whole wheat sourdough

Whole wheat and pumpkin sourdough bread with dried cranberries and pepitas easily formed into a festive pumpkin shaped loaf!  Perfect for breakfast or alongside a cozy fall meal.

Whole Wheat Sourdough Pumpkin Bread

(1/2 cup) starter fed and bubbly

(1 1/4 cup) warm water 80-90°F

(1 teaspoon) salt

(1/2 cup) pumpkin purée

(2 cups + 1 tablespoon) bread flour

(2 cups + 1 tablespoon) whole wheat flour

(1/2 cup) dried cranberries

(1/4 cup) raw pepitas/pumpkin seeds

Make the dough

In a medium bowl, use a fork to whisk together the water, starter, salt, and pumpkin purée until smooth.  Add the bread flour, whole wheat flour, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.  Mix together until a rough, shaggy dough forms.  Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Form the dough

After the dough rests, form it into a ball by stretching four sides of the dough gently up and over the dough, one side at a time.  Using a lightly wet hand, pull one side of the dough away from the edge of the dough and gently stretch it up and over the remaining dough, pushing it slightly into the dough.  Repeat three more times.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel.

Stretch and folds

  After forming the dough, let the dough rest for 1 hour covered, then repeat the stretch and folds.  Cover and let the dough rest again for 1 hour, then repeat the stretch and folds one last time.

Bulk rise

  After the last stretch and fold series, cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rest another 3 to 4 hours (for a total bulk rise of about 6 hours.). Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this could take more or less time.  The dough should look about double in size and have a bit of bounce to it if poked with a finger.

Shape the dough

  Generously flour a medium bowl lined with a cotton or linen cloth or a bread basket, set aside.  Gently remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.  Very gently stretch and fold the four sides of the dough.  Using a bench scraper, flip the dough over, cover with a damp cloth and rest 15 to 20 minutes.

Using a bench scraper, flip the dough over again so the smooth side is facing the work surface.  If the dough is sticky, lightly flour your hands.  Cup your hands around the far side of the dough and pull it towards you in a circular motion.  You may find it easier to use a bench scraper to help you slightly move the dough while you shape it.  After shaping the dough, place it seam side up in the breadbasket/cloth-lined bowl.

Second rise.  Let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour or leave the dough in the fridge overnight.  Preheat the oven to 450°F with the dutch oven and lid inside.  Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the inside of your dutch oven with just enough space to lift into the pan.  I like to cut a parchment paper circle with narrow, longer pieces of two sides to use as handles, then smooth them out in the hot pan with tongs so they don’t affect the final shape of the dough.

Make the pumpkin shape

  Optional: Sprinkle the top of the loaf in the breadbasket with cornmeal (this will end up being the bottom once the dough is turned out.)  Cut 4 long pieces of kitchen string and place over the dough in the breadbasket.  Cover with parchment paper, then a cutting board or plate and gently flip over.  Tip: Just to be sure, I like to lightly pull the rested dough from the sides of the breadbasket before placing the strings to make sure it cleanly released once flipped.  After turning the dough out, sprinkle and lightly rub flour over the surface of the dough.  Tie the strings in the center of the dough with a little tension.  Cut any excess string.

Score the dough

  Use your own design or preference to score the dough.  To keep the pumpkin shape, don’t score too deep.

Bake the dough

  Remove the dutch oven from the oven and remove the lid &#8211; remember the lid will be super hot!  Carefully place the dough in the dutch oven.  Cover with the lid and bake at 450°F for 20 minutes.  Remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 425°F.  Bake for another 35-45 minutes until the center of the loaf reaches 205°F

Cool the dough.  The hardest part &#8211; carefully remove the dough from the dutch oven and let cool on a wire rack or cutting board for 1 hour before cutting for the best texture.  Cut and remove the kitchen string.  Add an inverted cashew or piece of cinnamon stick to the center of the dough for the stem of the pumpkin.  Slice and serve, my favorite way is with butter and honey!

