast will feed on it. This means it will not spike your blood sugar, like a store-bought sandwich bread would.

  What Is a Sourdough Starter?

  Before there was commercial yeast available to leaven our breads, there was wild yeast. In order to capture wild yeast and put it to good use, you have to make a sourdough starter. A sourdough starter is a simple mixture of flour and water (and a little patience!) that is then left undisturbed to cultivate the wild yeast and Lactobacillus bacteria that live on the grains, in the air, and basically everywhere around us. The yeast and bacteria feed on the sugars and starches in the flour, creating this live fermented culture that will help the bread rise and give it flavor.

  This continuous process of cultivating the yeast and bacteria in the starter is what gives sourdough its beloved characteristics: the moist crumb, its open hole structure, and pleasant sour flavor. And every starter is unique, depending on the flour and water used, the environment it’s created in, even the air around it.

  Most people who cultivate their own sourdough starter will choose to keep their starter alive for years by feeding it fresh flour and water. In fact, some sourdough starters are more than a hundred years old and have been passed down from generation to generation. When feeding your sourdough starter, you will also need to discard some of it. Discarding some of the starter allows you to keep a reasonable amount on hand, but also keeps the correct balance of yeast and bacteria in the container. But you don’t have to throw that discard away. You can use your discard in some of your favorite recipes, or do as many people do and gift your sourdough discard to friends and family so they can keep growing and sharing it as well.

  Sourdough Terminology, Explained

  To learn how to make sourdough, you may feel like you have to learn a new language. But there’s no need to feel intimidated; these words all describe very straightforward processes. By becoming familiar with these terms, you will better understand the techniques used for baking sourdough, and therefore produce better breads.

  Autolyse: A rest period right after the ingredients have been mixed together that helps hydrate the flour, allowing for better structure and flavor; pronounced “autolees”

  Banneton: A proofing basket used to help give the bread structure and shape during the final rise

  Benching: Preshaping the bread dough before its final rise to help give it shape and structure

  Bulk Fermentation: The first rise, which makes up the majority of the rising time and can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours

  Crumb: The interior appearance and texture of the baked bread, indicating the size of the holes and the level of moisture present

  Gluten: The protein in wheat and other grains that forms when the flour becomes hydrated and that is responsible for giving the bread structure

  Hooch: A harmless gray liquid that can appear on top of a starter when it hasn’t been fed in a while; it can just be poured off

  Hydration: The ratio of flour to water in a starter or bread loaf that is often given as a percentage

  Lame: A sharp razor blade with a handle attached used to score bread dough before baking; pronounced “lahm”

  Levain: An offshoot of a sourdough starter in which fresh flour and water alter the level of hydration and type of flour used, without changing the original starter

  Oven Spring: The amount a bread will rise when it’s in the oven—large, lofty loaves have good oven spring, whereas flatter, dense loaves lack oven spring

  Proof/Proofing: The final rising time a bread will go through after it’s been shaped, and before baking

  Score/Scoring: A cut or slash in the dough prior to being baked, done with a bread lame or sharp knife, which is not only decorative, but controls the direction of where the loaf will open up, allowing steam to escape

  Stretching and Folding: A process done during the bulk fermentation that he
lps develop gluten, to achieve better texture and rise

  Using Whole Grains in Sourdough

  Most bakers will choose to make their sourdough starter out of refined flours, but many sourdough devotees are opting for whole-grain flours for their added nutritional value. Refined flours, like bread flour and all-purpose flour, have had the outer bran layer and inner germ of the grain removed, where the bulk of its nutrition lies. Whole-grain flours, as the name implies, contain all of the grain kernel: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Don’t be confused by the name “white whole wheat flour,” though, as the “white” in its name is a reference to a softer winter wheat. It is, in fact, 100 percent whole-grain and uses all the kernel. Using whole-grain flours brings major benefits. The bread will be more nutritious and have a heartier crumb and more pronounced flavor. In this book I use a variety of beginner-friendly and more advanced whole-grain flours:

  Amaranth: Naturally gluten-free, this flour has an earthy, sweet, and nutty flavor to it. This flour works well when it’s paired with other flours in a bread dough, as amaranth flour can inhibit bread rise.

  Bread Flour: This hard wheat flour is used to give the bread strength. It can be found in refined or whole-grain varieties.

  Buckwheat: This bold whole-grain flour is naturally gluten-free. Breads made with buckwheat will be dark in color. It has a rich, earthy flavor and needs to be paired with another type of flour that has gluten, such as bread flour.

  Einkorn: The oldest of the ancient grains, this flour has a nuttier, richer flavor than traditional wheat and will impart a golden color to your final loaves. When working with einkorn, be aware that the dough will be sticky and will not stretch like other whole-grain doughs.

  Kamut: Stone-ground flour from this grain (a trademarked strain of ancient Khorasan wheat) will have a nutty, buttery flavor. When used on its own, it can yield a very dense loaf, so for a lighter crumb it’s best paired with another flour, such as spelt, wheat, or white bread flour. At first the dough will feel very stiff, but it will soften as you work with it.