Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk starter, water, and honey. Add the flours and salt, mixing first with a fork, then switching to your hands. A rough, sticky dough will form, no dry bits should be showing. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 1 hour and 15 minutes (this is the autolyse).

Step 2

After the autolyse, work the dough generously with your hands for at least a minute, 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 one hour. 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 72 degrees F), until your dough has risen at least 50%, has a bubble or two on top, 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 oven to 475 degrees F. When oven is preheated, take dough out of refrigerator, cover with a piece of parchment (cut larger than the banneton) and flip banneton onto counter so that seam is now on the parchment. Lift banneton off. Gently rub a bit of flour onto the top, and score the dough.

Step 7

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

Step 8

Turn oven down to 450 degrees F, and slide pot into oven on middle rack, and bake with cover on for 25 minutes. Remove cover, turn heat down to 435 degrees F, and bake for another 20 minutes, until exterior is golden brown and crispy.

Step 9

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