Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe

Loaf of whole wheat sourdough bread sitting next to a green and white checked dish towel. Recipe feature image.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe

This 100% whole wheat sourdough bread has a hearty, nutty flavor, chewy crust and wholesome crumb, with no white flour or bread flour required.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Recipes

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 45

Fermentation Time 22

Total Time 1 2 45

Servings Loaf

Calories 1791kcal

Author Kate Freebairn

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Digital Scales
Banneton
Dutch Oven

Ingredients

100 g Sourdough Starter (fed and bubbly)
500 g Whole Wheat Flour
380 g Water (you may need a little extra but start at 380g)
10 g Salt

Instructions

Weigh out your sourdough starter and water into a large 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 the bowl and allow it to rest for around an hour.
After the dough has been through fermentolyse, it's time to from up the dough. Work your way around the bowl bringing the edges of the dough into the centre. Then cover and leave again for around 30 minutes.
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 15 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.
Once you've finished your stretch and folds, cover and allow the dough to bulk ferment, ideally until double or just under.
Now it's time to shape your dough. I like to shape it into a batard, but a boule is great too. Make sure you create plenty of surface tension before placing it seam side up into a banneton. Use semolina or rice flour to stop your dough from sticking to the banneton. Cover the dough and place it into the refrigerator for cold fermentation. Try to leave it in the fridge for a minimum 5 hours up to a maximum of around 36 hours.
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 and tip it onto a piece of parchment paper. Gently score your dough and carefully place it into the hot Dutch oven with the lid on.
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.

Nutrition