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

by Heather Perine

  Essential Kitchen Equipment

  The following items are the basic necessities for bread-making.

  Baking Pan (9 by 13 inches)

  Baking Sheet

  Digital Scale

  Dutch Oven (or cast-iron skillet with lid)

  Kitchen Towel or Shower Cap (for covering the dough during rising)

  Loaf Pans (8½ by 4½ inches and 9 by 5 inches)

  Mixing Bowls

  Oven Mitts

  Parchment Paper

  Pastry Brush

  Rolling Pin

  Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon

  Stand or Electric Mixer

  Nice-to-Have Equipment

  These items are not strictly necessary but can help make baking a little easier.

  Banneton Basket: To hold and shape artisan loaves during their final rise, though a mixing bowl lined with a rice flour–dusted kitchen towel can be substituted

  Bench Scraper: To help when shaping dough into round loaves, dividing dough, and scraping dough off your counter; also called a bench knife

  Bowl Scraper: Ideal for scraping dough out of your bowl and onto your work surface

  Digital Probe Thermometer: To test the temperature of liquids before adding them to your recipe, and for checking the internal temperature of baked loaves before removing them from the oven

  Dough Whisk: To easily mix dough ingredients together

  Lame: For scoring artisan loaves before baking, but a razor blade, sharp knife, or even scissors will suffice

  Fridge and Pantry Staples

  Be sure to keep these ingredients on hand so that you can whip up bread whenever you’d like.

  Butter: Unsalted butter is recommended to control added salt.

  Dried Fruit: Cranberries or raisins are common.

  Eggs

  Flours: These include whole-grain flours, bread flour, all-purpose, and rice flour.

  Herbs (dried or fresh): Rosemary, thyme, oregano, chives, and dill are all excellent for baking. Dried herbs are stronger in flavor than fresh, so use less.

  Honey: Maple syrup or agave can be substituted if needed.

  Milk

  Nuts

  Oil: Try olive oil or a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable or canola.

  Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt are best for pure salt taste. Table salt will also work.

  Seeds: Sesame, poppy, flax, chia, fennel, anise, and caraway are popular choices.

  Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg are common.

  Sugars: These include granulated sugar, brown sugar, turbinado, and powdered sugar.

  Vanilla Extract

  Understanding Sourdough Hydration

  Hydration refers to the ratio of water to flour in your starter, and in your recipe. A 1:1 ratio, equal parts flour and water, is considered 100 percent hydration. If you’re new to sourdough baking, I recommend keeping your starter at 100 percent hydration when feeding it. As you progress, you can adjust the hydration levels by tweaking the ratio of flour to water at each feeding.

  You can also adjust the hydration levels in your actual recipe. A lower hydration (more flour than water) will yield a thicker dough, whereas a higher hydration (more water than flour) can lead to a moist, sticky dough. The hydration level will be a main factor in determining the overall texture of your bread, and how it will behave during mixing, fermenting, and shaping. A higher hydration will yield a more open crumb and crispier crust. However, a higher-hydration dough is more difficult to work with.

  Whole-grain breads benefit from a higher hydration, because they will absorb more liquid than refined flours. If you’re feeling experimental, or are a more advanced baker, try the Honey Oat–Porridge Loaf (here) for a high-hydration sourdough or the 100% Spelt Bread (here), or try the Light Rye Bread (here) with a lower hydration starter.

  Whole-Grain Sourdough Baking, Step-by-Step

  We have finally gotten to the fun part—the baking! What follows is a guide to the major steps of the sourdough baking process, such as prepping the starter, mixing the dough, shaping, and finally baking. Each recipe will also contain specific information about these steps.

  Preparing the Starter

  The first step in any sourdough recipe involves making sure the starter is well fed and ready to be incorporated into the other ingredients so that it can properly leaven the bread. A starter that is ready to use should be bubbly and doubling in volume every 6 to 8 hours after each feeding. Following these steps will result in a flavorful bread with the best texture.

  1. Take the starter out of the fridge 2 days before you plan to activate it. (If you use a starter straight from the fridge, it won’t have the strength to make your bread rise.) If you have been maintaining your starter at room temperature, feed the starter the night before you plan to use it.

  2. Discard half of the starter. Using a scale, feed your starter with equal parts flour and water. Mix vigorously until no dry flour remains. Cover the jar loosely and let the starter sit for about 12 hours.

  3. Repeat feedings every 12 hours, until you notice the starter doubling in volume every 6 to 8 hours. The temperature of your kitchen and of the water can affect this time frame. Warmer water and warmer kitchens will result in starters that double in volume faster than their cooler counterparts.

  4. To test if your starter is ready, place a small amount of starter in a bowl of water. If the starter floats, it means it’s ready. When you have enough starter for your recipe, it doubles in volume every 6 to 8 hours, and it passes the float test, it’s ready to be used.

  5. Measure out the starter you need for your recipe. Reserve some of the remaining starter and feed with fresh flour and water. Store your starter again for future recipes.

