Whole Wheat Country Sourdough

This 100% whole wheat sourdough made with our organic Yecora Rojo whole wheat flour is a staple for any whole wheat artisan sourdough lovers! 

Download a printable version of the recipe here.

Whole Wheat Country Loaf

*This requires the use of a sourdough leaven.

Yield: one large 1kg loaf or two half kg loaves

Tools: kitchen thermometer, kitchen scale, timer, 1kg proofing basket (boule or banneton), dough scrapper, bench knife, cast iron combo cooker or Dutch oven, bread lame.

For our BSM sourdough tool kit-see here! 

 Ingredients:

500g BSM Yecora Rojo whole wheat flour

425g water (76°F temp, reserve 50g)

100g sourdough leaven (fed and “just ripe”)

10g fine sea salt

Baker’s percentage:

flour: 100%

water: 85%

leaven: 20%

salt: 2%

Baker’s notes:

4 ½ hr. bulk at 76°F

Coil folds

11hr. cold ferment

Method:

 *Before mixing this dough, a float test of a fed and “just ripe” sourdough leaven is highly recommended to ensure it is ready to use in the dough mix. If the leaven looks really deflated, it will be “sluggish” and may struggle to rise. A strong, well-fed leaven should show plenty of bubble activity and look slightly domed on top. Spoon out piece of leaven and place into a bowl of water. If it floats, it is ready to use. If it sinks, it needs more time to ferment (or it has possibly over fermented). 

In a large mixing bowl, add 375g of water. Ensure the water temperature is 76°F. Add 100g of ready sourdough leaven and mix with a spoon or your hand until fully dissolved. Add the flour to the wet mixture and mix until a slightly shaggy wet dough has formed. Cover with a towel, set a timer, and allow to autolyse for 35 min.

*Autolyse is a period of rest time right after mixing that allows the flour to properly hydrate. It also helps with gluten development. 

After the autolyse period, weigh out 50g of water at 76°F. Add 10g of salt and mix to dissolve. Pour the salt water mixture into the dough and begin to mix until the water has been absorbed fully into the dough. At this point, the dough will feel somewhat elastic and wet. Give the dough a couple of simple folds by lifting the dough into itself. Cover the bowl with a towel and set a timer for 30 min.

After 30 min, it will be time for the first fold.

 The fold method used here is the coil fold. To do a coil fold, use both hands to pull the top end of the dough up and down, continuing this pattern until “coils” are created by the time you reach the bottom of the dough. It should take 4 coil folds in total. With both hands, lift the dough from the middle and make a 180° turn clockwise. The dough should now look smoother and elastic on top. Be sure to tuck any loose porridge or seeds on the sides of the bowl into the dough. Set a timer for 30 min for the next fold.

Follow the above fold method for an additional three more folds, for a total of four folds over the course of the next 1 ½ hours. Periodically check the internal temperature of the dough, as this will guide the fermentation process. Ideally, it should remain somewhere between 74-76°F. The cooler the dough gets, the slower the fermentation process. The warmer the dough gets, the faster the dough will ferment. The temperature will also determine the next steps.

* Note: Whole wheat does tend to ferment faster due to the higher microbial activity. Always go by the temperature and feel of the dough as your guide!  

After the last fold and 30 min rest time, turn the dough over onto a moderately floured work surface. Using a bench knife, round the dough out using surface tension to create a tight ball. Cover with a towel and allow the dough to rest for an additional 30 min.

Final shape: Sprinkle flour moderately on the work bench. Reverse the dough ball onto the floured surface, and begin to slightly stretch into a rectangle. With each hand, pull the two bottom corners of dough into each other as they overlap inward. Pull the top corner up and over to the bottom of the dough. There should now be two “ears” or top corners poking out. Using your fingertips, gently pull the top corners inward, creating a stitch. Repeat this stitching pattern all the way down the length of the dough.

*Note: When stitching, it is best to not pull too roughly or pull too much of the dough. Slightly pinch the corners while allowing the weight of the dough to remain on the bench as if to use the weight of the dough to stretch each stitch rather than pull. This will create a better overall stitch.

After stitching the dough, roll the dough from the bottom upward and over itself to create a loaf. Pinch the ends of the dough to create a seam. Place into a proofing basket that is either towel-lined and dusted with rice flour, or only dusted with rice flour, to prevent sticking. Cover with a towel and rest for 15 min. To test when the dough is ready to refrigerate, use a flour- dusted finger and poke the “belly” of the dough. If it feels like a really tight “belly,” let it bench rest for an additional 10 min. If the “belly” has some give to it, place in the fridge to cold ferment for a total of 12-15 hrs.

 Baking instructions:

Preheat an oven to 500°F for 1 hr with the baking vessel in the oven. Remove the dough from the fridge, and reverse onto a piece of parchment paper that has been cut to fit more easily into the baking vessel, but with enough excess paper to lift the dough. Score the dough with a lame at a 45° angle across the top of the dough to allow for controlled expansion. Pick up the ends of the parchment paper to lift the dough and place into the base of the baking vessel. Quickly cover with the lid and place into the oven. Lower the temperature to 450°F and bake for 25 min. Remove the lid and bake for an additional 18-25 min at 450°F depending on how dark you like the loaf to be. Remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool before slicing. Enjoy with your choice of butter and flaky sea salt or all on its own!