Excellent!  I added some sultana raisins in addition to the dried cranberries, along with pecans (I had no pepitas), ginger, cinnamon, a little honey, orange zest and squeezed in some of the juice of the orange, maybe a couple of tablespoons.  I thought the orange would work nicely with these flavors.  I also doubled the recipe because I always like to get two loaves at a time out of a batch of dough.  They came out stunningly beautiful and absolutely delicious!  This is such a nice bread for a fall or winter breakfast!

Fruit and nut sourdough bread is chewy and airy with a crunchy crackly crust is so delicious, packed with dried figs, raisins, walnuts, and seeds. 

Fruit and Nut Sourdough Bread

sourdough starter

all-purpose flour (1 + 2/3 cups)

whole wheat flour (1 + 2/3 cups)

water

salt

figs,

raisins

cup walnuts

pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

sunflower seeds

If your sourdough starter is not ready to go, and is stored in the fridge, take it out and feed it 12 hours in advance. Discard half of the old starter and add 50 grams all-purpose flour and 50 grams water. Let it rise for 6 hours or until doubled in size.

Take out a spoonful of new starter and drop it into a glass of room-temperature water. If it floats, the starter is ready. If it sinks, you either need to let the starter sit longer to develop more bubbles, or feed it again and let it sit until it passes the float test (usually 6–12 hours).

Prepare the Starter:

In a large mixing bowl, add sourdough starter, all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and water, and whisk to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl (there should be no dry flour particles visible). Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. The resting period not only promotes yeast growth known as bulk fermentation, but it also allows the dough to start building gluten strength naturally without kneading.

Add salt and fold into the dough for a few seconds to combine. Salt slows down yeast growth in the fermentation process, so it is recommended to incorporate it after allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes first.

Prepare the Dough:

To knead the dough by hand

Transfer the dough onto a clean and dry surface. Push the dough down and outward using the palms of your hands. Fold the dough in half toward you and press down. Repeat this motion for 5 minutes by pushing the dough down and outward, and then folding over towards you. You can also pick up the dough and slap it down onto the counter and fold over towards you. (A kneading technique known as slap and fold). Cover the dough with a large bowl upside down on top and let it rest for 5 minutes. Resting allows gluten in dough to relax and further strengthen gluten more efficiently. Knead the dough for another 5 minutes until the ball of dough is smooth and supple. A well-kneaded dough is smooth and can hold its shape. Also, when you give the dough a firm poke with your finger, the indentation should bounce right back. If it doesn't bounce back and stays like a dimple, keep kneading for a few minutes. Cover and let the dough rest in a large bowl for 2.5 hours, or until it almost doubles in size.

To stretch and fold the dough

Apply some water on your hands and stretch and fold the dough in the bowl by folding the edges over to the centre, one edge at a time. Wet hands makes it easier to work with the dough and it should take you less than a minute to fold all 4 sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough again, cover, and let dough rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this step one final time -- stretch and fold the dough, cover, and let it rest until it almost doubles in size, up to 90 minutes.

Build the Gluten in the Dough:

Fold in the dried figs, raisins and walnuts into the dough. Flatten and fold the dough until all the dried fruit is evenly distributed into the dough.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and sprinkle dough with a little flour. Shape the dough into a tight ball by folding the edges over to the centre. Stretch the dough a little and fold all four sides to the centre like wrapping a present. Turn the dough over and use your bench scraper to push the dough back and forth to create a tight ball. Repeat this motion until the surface of the dough appears tight.

Mix the pepitas and sunflower seeds together in a shallow bowl and whisk to combine.  Dampen the surface of the dough by lightly pressing the dough on a clean damp dish cloth first and then dip it into the seeds. Swirl the dough to cover it evenly with seeds.

Add Fruit and Nuts and Shape the Dough:

Line a medium-sized bowl (approximately 7-inches in diameter) with a clean dishcloth. Generously flour the dishcloth so that the dough doesn't stick to the dishcloth. Place the ball of dough, with the seeded side down into the lined bowl (or into a proofing basket). Cover the bowl with a lid or another towel so that the dough won’t lose moisture and dry out.

Let the dough rest it at room temperature for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours (OR transfer the bowl into the refrigerator and let the dough rest overnight for 8 to 12 hrs).