  Mixing, Kneading, and Resting the Dough

  There is a series of steps necessary to incorporate the starter with other ingredients to form the dough. The dough will also go through a round of stretching and resting, to develop the gluten, before it’s ready to be baked. Unlike breads made with commercial yeast, naturally leavened breads made with wild yeast take considerably longer to develop their gluten and leaven. But as we discussed earlier, they are totally worth it. Most of the recipes in this book will go through a similar process as the one described below.

  1. Mixing the Dough: In a large bowl, stir together the starter and liquid, then add any additional ingredients (see Figures 1 and 2). Stir together with a fork or dough whisk. Then finish stirring by hand until no dry flour remains.

  2. Autolyse (1 to 2 hours): After the dough has been mixed together, it needs to rest—or autolyse—to let the flour completely hydrate and let the gluten proteins relax. This process will take about 2 hours.

  3. Stretching and Folding (2 hours): Once the dough has been through its autolyse stage, it’s time to perform some stretches and folds (see Figure 3). These help incorporate air into the dough and strengthen the gluten, resulting in a higher rise. The dough will be stretched and folded about four times total over the course of 2 hours. After each stretch and fold, let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes before completing another set. This step can be done in the bowl or on the counter.

  4. Kneading (5 to 10 minutes): This is different from stretching and folding, and not all loaves will require kneading. Kneading can be done in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment or by hand on a clean surface (see Figure 4).

  5. Bulk Fermentation (8 to 12 hours): After the dough has been stretched, it will need to rise for 8 to 12 hours total. Recipes may call for bulk fermentation at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Be sure to cover the dough with a towel or shower cap during this step (see Figure 5).

  6. Shaping: After bulk fermentation is complete, the dough will be shaped and go through a second rise (Figure 6). For artisan loaves (see chapter 3), the dough is placed in a rice flour–dusted basket called a banneton (see Figure 7).

  7. Proofing (2 hours up to overnight): After shaping, the dough has to go through one last rise, called proofing (see Figure 8).
The time for the final rise can vary by recipe and take anywhere from 2 hours up to overnight. Proofing can be done in the fridge or at room temperature.

  Figure 1

  Figure 2

  Figure 3

  Figure 4

  Figure 5

  Figure 6

  Figure 7

  Figure 8

  Baking

  There are a few steps required at this stage to ensure that the bake goes off without a hitch. Listed below are the typical steps at this part of the process, although certain recipes will not require all of them. Review your specific recipe for more details.

  1. Preparing the Dough: The dough at this point should have completed its final rise, or proof. To tell whether or not the dough is ready for the oven, gently press into the dough. It should hold the indent for a few seconds and not spring back too quickly. The dough should also have increased in volume (varying in amount depending on the recipe) and look puffy.

  2. Dusting: For artisan loaves, the dough needs to be flipped out of the banneton and dusted with flour. Use parchment paper to catch the dough, then remove the basket. Dust your dough with flour (Figure 1). For artisan loaves, trim your parchment to fit inside a Dutch oven. For sandwich loaves, grease a loaf pan (Figure 2).

  3. Scoring and Shaping: Score your artisan loaf with a bread lame or sharp knife. If making a sandwich loaf, shape the dough according to your recipe (no scoring required; Figure 3).

  4. Preparing the Oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and place your baking pan (loaf pan, Dutch oven, etc.) in the oven. Let preheat for at least 30 minutes.

  5. Baking: Transfer your loaf to your preheated pan (Figure 4). For artisan loaves, keep the parchment paper underneath the bread and bake for half the baking time with the Dutch oven covered. For the second half, remove the lid and continue baking to develop the crust.

  6. Cooling: When the bread is done baking, remove the pan from the oven with oven mitts. Remove the bread from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper, if necessary, and let the bread cool for several hours before slicing.

  Figure 1

  Figure 2

  Figure 3

  Figure 4

  7 Simple Tips for Sourdough Success

  There are a lot of variables involved with making sourdough bread, so here are some tips and tricks to ensure success every time!

  Set Timers for Your Feeds: Use your phone to set a timer so you remember to feed your starter every 12 hours. It’s easy to forget!

  Stick with One Flour to Start: There are a lot of whole-grain flours to choose from, but choose one and get comfortable with it before experimenting with another. And stick to one brand as well, as even changing brands can change results.

  Plan Your Bake: Great sourdough bread is all about timing, so plan out your bake. You want to make sure you have the time to tend to your starter to ensure the best possible results.

  Mise en Place: This means “everything in its place” in French, and is a common chef term for making sure you have all the ingredients ready and prepped—including an active starter—before you start your bake. This ensures that you can carry out your recipe with ease.

  Practice: This one may seem obvious, but sourdough is a journey, and it will take time to get perfect loaves. So, keep practicing and you will get better in time.

  Ask for Help: Ask other bakers, either in person or online, for their tips. There is a lot of information out there to help you through your bakes if you need it.

