Small Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread Recipe
This small whole wheat sourdough bread recipe creates one flavorful artisan loaf with a crisp golden crust, a soft and chewy interior, and the rich, nutty flavor that only whole wheat flour can provide.
Ingredients
- 250 g whole wheat flour
- 199 g filtered water
- 114 g active sourdough starter
- 8.5 g salt
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter approximately 4–8 hours before mixing your dough. You'll know it's ready when it has doubled in size, appears bubbly, and passes the float test.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients until no dry flour remains.The dough will be shaggy and slightly sticky—this is exactly what you want. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Instead of kneading, sourdough develops gluten through a series of stretch and folds.After the rest, perform your first set of stretch and folds. Grab one side of the dough, gently stretch it upward, then fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until you've completed 4 stretches and folds.Cover the bowl again and let the dough rest for 1 hour. Repeat the stretch and fold process, then let the dough rest for another 1 hour.Perform one final set of stretch and folds, then allow the dough to rest for 1 more hour. In total, the dough will have fermented on the counter for about 3 hours after the initial 30-minute rest.
- Cover the bowl loosely with a lid, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
The Next Day
- When you're ready to bake your sourdough bread, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Lightly flour your work surface and gently turn the cold dough out of the bowl.Shape it into a tight round ball by pulling the dough toward yourself while rotating it a little at a time until a smooth ball forms.If desired, lightly dust the top of the loaf with flour and score it with a sharp knife or bread lame.
- Transfer the dough to a well-greased loaf pan or, for the best crust, place it in a preheated cast iron Dutch oven.Cover with the lid and bake for 40 minutes. After the 40 minutes are up, remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C), and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown.
- Carefully remove the bread from the pan or Dutch oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing for the best texture.Enjoy your small whole wheat sourdough loaf warm with butter, or let it cool completely for easy slicing and sandwiches.