Proof the Dough:

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and place it upside down onto the centre of a 9x9-inch piece of parchment paper.

Because the dough is covered with seeds on top, score the dough by gently snipping with scissors. Do not make deep cuts more than 1/2-inch deep.

Place the dough together with parchment paper back into the same bowl and cover with a towel until the oven is preheated. Staying in the bowl before baking with help the dough keep its shape.

Score the Dough:

Place a 4-quart Dutch oven with lid (or a medium oven-safe cooking pot (9-inches) with a metal lid) into the oven and preheat to 450° F. Dutch ovens are great for baking. They hold the heat in a lot better than other cooking pots.

Take out the parchment paper and dough from the bowl and carefully place them both into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover the lid and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake the bread uncovered in the oven for another 20 more minutes.

Remove the bread from the Dutch oven, and take off the parchment paper. Allow the bread to cool down completely on a cooling rack for one hour.  To check if the bread is done, you can tap the bottom of the bread with your finger. The bread will sound hollow when it's done.

Bake the Sourdough Bread:

What an amazing take on sourdough bread!  Easily a weekly favorite for me.

I've just fed my starter then come across this recipe so I'm giving it a try today.. I've never seen such a good looking sourdough loaf - the seeds on top are just beautiful - you photography really shows this loaf off well

Small batch multi-seeded whole wheat sourdough bread is airy and chewy, is loaded with seeds inside, and has a signature crispy crust coated in more seeds. 

Seeded Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread (Small Batch)

flax seeds

poppy seeds

pumpkin seeds

white sesame seeds

black sesame seeds

Prepare the Starter (6 hours rise time):

Add salt and fold into the dough for a few seconds to combine. Salt slows down yeast growth in the fermentation process, so it is recommended to incorporate it after allowing the dough to rest for 30 minutes first. 

Apply some water on your hands and stretch and fold the dough in the bowl by folding the edges over to the centre, one edge at a time. Wet hands makes it easier to work with the dough and it should take you less than a minute to fold all 4 sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Stretch and fold the dough again, cover, and let dough rest for another 30 minutes. Repeat this step one final time -- stretch and fold the dough, cover, and let it rest until it almost doubles in size, up to 90 minutes. 

Develop the Gluten in the Dough:

Mix the seeds together in a shallow bowl and whisk to combine. Add half of the seeds into the dough by flattening and folding the mixed seeds into the dough. Repeat until seeds are evenly distributed into the dough. 

Dampen the surface of the dough by lightly pressing the dough on a clean damp dish cloth first and then dip it into the remaining mixed seeds in the shallow bowl. Swirl the dough to cover it evenly with seeds.

Add Seeds and Shape the Dough:

Line a medium-sized bowl (approximately 7x7-inches in diameter) with a clean dishcloth. Generously flour the dishcloth so that the dough doesn't stick to the dishcloth. Place the ball of dough, with the seeded side down into the lined bowl. Cover the bowl with a lid or another towel so that the dough won’t lose moisture and dry out.

Because the dough is covered with seeds on top, score the dough by gently snipping with scissors. Do not make deep cuts more than 1/2-inch deep. 

Place a 4-quart Dutch oven with lid (or a medium oven-safe cooking pot (9x9-inches) with a metal lid) into the oven and preheat to 450° F. Dutch ovens are great for baking. They hold the heat in a lot better than other cooking pots.

Take out the parchment paper and dough from the bowl and gently place them both into the preheated Dutch oven. Cover the lid and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue to bake the bread uncovered in the oven for another 20 more minutes. 

Remove the bread from the Dutch oven, and take off the parchment paper. Allow the bread to cool down completely on a cooling rack for one hour.  To check if the bread is done, you can tap the bottom of the bread with your finger. The bread will sound hollow when it's done. 

Turned out really nicely to my surprise! I'm not used to making this low of hydration sourdough but it was soo much nicer and easier to work with when stretch and folding. I changed up my seed mix a bit, only used sunflower, black and white toasted sesame seeds, and flax seeds and I didn't use quite as many about 2-4 tbsp of each and it turned out fantastic! Thanks for the recipe.