  Keep a Record: Keep a log not just for your starter but also for each bake, so you can remember what you did the week before and build on your progress.

  The Recipes in this Book

  This book covers a range of breads that can all be made using whole grains. All of the recipes use the 100% whole wheat sourdough starter outlined in Chapter 1. If any call for modifications of the starter, there will be step-by-step instructions on how to make those adjustments. The recipes include information about the sourdough methods involved, the amount of hands-on activity, the baking time, and the total amount of time involved. The recipes also include tips about technique, modifications, and working with specific ingredients. Finally, the last chapter has a number of recipes that use the starter discard, so it doesn’t go to waste.

  A note about using bread flour: Although bread flour is not a whole-grain flour (there is a whole-grain version, but it can be trickier to use), for some bread recipes it is necessary. Without it, you end up with a very, very dense loaf that doesn’t have the structure. Whole-grain flour inhibits the gluten formation because the fragments of bran and germ in the flour are sharp and cut the strands of gluten. So, for some flour, especially whole-grain flour that is also naturally gluten-free, like millet, you need bread flour for the structure. If you want these recipes to be 100 percent whole-grain, you could add more whole grain and less bread flour to keep the weight of the flour the same, but you may have to add additional liquid. Another option is to add some vital wheat gluten (essentially pure gluten) to the bread recipe with the whole-grain loaves to help with rise.

  I hope that these recipes become fixtures in your baking repertoires and allow you to make whole-grain loaves that you are eager to share with friends and family. Are you ready? Let’s get baking!

  PART

  II

  The Recipes

  This section contains recipes for a number of whole-grain sourdough delicacies, including artisan loaves, sandwich breads, and specialty breads, as well as sweet and savory recipes that use your sourdough discard. My intention with these recipes is to offer you a variety of whole-grain recipes that utilize different flours, from whole wheat to Kamut, spelt, and more! If you’re new to using some of these flours, rest assured that these recipes include all the information you need to have a rewarding sourdough experience.

  Cranberry-Walnut Kamut Loaf

  3

  Artisan Loaves

  This chapter contains the classic artisan loaves you think of when you think of sourdough bread. These hearty whole-grain boules benefit from a long autolyse and frequent stretch and folds to yield a loaf that has a crispy exterior and soft crumb on the inside. The first three recipes will contain more detailed instructions that you can refer back to as you dive further into the chapter.

  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

  100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

  Yield: One 8-inch loaf

  Sourdough Method: 8- to 10-hour bulk fermentation

  Active Prep Time: 30 to 40 minutes

  Bake Time: 45 minutes

  Total Time: 11 to 12 hours

  Tools: Large bowl, fork or dough whisk, bench scraper, banneton basket, Dutch oven

  This artisan loaf has a lovely toasty, nutty quality since it’s made with all whole wheat flour. It is a high-hydration loaf because whole wheat flour soaks up a lot of water, so it’s important to give this dough a long autolyse before you attempt the stretch and folds. In the end, you will be rewarded with a delicious, nutritious loaf that you will want to bake every week.

  50g (¼ cup) active starter

  450g (1¾ cups + 2 tablespoons) water

  1 tablespoon honey

  600g (5 cups) whole wheat flour

  1½ teaspoons salt

  1. Make the Dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the starter, water, and honey. Add the flour and salt and mix in with a fork or your hands. Cover with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 1½ to 2 hours (this is the autolyse).

  2. Stretch and Fold. Begin by pulling up on one edge of the dough as high as you can stretch it without tearing, then fold it to the middle of the dough. Give
the bowl a quarter-turn and stretch and fold again. Repeat another two times, until you have made one complete rotation of the bowl. Repeat this step three more times, spacing them 30 to 45 minutes apart.

  3. Bulk Ferment. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours, until it no longer looks dense and has doubled in size.

  4. Shape. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. With your hands, gently shape into a round. Then fold the side of the dough farthest away from you toward the center. Fold the right side of the dough into the center, then the left. Lastly, pull the bottom side of the dough up and over, so that you can tuck it underneath the dough, forming a tight ball. Gently pinch the seam closed. Flip the dough over and let rest for 5 minutes. Lightly flour your hands, or, using a bench scraper, rotate the dough in a circle, tucking the dough underneath itself as you go. This will help tighten it into a boule. Using a bench scraper to help you, place the dough seam-side up in a rice flour–dusted banneton basket or towel-lined bowl. Deflate any bubbles and make sure the seams are sealed. Cover the dough with a clean towel.

  5. Proof. Place a Dutch oven on a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 500°F. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until the dough looks puffy and has risen slightly but has not yet doubled in size.

  6. Score. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the dough and invert the bowl to release it (the seam will now be on the bottom). Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently rub the surface with your hands. Using a bread lame or sharp knife, cut at least one slit into the dough. Use the parchment paper to transfer the dough to the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and immediately return to the oven.