Henry's Foolproof Whole Wheat Sourdough

Ingredients

The Dough

• 400g (3¼ cups) bread flour
• 100g (¾ cup) whole wheat flour
• 395g (1⅔ cups) water (lukewarm, 75–80°F / 24–27°C)
• 100g (½ cup) active sourdough starter
• 10g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• 20g (3 tbsp) ground flaxseed

Sesame Seeds (added during folds)

Added in two equal stages during coil folds 2 and 3. Pour on top and fold in — 10g of each type per fold.

• 20g (2 tbsp) black sesame seeds
• 20g (2 tbsp) white sesame seeds

Total flour: 500g

Hydration: 79%

Pro tip: The ground flaxseed absorbs water — that's why hydration is bumped to 395g from the standard 375g. Don't skip that extra 20g or the dough will be too tight.

Equipment

• Digital Kitchen Scale
• Dutch Oven
• Banneton (Proofing Basket)
• Bench Scraper
• Lame or Sharp Razor
• Instant-Read Thermometer

Method

Mix and Fermentolyse

Combine your flours, flaxseed, levain, and water. The fermentolyse rest lets the whole wheat and flaxseed fully hydrate before the salt goes in. You'll notice how extensible the dough becomes after this rest.

1. Combine the Dough. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and ground flaxseed. Add the active starter and water. Mix by hand until no dry flour remains. It'll look rough and shaggy — that's expected.
2. Fermentolyse Rest. Cover the bowl and let it rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can extend this overnight in the refrigerator if your schedule calls for it — the whole wheat and flaxseed genuinely benefit from the longer rest. After the rest, the dough will be noticeably smoother and much more extensible than when you first mixed it.

Wait: Fermentolyse Rest

Tip: Don't rush the fermentolyse. With whole wheat and flaxseed in the mix, that rest time is doing real work hydrating the bran and relaxing the gluten.

Add Salt

Salt goes in after the fermentolyse rest, not before. Use the Rubaud method to work it in fully.

1. Incorporate the Salt. Add the salt directly to the dough and work it in using the Rubaud method — scoop from underneath, stretch upward, and slap the dough back into the bowl. Repeat for 4 to 5 minutes until the dough feels smooth, cohesive, and elastic.

Tip: Wet your hand slightly before working in the salt. It helps absorption and keeps the dough from sticking to your palm.

Bulk Fermentation and Coil Folds

Three sets of coil folds, 45 minutes apart. Sesame seeds get added during folds 2 and 3.

1. Coil Fold 1. Wet your hands. Slide them under the center of the dough, lift it, and let both ends fold under. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. That's one set. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
2. Coil Fold 2 — Add First Sesame. Before folding, pour 10g of black sesame seeds and 10g of white sesame seeds on top of the dough. Perform the coil fold — the seeds start incorporating naturally. Cover and rest 45 minutes.
3. Coil Fold 3 — Add Remaining Sesame. Pour the remaining 10g black sesame and 10g white sesame on top. Coil fold one more time. Cover and let the dough rest undisturbed for 30 minutes after this final fold.

Wait: Rest After Final Fold

Tip: Adding seeds during folds 2 and 3 — not at the beginning — protects early gluten development. The structure is strong enough by then to hold them without tearing.

Lamination, Pre-Shape, and Final Shape

A light lamination stretch after bulk gives the dough a final tension boost before shaping.

1. Turn Out and Laminate. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently stretch it into a rough rectangle — don't force it. Fold it letter style: top third down, bottom third up. This is a light lamination pass, just enough to redistribute tension evenly. Don't overwork it.
2. Pre-Shape. Fold the dough into a loose round. Use your bench scraper to drag it toward you across the surface, building light surface tension. Let it rest uncovered on the bench for 15 minutes.
3. Final Shape. Shape into a batard or boule depending on your banneton. Aim for confident, decisive movements. Flip seam-side up into your lightly floured banneton and pinch the seam lightly to close.

Wait: Bench Rest

Tip: If the dough is snapping back and resisting shaping, it needs more bench rest. Give it another 5–10 minutes before trying again.

Cold Proof

Into the refrigerator for the cold proof. Cold slows fermentation and develops flavor. With whole wheat in the mix, sour notes come on faster than you'd expect from a white flour loaf.

1. Refrigerate. Cover the banneton with a shower cap or plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Standard cold proof is 6 to 8 hours. You can push to 36 hours for more sourness — but the whole wheat drives acidity faster. Check it at 24 hours and decide from there. The dough bakes straight from the refrigerator — no warming up at room temperature.

Wait: Cold Proof

Tip: Don't let it warm up on the counter before baking. Cold dough is easier to score and holds its shape better going into a hot Dutch oven.

Score and Bake

Preheat your Dutch oven at 475°F (245°C). The dough goes in cold — straight from the refrigerator.

