Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

A nuttier, tangier cousin of the everyday sourdough, built on a 30% whole wheat blend. Whole wheat drinks up more water than white flour, so the hydration is bumped to 72% to keep the crumb from turning dense and dry. Same steel-and-steam bake and the same shaping options — just a heartier loaf.

IngredientsClear All

500g total flour base — 72% hydration, 30% whole wheat

• 335g all-purpose flour
• 150g whole wheat flour
• 15g vital wheat gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 360g water, room temperature (72% hydration)
• 100g sourdough starter, at its 6-hour peak
• 10g fine sea salt

Adjusting the whole wheat ratio

Keep the flour total at 500g and match the water to the whole wheat share — more whole wheat needs more water:

The 15g vital wheat gluten stays constant at every ratio (splits are AP after the gluten is subtracted, so the flour base still totals 500g) — the bran in whole wheat cuts gluten strands, so the extra structure matters more here, not less.

Instructions

1. Whisk dry: Whisk the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and 15g vital wheat gluten together thoroughly in a large bowl. Whisk the gluten fully in before adding any liquid, or it will clump.

2. Dissolve starter: In a separate bowl, stir the 100g starter into the water until milky and evenly dispersed.

3. Combine & rest: Pour the flour mixture into the liquid, holding back the last 15-20g of water. Mix by hand until no dry clumps remain, then cover and let rest 45-60 minutes — longer than a white dough, because whole wheat hydrates slowly. Because the starter went in with the water, this is a fermentolyse rather than a true autolyse — fermentation is already running during the rest, which is why it does in well under an hour what a starter-free autolyse needs 1-2 hours for. If the dough still feels stiff after the rest, work in the reserved water.

4. Add salt: Sprinkle the 10g salt over the dough and mix it in, pinching and folding until fully incorporated. The dough will feel shaggy and a touch coarse from the bran.

5. Bulk ferment with stretch & folds: Cover and ferment at warm room temperature (~75°F/24°C) for about 3.5-4.5 hours — whole wheat ferments faster, so expect a shorter bulk than the white loaf. During the first 2 hours, do a set of stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes (4 sets total): with a wet hand, grab one side, stretch it up, and fold it over the center; rotate the bowl and repeat on all four sides. The dough is ready when it has risen 30-50%, feels airy, and holds a smooth, domed surface. Watch it closely — whole wheat over-proofs sooner.

6. Divide & pre-shape: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. For a batard, leave it in one piece — a full 500g-flour batch (~950g dough) is exactly one batard-pan loaf. For baguettes, divide into 3. With a bench scraper, fold the edges into the center, flip seam-side down, and drag in small circles to build surface tension into a loose round or short log. Rest 20-30 minutes, uncovered.

7. Shape: Flour the top of a piece, flip so the floured side is down, and shape into a batard (or baguette): pat into a rough rectangle, fold the top third down and the bottom third up, then roll up from the top and seal the seam. Rock and taper to length — shorter and fatter for a batard, longer and thinner for a baguette. Place seam-side down in a floured batard/baguette pan, or seam-side up in a floured couche pleated between loaves.

8. Cold proof: Cover loosely and refrigerate 12-16 hours (overnight). The cold retard develops flavor and firms the dough so it's easy to score. It is ready when it springs back slowly and leaves a slight indent when poked.

9. Preheat: About 45 minutes before baking, place the baking steel on a middle rack and preheat to 500°F (260°C). Set up oven steam: place an empty cast-iron pan or metal tray on a lower rack to preheat, and have about 1 cup of boiling water (or a handful of ice cubes) ready.

10. Score & load: If proofed in a couche, transfer the loaves seam-side down onto parchment; loaves proofed in a pan can go in as-is (set the pan on the steel). Dust with flour and score each loaf — one long slash down a batard, or several diagonal slashes on a baguette — about ½-inch deep with a sharp blade or razor. Set the pan (or the parchment) directly on the hot steel.

11. Bake with steam: Immediately pour the boiling water into the preheated cast-iron pan (or toss in the ice) and close the door fast to trap the steam. Reduce the temperature to 450°F (232°C) and bake 15 minutes. Remove the steam pan, rotate the loaf, and bake another 10-20 minutes until deeply golden — about 35 minutes total for the batard, 25-30 for baguettes. Either way they're done when they sound hollow tapped on the bottom, or reach an internal temperature of 205-210°F (96-99°C). Whole wheat browns faster, so watch the crust — tent the batard with foil if it darkens before it's up to temperature.

12. Cool: Cool completely on a wire rack — at least 1 hour, for the batard as well as the baguettes — before slicing. Cutting too early gives a gummy crumb.

Notes

Tips:

• Whisk the vital wheat gluten thoroughly into the flour before adding liquids to avoid gummy clumps.
• Hold back the last 15-20g of water and add it only if the dough feels stiff after the longer rest — whole wheat's absorption varies by brand and grind.
• Add the starter at its 6-hour peak — bubbly, domed, and doubled — for the best rise.
• Whole wheat ferments faster and over-proofs sooner than white. Watch the dough, not the clock, and err toward pulling the bulk a little early.
• The 3.5-4.5 hour bulk assumes a ~75°F kitchen. Fermentation slows about an hour for every 4-5°F below that — at 70°F expect closer to 5 hours.
• Expect a denser, less open crumb and a more pronounced sour, nutty flavor than the all-white loaf. That's the whole wheat, not a mistake.
• Whole wheat browns faster from the extra bran and sugars — pull it when it's deep brown, not almost-black.

Shaping variations: The boule and mini-boule (bread bowl) variations from the everyday sourdough work here too — same shaping and bake adjustments. The whole wheat crumb makes an especially sturdy, flavorful bread bowl.

Make ahead: The overnight cold proof is built in — mix and bulk-ferment one day, bake the next morning.

Storage: Keeps 3-4 days cut-side down on the counter, or slice and freeze for up to 3 months. Whole wheat loaves can stale slightly faster than white.

Source

Family recipe — whole wheat variation of the everyday sourdough