The recipe is just like the last two bread recipes I shared. The dough is mixed and baked the same day. If your starter is active and healthy, you would never guess that it contains no commercial yeast as it is light and soft. We think this bread makes the best toasted panini type sandwich that there is! Add some home cured bacon and garden fresh tomato and you will learn why fresh, home made, home grown food is best!
Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
2 cup starter (19 oz)
1 cup milk (8 oz)
1/2 cup water (4 oz)
1/4 cup oil or melted butter (1.5 oz)
1/4 cup honey (3 oz)
5 cups whole wheat flour (23.5 oz)
3 tsp salt
Directions:
Mix all ingredients except salt for 2-3 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for about 20 minutes.
After rest, add salt and knead dough for about five minutes. If dough is too sticky, add slightly more flour but dough should be soft and not dry and stiff. Place in oiled bowl and allow dough to rise for 3-4 hours or until nearly doubled in size.
Divide dough into two pieces and shape into loaves and place in two greased bread pans. If a free form loaf is desired, place on greased baking sheet. Spray with oil and cover with plastic wrap to keep from drying out. Allow to rise for 2-3 hours.
When dough has risen, carefully slash the top.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. For even browning, turn loaves halfway through baking time.
Remember you can use a basic bread dough for rolls, raisin bread, cinnamon rolls and many other uses!
For more bread inspiration - see Yeast Spotting.
It looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteCannot wait to try this!! It looks delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe!! --S
ReplyDeleteYeah! This is the one I have been waiting for. I can't wait to try it!
ReplyDeleteGina,
ReplyDeleteFor an additional nutritional boost I like to add a quarter cup of golden flax that is freshly ground. I use a coffee grinder or blender to grind it.
First loaf out of the oven doesn't make it to dinner time, LOL.
Winston Bearkiller
Your bread, as always, looks delicious. I love whole wheat sourdough.
ReplyDeleteIn your quest to bake 100% whole wheat sourdough, you might like trying this formuls:
http://www.northwestsourdough.com/discover/?p=1193
Oh how lovely!
ReplyDeleteI've NEVER been able to get a loaf of sour dough (wheat) to look that marvelous. I must look around for your starter!
That looks really good! My mum is not a fan of crustyhard bread, and I've been searching for a sourdough ww recipe that's soft to convert her to sourdough. She isn't a fan of the sourdough flavour either heh. So I'm wondering, does this make a slightly tangy or very tangy bread? And if so, how can I reduce the sourness?? Please help, thanks! This looks so divine yet simple, I hope to try it (:
ReplyDeleteShu Han
ReplyDeleteI don't consider this bread very sour. But then we like sourdough bread very much so maybe we are not good tests.
I think a lot of the "sour" flavor depends on your starter, how long you let it rise, how often you feed your starter, and probably other reasons as well! Sourdough is working with live organisms - so many things contribute. Some bakers add a little baking soda to sweeten it up.
Gina
Hi Gina, I love your blog and have found great inspiration in you! I used your whole wheat sourdough bread recipe and it came out really well except for the tops of the loaves burnt a little bit before the insides were done and I still pulled them out early. I'm fairly new to bread baking and wondered if you had any tips on how to stop the tops from burning. Thanks :o)
ReplyDeleteHi, I've just heard there's a new way to make a pizza with a sourdough crust. You know, that's the part on the bottom. I love the sourdough taste and think it's a great idea but I've looked through half of Kentucky for a Pizza Hut that makes one or even knows how.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone out there found one? Let me know?
I made this last night with my homemade (from scratch!) sourdough starter, neither of which I had ever used before! It turned out AMAZINGLY well! Delicious, beautiful, moist, and all-around wonderful! My husband and I ate it for breakfast, and I'm going to make a BLT for lunch with it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your recipe! I have been nursing my first ever sourdough starter for a little over a week now and today is baking day.
ReplyDeleteTo the person who was looking for more tang in the flavor, I've read that you do one to two additional risings. It increases the sour flavoring while decreasing the wheat taste.
I Just discovered your blog and recipes and stayed up until 2:30 this morning reading it/them!
ReplyDeleteI was wondering, on this bread are gluten and lecithin not necessary? I have always used them when making 100% whole wheat bread but I have never made whole wheat sourdough (just regular sourdough).
Thanks from Alaska!
Gail
Gail - Thanks for visiting! I have made this bread without the gluten and lecithin and it turns out well. I do think it is softer with the additions. I know some people want to avoid gluten and lecithin so I added it as optional.
DeleteHappy Baking,
Gina
I am new at baking. and loving your site! Can I ask about what temp do you do cinnamin rolls with a basic bread recipe like this?
ReplyDeleteKelly -
DeleteI would probably lower the heat for cinnamon rolls, maybe 375 degrees?
Gina
This worked really well with my starter I made from kefir whey. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your site. I have this bread in the oven right now. This is the third time I've made it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIs there anything I can substitute for the milk?