1. Preheat. Place your Dutch oven with the lid on in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes. The vessel needs to be fully saturated with heat before the dough goes in.
2. Score and Load. Pull the dough from the refrigerator. Flip it onto a piece of parchment paper. Score with one decisive main cut at a 30–45° angle (at least ½ inch / 1.3 cm deep) plus any decorative scoring you want. Move quickly and get it into the Dutch oven.
3. Bake Covered — 22 Minutes. Bake at 475°F (245°C) with the lid on for 22 minutes. The steam trapped inside creates oven spring and develops the crust.
4. Bake Uncovered — 10 to 15 Minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until the crust is deep brown and the internal temperature reads at least 205°F (96°C). The sesame seeds will toast and darken — that's exactly what you want.
5. Cool. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. The crumb is still setting as it cools. Cut it early and you'll get a gummy interior.

Tip: If the crust is darkening too fast before you hit internal temp, lower the oven to 450°F (230°C) for the final minutes with the lid off.

Shaping This Loaf

This dough is extensible thanks to the whole wheat and the fermentolyse rest. Don't over-tighten on the bench — it can tear. Think confident but gentle.

Batard (Oval) (recommended)

1. Flatten. Gently press the pre-shaped round into a rough oval.
2. Fold the Sides. Fold the left and right edges into the center, overlapping slightly.
3. Roll and Tension. Roll from the top down using your thumbs to maintain tension without tearing. Pinch the seam.
4. Into the Banneton. Place seam-side up into a lightly floured oval banneton.

Boule (Round)

1. Cup and Drag. Cup the dough in both hands and drag it toward you across the surface, building tension.
2. Rotate and Repeat. Rotate 45 degrees and drag again. Two or three passes is enough.
3. Into the Banneton. Place seam-side up into a lightly floured round banneton.

Proof test: Press a floured finger about 1 inch into the dough. If it springs back slowly and incompletely, it's ready. If it springs back immediately, give it more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, bake it now.

Bake

High heat, covered vessel, cold dough straight from the refrigerator.

Oven: 245°C / 475°F. Internal temperature when done: 96°C / 205°F.

Bake time: PT37M

Equipment: Dutch oven with lid, parchment paper

1. Preheat with Dutch oven inside for 45 minutes minimum.

Dutch Oven (recommended)

Equipment: Dutch oven with lid, parchment paper

1. Preheat 45 min. Dutch oven in oven at 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes.
2. Score and load. Flip cold dough onto parchment, score with main cut at least ½ inch (1.3 cm) deep, lower into hot Dutch oven.
3. 22 minutes lid on. Covered bake at 475°F (245°C).
4. 10–15 minutes lid off. Until deep brown. Internal temp 205°F (96°C) minimum.
5. Cool 60 minutes. Wire rack before slicing.

Storage

• Room temperature: 2–3 days wrapped in a linen cloth or paper bag. Whole wheat causes this loaf to stale slightly faster than an all-white flour loaf.
• Refrigerated: Not recommended for lean doughs. Refrigeration accelerates staling.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice before freezing for easy grab-and-toast portions.
• Refresh: Warm slices in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, or toast directly from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use more whole wheat — like 50% or 100%?

You can, but you'll need to adjust hydration up and expect a denser crumb. Whole wheat absorbs more water and has less gluten-forming protein than bread flour. At 50% whole wheat, try adding another 15–20g of water. At 100%, you're making a different bread entirely — worth trying, but don't expect the same open crumb.

What if I don't have ground flaxseed — can I use whole seeds?

Whole flaxseeds won't absorb water the same way, so you'd lose the hydration compensation logic. If you go whole seeds, keep water at the original 375g. Grind them yourself in a coffee grinder if you can — the ground version integrates into the crumb much better.

I forgot to add the sesame seeds during the folds. What now?

Add them during the lamination pass before pre-shaping. Stretch the dough out, scatter the seeds across the surface, and fold it up. They won't distribute as evenly but they'll still be in the loaf.

My dough is very sticky after the fermentolyse. Is that normal?

Yes. Whole wheat and flaxseed both hold moisture and the dough will feel wetter than a standard white flour loaf until the coil folds build structure. Use wet hands instead of flour during the folds. By fold 3 it should feel much more manageable.

How do I know if my cold proof has gone too long?

Do the poke test. If a floured finger pressed 1 inch into the dough doesn't spring back at all, bake immediately. With whole wheat driving fermentation, 36 hours is the ceiling. Beyond that you risk over-proofing.

Can I skip the cold proof and bake same-day?

Yes. After final shaping, let the dough proof at room temperature until it passes the poke test — roughly 1 to 2 hours depending on kitchen temperature. The cold proof is optional but it makes scoring easier and adds more flavor.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (~55g)): 130 calories, 25g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 2g fat, 3g fiber, 195mg sodium.