Thank you for this recipe. I just baked one of my loveliest, tastiest sourdough loves yet. We are watching it sleet/snow while we eat slices of buttered warm bread with cups of tea. So delicious! Seeds that fell off while slicing- we tossed them in with mashed avocado that we spread on more slices of this wonderful bread.

An easy recipe for whole wheat sourdough bread that's light and flavorful (not heavy and dense). Made with 20% whole wheat flour. The dough can be made in advance and baked the following day. Fantastic for sandwiches, crostini, and morning toast with jam.

Light Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

bubbly, active sourdough starter (100% hydration)

bread flour

whole wheat flour

fine sea salt

Whole whether doughs tend to rise faster than white doughs, especially in warm weather. To avoid over proofed dough, I like to start mixing in the afternoon (usually between 2-3 PM) when I know I&#8217;ll be home to stretch and fold the dough. Please adjust your rise times based on temperature. 

Baking Schedule

Combine the sourdough starter and water in a large bowl. Add the flour and salt. Mix with a fork and then finish by hand to fully incorporate the flour. It will feel very wet and sticky. Cover with a damp towel or wrap and let rest for 1 hour on your countertop, returning to the bowl after the first 30 minutes to work the dough into a rough ball. 

Make the Dough

After the dough has rested for 1 hour, do your first fold.

Gather a portion of the dough, stretch it upward, and fold it over toward the center of the bowl. Give the bowl a 1/4 turn and repeat 3 more times, stretch and folding the dough to come full circle around the bowl (4 folds =  1 set). If the dough still feels slack after the 1st set, do an additional 4 folds around the bowl to tighten the dough. 

For best results, do 4 sets total spaced 30 minutes apart resting the covered dough in a warm spot in between each set (see tip below). Notice how the dough will tighten after the 4th set. See video for technique.

When finished with the folds, cover the bowl and continue the bulk rise (untouched) at 75-78 F for about for 2-3 hours. The dough is ready when it has almost doubled in size. Wrap and chill the whole bowl overnight; the dough will continue to rise only slightly in the fridge when the dough is warm.

How to Create Warm Spot for Bread Dough

Preheat your home oven to the lowest setting for 30- 45 seconds and then shut it off. Place the covered bowl of dough inside to bulk up. The temperature should be 75-78 F and no higher than 80 F. Use an oven thermometer (and common sense) to keep track of the temperature. Dough that is too warm will become wet, sticky, and a tricky to work with. Alternatively, use a proofing box.

Bulk Rise with Stretch and Folds

The following morning, make sure the dough has doubled in size. If not, give it more time to bulk up, if needed. This is important to build strength.

Line a small bowl with a cotton or linen cloth. Sprinkle with flour. You&#8217;re going to shape the dough twice to build extra strength.

Shape the Dough

Remove the cold dough onto a floured surface. Let rest for 10-15 minutes to take some of the chill off. Shape the dough into a loose ball using the envelope technique. Starting at the top of the dough, stretch and fold it over toward the center. Then stretch and fold the bottom of the dough toward the center. Repeat on the left side&#8230;and then the right side. Using a bench knife, scoop up the dough and flip it over so the smooth side is facing up. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes. 

Preshape

After the dough has rested, flip it over again (the smooth side should be facing down now). Shape it again following the steps above. Flip it back over. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to tighten its shape. Place the dough into the lined bowl, seam side up. Cover with the cloth overhang.

Final Shape

Rest in the warm spot you used earlier for 30 minutes to 1 hour. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has risen slightly, but has not yet doubled in size. The dough should not be very cold prior to baking.

Preheat your oven to 450 towards the tail end of the second rise.

Cut a sheet of non-stick parchment paper to fit the size of your baking pot, leaving enough excess around the sides to remove the bread.

Second Rise

Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently rub the surface with your hands. Using the tip of a bread lame, small, serrated knife or a razor blade, make four shallow 4-inch long cuts at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock around the dough. Use the parchment paper to transfer the dough to the baking pot. 

Score the Dough

Bake the dough on the center rack for 20 minutes, covered. Remove the lid, and continue to bake for 40 minutes and golden brown.

