Roughly use 25 grams of sourdough starter, feed it 50 grams of whole wheat flour and 50 grams of room temperature water the night before baking.
- 100 grams sourdough starter
- 450 grams whole wheat flour
- 375 grams water
- 10 grams salt
If you haven’t already, feed your sourdough starter 4-12 hours before you begin making the bread. Make sure the starter is at its peak, active and bubbly.
Using a large bowl, mix together the sourdough starter and water first, break up the starter and evenly whisk it together with the water. Add the flour, and the salt. Use either use a dough scraper to fold it all in together or a dough whisk for the sticky mess. The dough ball may seem dry at first but the flour will become completely hydrated. This process is called autolyse. Let it sit covered with a damp towel or a silicone cover for 1 hour.
Stretch and Folds
It is a gentle way to strengthen gluten without kneading. Instead of punching or overworking the dough, you stretch it upward and fold it over itself during fermentation.
it builds gluten structure meaning it helps the dough hold gas bubbles
Reduces stickiness over time.
Evenly distributes yeast and temperature.
How to Do It (Step-by-Step)
1. Wet Your Hands (to prevent sticking—no flour needed).
2. Grab & Stretch
- One hand anchors the bowl.
- Other hand grabs the edge of the dough, lifts it upward (like pulling taffy), then folds it over the center.
3. Rotate & Repeat
- Turn the bowl 90° and repeat on all 4 sides (N, S, E, W).
- That’s 1 set (takes ~30 seconds).
4. Rest & Repeat
- Let dough rest 15-30 minutes between sets for the 100% whole wheat dough (it differs for white flour, requiring longer rest periods).
- Do 3–4 sets total (until dough feels smooth and holds shape better).
- Complete the first the stretch and folds once every 15 minutes.
- Complete 3 more stretch and folds spacing 3 minutes in between each set.
Bulk Fermentation
In a warm spot, cover the dough in the bowl with a damp cloth (or use a silicone cover (they can be found online here or you can get it from Ikea or local kitchen shop). Let the dough can increase by 30 – 50%. This can take a few hours
Preshape and Shape
Step 1: Pre-shaping (Creating Structure)
Purpose: Gently form the dough into a preliminary shape to let it relax before final shaping.
For a Round Loaf (Boule):
- After bulk fermentation, scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Use wet or floured hands to prevent sticking.
- Fold the dough:
- Stretch the sides outward slightly, then fold them into the center (like an envelope).
- Flip it seam-side down.
- Let it rest uncovered for 20–30 min (bench rest). This relaxes the gluten for final shaping.
For an Oval Loaf (Batard):
- Stretch the dough gently into a rectangle.
- Fold the sides inward (like a letter), then roll it loosely into a log.
- Seam-side down, let it rest 20–30 min.
After shaping is complete, transfer your dough to a loaf pan or towel-lined bowl. If you want to use a loaf pan, use a piece of parchment paper to line it, put your dough inside and just bake the loaf directly inside the pan when ready. Cover with a damp towel and refrigerate for 12 -14 hours. Since the cold slows down the fermentation process, it gives a lot of flexibility – you can bake anytime within a week, and the dough is easier to score because of it.
Scoring
Score your loaf with a sharp razor blade using a lame or a really sharp knife. I have been using an Au Carbonne No 8 Opinel knife with a sharp edge. The scoring allows the bread to rise and open up without bursting. A controlled release perhaps.
Baking
Preheat the oven at 500 Fahrenheit. I put a pan on the bottom rack to spread the heat out so it doesn’t burn the bottom of the bread as easily. Some people swear by Dutch ovens, I don’t have one, but have been using the double loaf pan method. If your dough is in one loaf pan, take the other loaf pan and place it on top. This creates steam and heat similar to a Dutch oven, this is also when the oven spring happens (rising of the dough). Place your loaf pans and dough into the oven, reduce the heat to 450 Fahrenheit and let it bake for 30 minutes. Take off the second loaf pan and look at that beautiful oven spring. Bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool on a cooling rack completely before cutting. If you slice the bread will its still hot, the release of steam will leave the bread gummy and dense.
Resist the urge! Cooling is the final, invisible step of baking. For perfect texture and flavor, treat your loaf like a fine steak—let it rest.
This recipe was inspired by Grant from grant bakes.
The weights are used to make the dough, but I’m still trying to find what works best for my climate, water, flour and preparation process. Although I started with a 100% whole wheat sourdough starter, I have experimented with a 100% rye flour starter and have now settled for a 1:1 ratio of rye flour and wholewheat mix for the time being. I have also been using Canadian No Name brand whole wheat flour from the nearby grocery store which has been working out great for my needs so far. I wanted something easy to get and simply sustainable.