ReplyDeleteYou can use water instead of milk. The milk makes a little richer dough but it is good either way.
DeleteGina
Why do you add the salt last after the dough has rested?
ReplyDeleteExpert bread bakers recommend adding the salt after the resting period so that the salt doesn't hinder the flour from absorbing moisture. But I'm always afraid I'll forget the salt all together - which will completely flop the bread (I know from experience) so often I just add it with the other ingredients.
DeleteGina
This was my first sourdough today and I'm really enjoying the nice warm bread out of the oven!! My question is, if my starter is whole wheat, can I still use it and do white flour in my bread recipe?
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm loving all your tips and stories!
God Bless!
Londa -
DeleteCongratulations! It is fun to "meet" other sourdough bakers.
You can use a whole wheat starter to make bread, or white starter in whole wheat bread - it just will be a mixture instead of all whole wheat or all white.
Gina
Great! I'm so happy with the sourdough I made yesterday, so I'm excited to try more of your recipes (I already gave a whole loaf away).
ReplyDeleteI am mennonite as well so I appreciate the family tried and true recipes!
Thank you for this recipe! I found it when I was looking for a 100% whole wheat, 100% naturally leavened bread recipe. It was exactly what I was looking for!
ReplyDeleteI've been making it for about a year and a half now, and I've found that having a shorter first rise and a longer second rise works well. Also I've been kneading it with my Bosch for 3 minutes and then finishing by hand. It's been working well, as long as my starter is active!
--- Cheryl B.
Is the oil for the dough or the pan? I've never added oil to my dough before, does it help?
ReplyDeleteThe oil is for the bread dough. It helps make a softer bread. You can use butter instead if you wish.
DeleteGina
I'm still new at sourdough baking but I've read somewhere that the first rise is not needed? Is that true for this recipe or would you still recommend the first rise? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI don't always do the first rise with regular yeast bread, but I always do two rises for sourdough bread. Maybe it is not needed but it is the way I can get consistently good bread.
DeleteGina
I made two loaves of this recipe yesterday. Best sourdough bread I have ever made! The rise was lovely. I used your hints and made one loaf cinnamon raisin bread. I think my husband ate half of that loaf yesterday and is on his way to finishing it off today. Thank you for your wonderful recipes! I can't wait to try more! My loaves got really brown. Should I cover in foil half way through. I don't really mind the dark loaves, though.
ReplyDeleteMine get real dark too. Maybe foil would help though like you, I don't mind. You could always experiment. In some other recipes I struggle to get a nice brown crust. Maybe the honey in this recipe makes the difference?
DeleteHappy Baking,
Gina
My husband loves the bread I am baking with this recipe! So much so that we are going on vacation (driving). He asked me "Are you going to be able to make some bread to take with us?" So tonight I made 2 loaves of raisin cinnamon and one loaf of herb bread (rolled up garlic, onion powder, thyme and basil in the dough). I am so glad I found this recipe. It is whole grain but has the nicest texture. I do add vital wheat gluten, lecithin granules, a pinch of Vitamin C powder and a tiny pinch of ginger for dough conditioners. Always reliably turns out wonderful!
DeleteIf I add egg, do I change anything? And how many eggs? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf you add an egg, you don't need to change anything except maybe add a tiny bit more flour. I use one egg.
ReplyDeleteHappy Baking,
Gina
Hi Gina! I found your blog a couple days ago when I made sourdough bread for the first time (extra-tangy sourdough recipe from King Arthur Flour). It turned out well and tasted great, but because it was a more rustic, crusty, free-form loaf (that took 24 hours!) I know I'll be making it sporadically and have been hunting for a more standard sandwich-loaf style sourdough recipe to use as the go-to. I'm planning to try this one, but have a question - what size bread pans do you use? I currently only have glass loaf pans but don't tend to like how bread bakes in them, so I hope to buy some metal pans soon. I think I read somewhere that 8.5"x4.5" pans are good for loaves with 3-3.5 cups of flour, and 9x5" pans are good for ~4 cup loaves - but these would be 2.5 cups? Do they rise to fill an 8.5x4.5" pan? Or are your pans smaller?
ReplyDeleteI've also been reading a few of your posts about Ed's cancer and about faith and I admire your genuine, honest, humble, and grace-filled approach to living your life for Jesus in the Mennonite tradition. Thank you for sharing your life so generously with us! In turn I will pray for your family; that God stays near to you through the highs and lows and that you are able to keep your face turned to him through all of it.
I use the 8.5"x4.5" pans and this recipe fills them nicely. You can always make fewer loaves if you want the pans filled more.
DeleteThanks for your prayers.
Gina
If it's okay, I have another question! My stirred-down starter weighs 13oz for 2 cups. Would you recommend going with the correct weight over the correct volume?
DeleteIt probably won't make a huge difference in the final outcome. But yes, I'd do the correct weight.
DeleteGina
Thank you for your quick reply!