When finished, transfer to a wire rack. Cool for 1 hour before slicing, for best texture.

Bake the Dough

This is a great recipe as all of your recipes are!  Your book is my sourdough Bible!

Hi! Do you have to put it in the fridge, or could you leave it out longer on the counter and bake it that night? Thanks!

This was my very first sourdough bread.  The directions were just what I needed as I had so many questions.  Oh so good!!

Made this for the first time today and was blown away! I was sure that it wouldn't turn out because I hit a few snafus along the way... 1 - My dough seemed super, super wet early in the process so I used flour on my hands, instead of water to do the envelope folds, so I was a little nervous. 2 - My dough developed a little bit of a skin on it during the second day steps, so I kinda folded them in, but there were definite hard spots. Despite my issues, the bread was perfect! So so tasty, with a great texture. Thank you!

This was the first attempt at true sourdough bread that has ever worked for me. Thank you! 

Tweaks:
1. I do not have a dutch oven or any oven proof container with a lid so I baked mine in two bread loaf pans stacked on top of each other and wrapped in foil. Worked beautifully! 
2. I did not have whole wheat flour so instead of the 100g of whole wheat flour, I did a 80:20 mixture of rye flour to white flour instead. It worked and tastes great!

Hi, I would like to ask if I still have to use unbleached bread flour or can I use regular bread flour? Thank you.

Hi wonderful recipe . I ended up adding olives to one of the loaves during the first fold. I followed your sourdough add in recipes to add the olives in. Should I still rise for 2 hours then overnight in fridge ? I was guessing it was ok to continue to follow this recipe the same and just add in. Thanks so much I’ll let you know how it turns out

Thank you Emilie,
I'll keep at it and give it a go. Thank you for the time to reach back out :)

Hi! Could you give me the measurements to increase the whole wheat to 30% ? 
By the way, I’ve tried the recipe as is with great success :)

Hello. I often find great advice online, but shamefully I rarely take time to comment and leave feedback. 

On this occasion, however, I really felt compelled to say thanks and make a recommendation. 

I baked my first sourdough loaf today (well, started yesterday, finished today!) and followed your recipe 'to the letter'. The result, is nothing short of fantastic. 

Whilst no part of the process is particularly complex, there are lots if steps and plenty of potential 'banana skin' moments for the novice throughout. 

So, thank you, your recipe helped this beginner bake like an expert, and the video helped remove anxiety associated with traslating instruction into practice. 

Highly recommended. Thank you :)

Hi Emilie,
Thank you for your sourdough starter and light sourdough bread recipes.  I love the nutty note and the open crumb.   I'm still working on the oven spring (which I dont get always and It's my fan forced oven's issue). I have to do some work arounds like oven temperature and best vessel to cover the dough while baking to have a perfect loaf however, your recipe is the best and the easiest ive tried and I am thankful I've came  across your website and yes I will try Shannon's tip too.   Again, many thanks to you.

Hi - I have made this recipe a few times and it comes out great, except that the bottom of the loaf burns a bit. I have used the oven and also the grill (since it's too hot to use the oven). It's obviously harder to control the heat using the grill, but the same thing happened in the oven. Should I try a lower heat and bake longer?

This is currently my go to recipe. It’s a really nice tasty bread, the schedule is idea for my lifestyle, it’s super easy but yet covers all the bases for a good sourdough bread, stretch &amp; folds, overnight CR, etc.    Perfect loaf for seed additions, too.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/fmsk1wQF.mp4

An easy recipe for whole wheat sourdough made with 20% whole wheat flour. 

Preheat your home oven to the lowest setting for 30- 45 seconds and then shut it off. Place the covered bowl of dough inside to bulk up. The temperature should be 75-78 F and no higher than 80 F. Use an oven thermometer (and common sense) to keep track of the temperature. Dough that is too warm will become wet, sticky, and a tricky to work with. Alternatively, I highly recommend using a proofing box.

Line a small bowl (or proofing basket) with a cotton or linen cloth. Sprinkle with flour. You&#8217;re going to shape the dough twice to build extra strength.

