Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe

This 100% whole wheat sourdough bread has a hearty, nutty flavor, a chewy crust and a soft, wholesome crumb with no white flour or bread flour required. If you’ve been wanting to bake a true whole wheat sourdough loaf but are worried it will turn out heavy or dense, this recipe will walk you through exactly what to expect from the dough and how to get the best possible rise. You can even use a sourdough starter fed with white flour if that’s what you already have.

If you are looking for a sandwich friendly loaf, check out this whole wheat sourdough sandwich loaf, or maybe these whole wheat sourdough dinner rolls are more what you’re looking for.

Ingredients

• Whole Wheat Flour – This recipe was developed using store-bought whole wheat flour. Freshly milled flour usually absorbs more water, so if you’re milling your own wheat berries, expect to add a little additional water. Add it gradually rather than changing the hydration all at once.
• Sourdough Starter – you’ll need an active sourdough starter that has been fed and is at least doubled. If you don’t already have a sourdough starter, then check out these instructions for making a sourdough starter. You can use a sourdough starter fed with white bread flour or all purpose flour for this loaf. If you prefer, you can feed your sourdough starter whole wheat flour in preparation for this recipe.
• Water – just plain old water here (remember water quality is important to good sourdough bread).
• Salt

How To Make Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Making sourdough with only whole wheat flour follows much the same process as you would with white flour (check out my beginner’s guide to baking sourdough bread).

Fermentolyse

Weigh out your sourdough starter and water into a large ceramic or glass bowl. Mix the water and starter together briefly. Then add your whole wheat flour and salt and mix together to form a shaggy dough. Cover your dough and let it sit for around 1 – 2 hours.

This process is called the “fermentolyse” and allows your flour to soak in all the water and become hydrated. This is especially important when using whole wheat flour (although it’s traditionally done as just an autolyse, without starter and salt). 

Forming Up Your Dough

After the dough has been through fermentolyse you need to start strengthening your dough. You’ll notice that the dough is fully hydrated after soaking all the water up. It will be fairly sticky and might not feel like the dough is really doing much, but try to bring it together into a rough ball. Whole wheat flour varies significantly in how much water it absorbs. Give the dough time to fully hydrate before making adjustments. If your flour is freshly milled, you may actually need a little more water rather than more flour.

Work your way around the bowl bringing the edges of the dough into the centre. Then cover and leave again for around 30 minutes. Whole wheat flour varies significantly in how much water it absorbs. Give the dough time to fully hydrate before making adjustments. If your flour is freshly milled, you may actually need a little more water rather than more flour.

Stretch & Folds

Over the next few hours you need to create some structure for your dough by “stretching and folding”. Aim to do around 4-6 sets of stretches and folds. For each set, stretch the dough up and over itself 4 times. Leave around 30 minutes in between each set. Again you do not have to be exact with time, but you need to do at least 4 sets over 2 hours. Whole wheat dough benefits from good gluten development, so aim for 4–6 sets of stretch and folds. The bran in whole wheat flour can interfere with the gluten network, so the dough may not become as smooth or elastic as white-flour sourdough.

Bulk Ferment

Once you’ve finished your stretch and folds, cover the dough again and let it bulk ferment at room temperature. Ideally you want your dough to double, but a little under is ok when using whole wheat. Watch your dough, not the clock – remember that bulk fermentation can be affected by temperature, starter strength and the amount of starter you add.

Cover the dough and allow it to ferment at room temperature until it has increased significantly in volume, ideally close to doubled. The dough should look aerated and slightly domed, feel wobbly when you gently shake the bowl and show bubbles beneath the surface.

Watch your dough, not the clock – remember that bulk fermentation can be affected by temperature, starter strength and the amount of starter you add. Whole wheat dough can ferment surprisingly quickly, especially in a warm kitchen.

Shape The Dough

Once your dough has doubled, it’s time to shape it. I like to shape my dough into a batard, but a round boule works well too.

Use a silicone dough scraper to gently ease the dough out of the bowl. You want it to land upside down on your counter so that the smooth top of the dough is on the countertop and the sticky underside is facing up. 

Once the dough is shaped, place it into your banneton smooth side down, so your seam is on the top. If you’re using a cloth or tea towel in a bowl it’s ok to put your dough with the smooth side up. Just make sure the dough is tight. Lift your dough around the edges to pop a little more flour if you feel it needs it. It’s ok if your dough doesn’t look perfect! Remember, you’re going for nutrient dense and flavorful, rather than a perfect loaf.

Cold Ferment

Now you’ll need to cover your dough and place it into the fridge to cold ferment. Try to leave it in the fridge for a minimum 5 hours up to a maximum of around 36 hours. The longer you leave it the better your bread will be! A longer cold ferment creates beautiful blisters on your crust and a deeper sourdough flavour. 

Baking Your Sourdough

Once you’re ready to bake your sourdough, you’ll need to preheat your oven to 230ºC/450ºF. Place your Dutch Oven into the oven when you turn it on so it gets hot.

When your oven is at temperature. Take your sourdough out of the fridge, tip it onto a piece of parchment paper and score it using a lame, clean razor blade or knife. I don’t get fancy with scoring, especially with a whole wheat loaf, just a centre utility score if perfect. Carefully place your loaf into the hot Dutch oven, and put the lid on and place it into the hot oven. 

BAKE TIME:
30 Minutes with the lid on at 230ºC/450ºF plus
10-15 Minutes with the lid off at 210ºC/410ºF

When you remove your dough from the oven, carefully remove it from the Dutch oven as soon as possible and place on a wire rack to cool. Remember, some reduction in oven spring is normal with 100% whole wheat flour. The bran interferes with gluten development, so the dough cannot trap gas quite as efficiently as dough made with white bread flour.

Baker’s Timeline

I’ve put together a sample baker’s timeline for you. This is just an example and will need to be tweaked to suit your own schedule.

TIME	PROCESS
10 pm	DAY 1 Feed your sourdough starter before bed (1:4:4 ratio is perfect).
7 am	DAY 2 Fermentolyse – Mix the starter, water, flour and salt into a shaggy dough.
8 am	Start to strengthen dough then leave to rest again for around an hour.
9 am	Perform 4 to 6 sets of stretch and folds over the next few hours.
11 am	Cover the dough and leave at room temperature to bulk ferment.
4 pm	Shape and put into banneton and into the fridge for cold ferment.
10 am	DAY 3 Preheat the oven.
10.30 am	Bake your loaf!

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