ReplyDeleteDo you ever use spelt for this recipe?
ReplyDeleteNo. But I've heard that readers have successfully adapted this to spelt.
DeleteGina
Can I split this recipe in half and bake it in a bread maker? Also, how is 5 cups of whole wheat flour 23.5oz. but 2 cups of starter is 19oz?? Am I misunderstanding something?
ReplyDeleteThank you! I really enjoy your blog and am praying for your husband and whole family!
I never tried making it in a bread maker but you can give it a try. Sourdough bread does need a much slower rise time so you'd have to adjust the rise time on the bread maker.
DeleteFlour weighs less per cup than starter which is why the difference in weight/amounts.
Happy Baking,
Gina
I need your starter recipe, please
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this recipe. This may just be our favorite new sandwich loaf! I thought I would share an easy high hydration sourdough recipe with you. It is one of our absolute favorites. I use all fresh ground flour. I hand bolt it through a #50 sieve and regrind the leftover to add back in.
ReplyDeleteGolden Flax and Spelt Sourdough
1/4 cup active starter
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 3/4 cups whole spelt flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I use hard white wheat)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 cup flax seeds and 1/8 cup sesame seeds
Mix flours, salt, water and starter together. Cover and rest 45 min. Soak flaxseeds and sesame seeds. It is normal for them to feel gooey.
Strain seeds and knead into dough till dough is soft.
Cover and rest till double in size, about 4 hours or so at 76 degrees. Gently stretch and fold dough 3 times every 45 minutes. Shape into round and rest 10 minutes. place in proofing basket, cover and rest till puffy, about 30 minutes to an hour. Score and bake in dutch oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes covered and 30 minutes uncovered. Place on center rack 10 minutes.
Do you feed your starter with whole wheat flour as well or is the starter fed with whited flour is whole wheat?e flour and only the add
ReplyDeleteI feed my starter with whole wheat flour only, but you can use white if you wish.
DeleteGina
Thanks for taking the time to answer, I have mt sourdough starter less than a week and the starter my sister in law gave was only fed with white flour, can I feed it with wheat flour now, or maybe a mixture, sometimes white and sometimes wheat flour? Or does it consistently need to be fed the same kind of flour?
DeleteI think you can successfully use either flour.
DeleteGina
Have you ever done this recipe with an overnight rise in the refrigerator? I'm relatively new to sourdough baking so I'm just wondering. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've never tried an overnight rise, but I think it would work. The flavor may be a bit more sour with a longer cooler rise.
DeleteGina
I think it was even better with an overnight rise! I just put it on the counter for an hour or two before baking. Delicious, thanks so much for the recipes!
DeleteHi Gina,
ReplyDeleteI have a few questions for you, since I am making whole wheat sourdough bread for the first time.
My first question is, what type of oil do you use?
My next question is, in the directions for the bread, the instructions are to spray oil on the loaf while you let it rise, but would it be okay to rub some on? Because I don't have a spray bottle for the oil.
Third, the instructions also call for 2 cups of starter or 19 oz. Though 2 cups would be 16 oz. So does that include and extra 3 oz of starter for you to save? Or should I use all 19 oz of starter for the recipe?
Sorry for all of the questions! As I mentioned previously I am getting ready to make my first loaf and I just want to make sure I get it right!
I appreciate you (:
Best,
C
I use a light olive oil. Any kind of vegetable oil without a strong flavor can be used.
DeleteI don't always put oil on the top, so this is optional, but yes, you can rub the oil instead of spraying.
Starter is heavier than water, so when I weighed my starter, 2 cups weighed 19 oz. I used all 19 oz. in the recipe. But your starter may be a different weight. It won't make a big difference if you use 16 or 19 oz.
Happy Baking,
Gina
I see comments about gluten, lecithin, and vitamin C but don’t see them listed in the ingredients. How much of each do you use?
ReplyDeleteFor this size recipe, if I were to use these extra ingredients I would use - 2 T vital gluten, 1 T soy lecithin, and 1/8 tsp Vitamin C. But I usually add an egg instead of the lecithin and don't often use the other ingredients.
DeleteGina
If you wanted to make it into a cinnamon swirl bread, how much sugar/cinnamon would you put into the mix do you think to give it the right amount of filling? I'm thinking of trying cinnamon raisin and apple cinnamon raisin! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteI never measure. I just sprinkle a generous ammount on the dough before rolling it up.
DeleteGina
I thought I'd chime in for some people looking to start making this bread. My starter is kept in the fridge and I rarely remember to take it out a few days ahead to get it really going. I've been able to make this by taking my starter straight out of the fridge, feeding it, mixing it an hour or two later, letting it rise all day, shaping, doing an overnight rise on the counter and then baking in the morning. My starter is never quite as active as I'd like but it works great this way. I've made this recipe plain and with a variety of mix-ins...jalapeno cheddar, apples/cinnamon, cinnamon/sugar, etc!
ReplyDelete