Remove the cold dough onto a floured surface. Let rest for 10-15 minutes to take some of the chill off. Shape the dough into a loose ball using the envelope technique. Starting at the top of the dough, stretch and fold it over toward the center. Then stretch and fold the bottom of the dough toward the center. Repeat on the left side&#8230;and then the right side. Using a bench scraper, scoop up the dough and flip it over so the smooth side is facing up. Cover and rest for 20-30 minutes. 

After the dough has rested, flip it over again (the smooth side should be facing down now). Shape it again following the steps above. Flip it back over. With floured hands, gently cup the dough and pull it toward you in a circular motion to tighten its shape. Place the dough into the lined bowl or proofing basket seam side up. Cover with the cloth overhang.

Place the parchment over the dough and invert the bowl to release. Sprinkle the dough with flour and gently rub the surface with your hands. Using the tip of a bread lame, small, serrated knife or a razor blade, make four shallow 4-inch long cuts at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock around the dough. Use the parchment paper to transfer the dough to a Dutch oven (or another oven safe pot with lid).

I’ve tried about 10 recipes for sourdough so far and this will now be my go to. Letting it ferment slowly in the fridge added additional flavor as well as the perfect addition of wheat flour. I use 100g starter however and a bit less water.

I started the bread maki g process this morning .  I doubled the recipe. The first 2 hour bulk rise will be finished at 1:45 this afternoon. Can I still put it in the frig this afternoon until tomorrow morning or do I need to complete the bulk rise and bake today?
Thank you!

Favorite recipe so far, so happy with the outcome of the bread!

Hi Emilie,

I made this last weekend using 375 g of water and it turned out great. If I increase to 150g of starter will that give a quicker bulk rise? If I do use 150 g of starter, would I need to change any of the other variables such as amount of water, time in the 450 F oven?

Steve

Thank you! I enjoy your site. I appreciate your helpful tips.
I recommended your site to several friends and family. 😊

Love this recipe so much. I’m a beginner to bread, but from the get-go your recipe’s bread has turned out perfect for us every time. 

A small question I have - what do you mean by a “lightly oiled wrap” to cover the dough before chilling? I’ve been using a plastic bag which is working but would like to follow your direction! 

Thanks so much for the great recipe and helpful video.

i used olive oil on cling wrap &amp; it turned out great :)

The most amazing wheat sourdough! I only wish I could bake multiples to keep in the deepfreeze for quick use. It rose beautifully &amp; made the perfect loaf. You're my new fav! I wish I could show you a picture!

Excellent recipe- thanks for posting, and for adding so much detail to the notes!
I had excellent outcomes with reduced batch sizes of the same proportions. 
Also I let my dough rest in much warmer setting for longer times at rest for my first batch- about 82-85 deg. As the author notes it will be a wetter stickier batch which is difficult to shape- but turned out extremely fluffy and flavor was amazing. The accident turned out to be my family’s favorite bread ever. 
Also- it’s a good idea to train your starter with the stone ground whole wheat you use in the recipe.

This bread is amazing!! I made it yesterday and turned out great. I live in a very small apartment so I don’t have a proper oven (I just have a toaster oven). In case anyone else is in a similar boat, I baked it in a loaf pan, did the first 20 min with a small tray of water next to the pan to create steam, then I removed the water tray and baked for the remaining 40 min. Absolute perfection, and bonus points that my boyfriend loved it too! Thanks

I get a little nervous because it doesn't hold much shape until chilled overnight. I did 2 shapes in the morning and now putting bannetons in fridge to ferment longer. Will bake tomorrow.  I like the sour flavor.

LOVE this recipe!! I’ve made two loaves just the past few days. Can you double this to make a larger boule?

I've made this recipe at least a dozen times. It has always produced a decent loaf of bread for me. After the first few time using 375 g of water I reduced water to 360 g, which was easier for me to work with. My baking schedule is to prepare the dough in the morning using starter that had been fed after the last loaf and put immediately into the refrigerator. I put the starter jar in a pan of hot tap water for about 30 minutes, give it a float test, which it will pass if stored in the refrigerator no more than about 15 days. I bulk rise during the day and bake in the evening. 

