Whole Wheat Sourdough

Mix bread flour, whole wheat flour, 370g water, honey, and olive oil until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest 60 minutes — whole wheat needs this longer rest to fully hydrate and soften the bran particles, which can otherwise cut through gluten strands.

Add starter and dissolve salt in remaining 20g water. Add both to the dough. Squeeze through fingers thoroughly for 3 minutes — whole wheat takes more work to incorporate. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds every 30 minutes over 2 hours. Whole wheat develops a slightly different feel from white flour dough — a little more dense, a little less silky. That is totally fine.

After the final fold, bulk ferment at 75°F for 2–3 more hours. Whole wheat ferments faster than white flour doughs, so watch for the signs: dough grown about 75%, domed on top, visible bubbles, and a slight jiggle. Do not let it go too long.

Turn dough onto a floured surface. Pre-shape gently — whole wheat dough tears more easily than white dough, so handle with care. Rest uncovered 20 minutes.

Shape into a tight boule. Dust banneton with a mixture of rice flour and whole wheat flour for extra coating. Place dough seam-side up. Cover and refrigerate 8–12 hours — no longer than 12 hours, as whole wheat can overproof even cold.

Place Dutch oven with lid in oven and preheat to 500°F for at least 45–60 minutes.

Flip cold dough onto parchment. Score deeply — whole wheat dough needs a confident, deep score to bloom properly. Bake covered at 500°F for 20 minutes. Remove lid, reduce to 450°F, bake 20–22 minutes until rich, deep brown. The whole wheat will color a bit faster than white flour loaves. Cool 1–2 hours before slicing.