Brown sourdough bread recipe (Wholemeal + White)
A reliable, forgiving brown sourdough made with added wholemeal flour, more nutritious yet so soft and delightfully nutty. One‑bowl mix, gentle folds, cold‑start 220°C bake, plus a 20‑minute freezer trick for easy scoring.
Equipment
- digital scales
- large mixing bowl
- dough whisk optional, you can use a spoon
- shower cap/cover
- 1 dough scraper optional
- banneton basket
- cast iron dish or dutch oven optional, you can use a baking tray and add some ice cubes underneath for steam
- lame/razor
- oven mitts
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 100 g active starter (100% hydration)
- 335 g water (room temp)
- 235 g strong white bread flour
- 250 g very strong whole wheat flour (brown bread flour)
- 10 g salt
- rice flour (for dusting)
Instructions
Mix (one bowl):
- Place a large bowl over your scales and tare the scale to 0g. Tare the scale before you add each ingredient, that way you can avoid miscalculating.
- Add water, starter, flours and salt to the bowl. Mix with a sturdy spoon or dough whisk until no dry spots remain. Cover with a shower cap. Rest 30 minutes.
Stretch & Folds:
- Every 20–30 minutes for about 2 hours, do a set of stretch‑and‑folds (or coil folds). Dough should feel tighter and smoother after each set. Try and complete 3-4 sets.
Bulk fermentation:
- Continue bulk at room temperature until the dough shows at least 50% rise or nearly doubles, a gentle dome, bubbles around the edges, and a light jiggle. In most kitchens the total bulk (rest + folds + rise) is around 6–8 hours; colder rooms may take longer.
Shape the dough:
- Lightly flour the bench, tip the dough out and arrange into a rough rectangle. Fold the top flap over the bottom half, then left side over two thirds to the right. Fold the right side over the left fully then roll gently from the bottom upwards to shape into a batard. Remove the flour with the scraper to help create a good surface tension while you pull the loaf gently on the bench (seam down). Flour your hands and place it seam‑up in a rice‑floured banneton (you can optionally pinch the edges in a zigzag pattern to tighten it more) ; dust the top with rice flour too. Cover and allow to proof.
Proof
- Allow the dough to rise again in the banneton either: at room temperature 1–2 h (check after an hour if warm) or fridge 8–18 h (cold proof when you have no time to wait or overnight, but it also helps a clean scoring).
Freezer (optional):
- If proofed at room temperature and ready to bake, set the banneton uncovered in the freezer for 20 minutes to help create a tighter skin for clean scoring.
Score and Bake:
- Turn the loaf onto parchment, seam‑down, and score on an angle with a sharp razor (watch the video). Set the loaf on parchment in a cold cast‑iron pot, with the lid on. Place into the oven at 220°C (428 ℉). Bake 30 minutes with lid on, then 15 minutes lid off to get a beautiful golden color on the crust.
Cool & Slice:
- Move to a rack and cool 1–2 hours before slicing so the crumb sets.
Video
Notes
This dough's hydration is ~72% (including starter).
- Scrunch the parchment paper to avoid it digging into the loaf. Place the loaf on the diagonal and cut away the corners by the sides (it should look like a hammock for your bread).
- Over‑proofed? Bake anyway. Expect smaller oven spring but great flavor.
- Pop in the freezer without cover for 20 minutes after rising in banneton if you want to bake the same day. It helps dry and harden the crust a bit for easier scoring.
- Work fast when you score, as your dough will tend to flatten a little.
- If you want a crustier loaf increase the amount of baking with lid on by 5 -10 minutes and then bake with lid off for 10 - 15 minutes. Ovens vary, so watch the color.
- Leave the loaf to cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. You can even cover it with a clean dry towel and leave it overnight.
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