Freshly Milled Soft Wheat Sourdough Bread
Learn how to bake sourdough bread with freshly milled soft wheat flour. This 100% whole grain recipe makes a reliable everyday loaf with a tender crumb and crisp crust, without needing strong bread flour.
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Equipment
- grain mill
- stand mixer - (optional)
- dutch oven - (optional)
Ingredients
- 500 g freshly-milled soft wheat flour - (100%) or store-bought whole wheat flour (see Notes)
- 350-375 g water - (70-75%) depending on your batch of grains
- 10 g salt - (2%)
- 90 g sourdough starter, active and bubbly - (18%)
Instructions
Mix & Fermentolyse
- Grind your soft wheat berries on the finest setting.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine flour, water, salt and starter. Mix until no dry bits remain. The dough will be shaggy. Cover and rest for 30–60 minutes to rest (fermentolyse).
Knead (Choose one path1: stand mixer or by hand)
- Stand mixer: Switch to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 5–10 minutes, until smooth and stretchy. It should pass the windowpane test. If it doesn't form a windowpane after 10 minutes of kneading, perform 1–2 rounds of stretch and folds.
- By hand: Knead gently for 5–10 minutes until the dough comes together. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth, just cohesive and no longer sticky. Rest for 30 minutes, then continue with stretch and folds below.
Stretch & Folds (hand-kneading only)
- Wet your hands. Grab one side of the dough, stretch it up gently, and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat at least 3 more times, or until you feel tension increasing. Let rest 20–30 minutes. Repeat for 2–3 total sets, letting the dough rest between rounds. After the final stretch and fold, cover and bulk ferment.
Bulk ferment
- Let the dough rise at room temperature for 5–7 hours.
Shape
- Lightly flour a banneton (or a medium bowl lined with a clean towel). Flour the counter and the dough’s top.
- Wet your hands and gently release the dough from the sides of the bowl. Turn it out, smooth side down. Shape into a rectangle, then fold the top third down, bottom third up, then fold the sides in like an envelope.
- Flip seam side down. Cup your hands around the dough and gently pull it toward you to build surface tension. Turn and repeat until taut. Place into your prepared banneton, seam side up.
Proof
- Cover the dough (a clean plastic bag or shower cap works well). Make sure the bag doesn’t touch the dough. Let it rest at room temp for 30–60 minutes (up to 90 if your kitchen is cool), or in the fridge for up to 12 hours.
Score & Bake
- Preheat your oven to 250°C (480°F) with a Dutch oven inside. Let it heat for at least 30 minutes.
- Turn your dough out onto baking paper. Score it with a sharp blade at a 45° angle. You can add decorative scoring too if you like.
- Carefully lift the dough into the hot Dutch oven. Drop temperature to 210°C (410°F) covered for 20 minutes.
- Uncover and bake another 20 minutes, until golden and crisp. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
Flour Notes:
This recipe is built for freshly milled soft wheat flour. In Europe, soft wheat berried are often labeled simply as “wheat.” You can use white, red, or yellow cultivars, though hydration needs will vary slightly.
If you don't mill at home, you can find a list of suitable store-bought flour options in the post above. Hydration Tip:
Flours absorb water differently and sourdough starters vary. If the dough feels too dry, add more water in teaspoons. Too sticky? Add a touch more flour. Once mixed, the shaggy dough should feel soft and only slightly sticky, not wet or loose. Bulk Fermentation:
Ready when the dough is puffy, roughly doubled, and shows small bubbles. It should still feel structured and soft. Final Proof:
Timing depends on flour and starter strength.
This recipe is built for freshly milled soft wheat flour. In Europe, soft wheat berried are often labeled simply as “wheat.” You can use white, red, or yellow cultivars, though hydration needs will vary slightly.
If you don't mill at home, you can find a list of suitable store-bought flour options in the post above. Hydration Tip:
Flours absorb water differently and sourdough starters vary. If the dough feels too dry, add more water in teaspoons. Too sticky? Add a touch more flour. Once mixed, the shaggy dough should feel soft and only slightly sticky, not wet or loose. Bulk Fermentation:
Ready when the dough is puffy, roughly doubled, and shows small bubbles. It should still feel structured and soft. Final Proof:
Timing depends on flour and starter strength.
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 3.9g
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it turned out!