Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

A classic whole wheat sourdough loaf! The addition of whole wheat flour here makes for a bread that's more complex and flavorful than your standard sourdough, while still being easy to work with and getting a good rise.

I will tell your right off the bat that only 30% of the flour in this bread is whole wheat. The rest is all-purpose.

Just so you don't think I'm misleading you naming a bread after a minority flour ingredient, so called whole wheat baked goods often include less than 30% whole wheat flour. This is because whole wheat flour - while nutty and dense and delicious - is also dense. (A pro and a con!) If you made a 100% whole wheat loaf, it would not rise very much.

30% gives you enough for lots of good flavor, but will still allow for a good rise!

The Flour

I love a basic sourdough for its simplicity, but when you want to branch out into different flours, whole wheat is a great place to start! It’s easy to find, easy to work with, and will give your bread such a delicious, nutty flavor that’s more complex than you can get with regular flour.

You can find whole wheat flour at most larger grocery stores, and smaller stores with an artisanal flour selection. It is also available on amazon.

There are a few important differences between whole wheat flour and all purpose flour that are important for bread-making. (If you don't care about the nitty gritty details and just want an extra-nutty loaf of bread, please skip this section!)

1. Whole wheat flour is higher in protein than all-purpose flour. This means its gluten-forming potential is higher than AP flour.
2. Whole wheat flour can absorb more water than all-purpose flour. This is a 73% hydration recipe. This means it is getting close to being a high-hydration bread, which I steer clear of for staple bread recipes. BUT, since some of the flour is whole wheat, it can handle the higher hydration level without being hard to work with. *Also, this is one reason why you CANNOT swap flours in a recipe and expect the same result!*
3. Whole wheat flour contains the entire wheat berry, meaning it is more nutritious, more flavorful, and HEAVIER.

I think this bread strikes the perfect balance of having the benefits of whole wheat flour without the drawbacks!

The Dough

This bread follows the typical formula for sourdough boules - mix starter and water, add in the flours and salt, and mix until well combined.

If time allows, do a round of stretch and folds 30 minutes to 1 hour after mixing the dough.

Let the dough rise until doubled in size - about 8 to 12 hours, then shape it into a round and place in a proofing bowl for 1-2 hours at room temperature, or up to 48 hours in the fridge.

Baking

The main difference I find between my regular sourdough loaves and this whole wheat loaf is the whole wheat bread takes slightly longer to bake.

Bake in a covered Dutch oven for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Then, uncover, reduce the temperature to 400, and bake 30 minutes more.

Let your bread cool on a wire rack for an hour before slicing and eating. It is so good slathered with salty butter while it's still warm!

Seriously, the flavor of this bread is unmatched. I had to take these photos at top speed because my children were reaching into the bowl to grab themselves some slices at an impressive pace.

More Specialty Flour Breads

Once you start branching out from all purpose flour, it's hard to stop! The flavor you can get from different flours is so good. Here are some of my favorite non-all purpose loaves:

• Rye sourdough
• Honey whole wheat sandwich bread