Last Saturday prepared the dough in the morning and started the bulk rise at 9:30 am. At 2:30 pm, about halfway through the bulk rise, I had a family emergency out of town. I put the dough in the refrigerator, packed a suitcase and left. I returned late Wednesday evening and Thursday morning I removed the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. It was obviously over-proofed. I did the usual 2nd rise steps and put the loaf into a cold DO and put on a pre-heated lid. I baked at the usual time and temperature and noticed not much oven spring when the lid was removed after 20 minutes. When the full hour was done the loaf was not as high as usual but it had a decent crumb and was, as you would expect, quite sour. This is a very forgiving recipe, Emilie. Thanks for all your tips and videos.

I started my sourdough journey almost 3 years ago &amp; this is my go to recipe! I’ve made it countless times. I add olive oil to the mix which adds to the crumb &amp; taste. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe (I’ve memorized it!)

I've made lots of bread but have never seen this technique for folding and tightening the dough.  That explains a lot of flat loaves! The instructions were perfect and ready l easy to follow and the bread was delicious with just the right crunch in the crust.

What if I don’t have a bread basket for final proof?

This recipe with all the tips is amazing! Thank you so much, I didn't change a thing. I will say you need to trust in the process! My sour dough loaf looks so pretty and smells DELICIOUS!

BEST BREAD EVER!! I for months have had nothing but failed loaves, followed this recipe to a T and got my first PERFECT loaf! It wasn’t gummy, it had nice airy crumb, crunchy and chewy the best of all worlds! Thank you for such a great recipe and step by step instructions! 🤌🏼😍

This is my go-to recipe. I bake 2-3 times a week. I always come back to this after trying something new. It never disappoints.

I love this recipe so easy! I add in 25 grams of molasses and it’s perfect! I’ve not timed it well and ran out of time left it out all night in my cool (65 degrees??) kitchen and it works out fine! I do the double shape and leave it out for a second rise much longer more like 3 hours. I typically do a longer second rise then suggested and this 400/100 mix of flours has just the perfect texture.  I have your sourdough cookbook (currently loaned out to my mom!!) and ever recipe is the 💣
I’ve always wanted to go to your restaurant in the city… someday we’ll get there!  Appreciate you ❣️

This recipe is fool proof! I want to double the recipe, could you advise how long to bake it for please and at what temperature?

Anxious to try this recipe! 
One question..do you preheat the Dutch oven or does the proofed dough go into a cold Dutch oven into a preheated oven @ 450..?
Thanks,   Dave

I have had excellent results with both the beginner sourdough loaf and the light whole wheat loaf.
Why is the whole wheat loaf baked at a higher temperature that the beginners' white loaf and why is there no oil in the whole wheat loaf?

I just made my first light whole wheat sourdough loaf and it turned out awesome! Her instructions were clear and simple to follow.

Amazing recipe! Saving this one fore sure. I soaked some chia, flax, and pumpkin seeds and added them during my third stretch and fold. Made the perfect seeded multigrain, thank you so much!

Is it ok to leave the dough in the fridge for ~2hrs instead of over night?

This was a wonderful recipe...a bit different from my base sourdough recipe...but it made a  gorgeous loaf. Great look and taste...but not heavy on the whole wheat.  A keeper!  I've been baking bread for years but I still appreciated the precise, easy to follow directions and pictures too!

This recipe is wonderful! The flavor and texture are both perfect, and the crispiness of the crust was LOVELY! But, I have a dilemma. I find it very hard to score the relaxed nature of warm dough after it's second rise, and the final shape is affected as well because the dough continues to spread rather than spring. Should I reduce the amount of water in the recipe, or retard the dough (a second time) in the fridge for 30 min to an hour before scoring &amp; putting it in a dutch oven and baking as directed? Another recipe I've had success with followed the final shaping with an overnight retard, then flip dough, score, and bake immediately. That method was the easiest to score and had much taller oven spring, but the crust was much thicker than desired, even when using a proofing bag. Would like to find a blend of both recipes if you think that would work?

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