Homemade Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread (beginner friendly)

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk starter, water, and honey. Add the flours, mixing first with a fork, then switching to your hands until the dough is shaggy. A rough, sticky dough will form, no dry bits should be showing. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 1 hour (this is the autolyse).

Step 2

After the autolyse, add the salt. Squeeze the salt into the dough, then work the dough generously with your hands for at 2 to 3 minutes, kneading to begin building the gluten. Then finish with your first stretch and folds. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Perform another set of stretch and folds (video to show you how). Let rest for 30 minutes. Perform another set of stretch and folds, and rest 30 minutes. Perform your 4th and final set of stretch and folds.

Step 4

Cover the dough with a damp towel and let rise about around 4-5 more hours if your house is around 70-72 degrees F, until your dough has risen at least 50%, has a bubble or two on top, the top is smooth and a bit glossy, and it jiggles in a bit in the bowl. Go by how the dough looks, rather than time.

Step 5

Now it's time to shape. Gently coax the dough onto a flour surface. Shape it into a rustic round and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Then shape the dough using this method. Put banneton with dough into a plastic grocery bag, or garbage bag, so that it doesn't dry out, and let cold proof in refrigerator for 8-10 hours.

Step 6

Preheat your dutch oven in your oven at 450 degrees F. When oven is preheated, take dough out of refrigerator, cover with a piece of parchment (cut larger than the banneton) and a plate. Then use your hand to hold the plate and flip the plate + banneton over, so that now the banneton is upside down and you can now lift it off so that your dough is on the parchment, ready to score. Gently rub a bit of flour onto the top, and score the dough.

Step 7

Lift parchment with bread into dutch oven, put cover on.

Step 8

Slide dutch oven onto the middle rack, and bake with cover on for 25 minutes. Remove cover, turn heat down to 430 degrees F, and bake for another 20 minutes, until exterior is golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven, and carefully remove from bread from dutch oven.

Step 9

Let cool for one hour before cutting. Store bread in a plastic bag, cut side down for up to four days.