Whole wheat sourdough bread: the recipe

Name: Whole wheat sourdough bread
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 17 h 55 min
Yield: 2 pieces of 680 g
Ingredients: 102 g Wheat flour; 7.0 g Rye flour; 65 g Water; 25 g Sourdough starter; 479 g Wheat flour; 32 g Rye flour; 158 g Wheat flour; 481 g Water; 14 g Salt

The addition of whole wheat flour brings the share of unrefined flours (whole wheat and rye) to 25% of the total, visibly transforming the aromatic profile of this pain au levain.

The result is a clean flavour and a pleasant, well-balanced acidity, making it extremely versatile and easy to pair with an entire meal.

Compared with the white version, the final volume will be slightly smaller and the crumb a little tighter and more compact, but with a rich, satisfying bite.

This recipe is freely inspired by, or adapted from, a formula by Master Jeffrey Hamelman.

At a glance

Method: Preferment, with autolyse (30 min)
Preferment: Sourdough starter — 14% of the flour
Mixing: Stand mixer

Number of pieces: 2
Weight per piece: 680 g
Preferment weight: 199 g
Dough weight: 1164 g
Total dough weight: 1360 g

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Ingredients

Quantities for 2 pieces of 680 g, kitchen at 21 °C

Preferment

Wheat flour (0, W320)102 g
Rye flour (Type 1, W70)7.0 g
Water65 g
Sourdough starter25 g

Dough

Wheat flour (0, W320)479 g
Rye flour (Type 1, W70)32 g
Wheat flour (Whole wheat, W290)158 g
Water481 g
Salt14 g

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Method

Lievito madre: make it and let it ferment (at room temperature) (12 hours)
- Weigh the ingredients
- Use water at 30 °C
- Mix the flour, water and starter until you get a smooth batter
- Transfer to a container, covered but not airtight
Weigh the ingredients and knead (55 min)
- Use water at 22 °C
- Hold back 81 g of water and pour it in gradually while it comes together
End of mixing, start of bulk rise (at room temperature) (2 h 30 min)
Reinforcement fold 1 of 2
Reinforcement fold 2 of 2
Divide/shape: weigh and form the pieces (5 min)
Start of proofing (at room temperature) (1 h 45 min)
About 1h30 to 2h at 24 °C.
Ready to cook

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Baking

- conventional oven, with steam
- Overall temperature: 225 °C
- Time: 40 minutes
- Normal steam

The calculator adapts baking times to the weight of your pieces. Open the calculator

Preparation notes

Building the starter: It matures in 12-16 hours at 21 °C: With the 12 hours of this recipe, the doses above are enough as they are. If you let it develop longer (up to 16 hours), add 1.8% salt on the starter's own flour — it slows fermentation down and keeps it under control for longer.

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