This whole wheat sourdough bread recipe is a lovely loaf of bread to make. Beautiful sourdough tang with just a touch of whole wheat and gorgeous crumb. A great beginner bread recipe, you will love this loaf of bread!
In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the liquid levain - the bread flour, water, and sourdough starter.
Cover loosely and allow to stand at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours before preparing the final dough.
To Make the Final Dough
Add all the ingredients for the dough (except the salt) in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Mix on low speed (or by hand) just until they are combined into a shaggy mass.
Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle salt all over and mix with the dough hook on second speed for 1 to 2 minutes (or knead by hand about 4 minutes).
Let it rise at room temperature for 50 minutes, and stretch and fold the dough over on itself. Cover the dough back up.
Let it rise for another 50 minutes.
Stretch and fold the dough again.
Let it rise for 50 more minutes.
To Shape the Loaf:
Shape the dough into a ball, place it with the seam up in a round container (bannetons are your best option) lined with a fine cloth.
Transfer to the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours for a final proof.
Remove from the fridge an hour before baking to warm up. You want it to warm up but not get too warm and start rising again, so keep an eye on it.
When it is almost room temperature its time to bake.
To Bake:
Arrange your oven racks so one rack is at the bottom (for the bread) and one rack is at the top (for the steam). Place a stone baking sheet in the cold oven and then turn the oven on to 440 Degrees. Let the oven heat for an additional ten minutes after the pre-heat goes off (you want it nice and hot in there!)
During this time get your steam ready. I do this by filling the lid of a roaster pan with boiling water to heat up.
Carefully transfer the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Use your lame to score the top of the bread. You can do whatever design you want.
Place the parchment paper with bread on the preheated stone and quickly pour out the boiling water from the roasting pan lid and place the lid over the bread on the baking stone. (Remember to use oven mitts for the hot lid!)
Bake covered for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the lid (don’t forget the mittens).
Bake for an additional 15 more minutes to develop a golden brown color. You want a dark crust and internal temperature of at least 200F.
Allow it to completely cool on a rack before cutting the bread (2 hours should be enough).
Notes
Remember that the temperature of your house plays a factor in house a bread proofs - if your house is warmer, the timing will be faster. If your house is cooler, the timing could be longer. Watch your dough, not the clock!