Henry's Seeded Power Loaf

Ingredients

The Poolish (Night Before)

A simple overnight preferment that builds flavor and gets the whole wheat moving. Mix this 12 to 14 hours before you plan to bake.

• 150g (1¼ cups) white whole wheat flour
• 150g (⅔ cup) warm water (about 80F / 27C)
• 0.5g (⅛ tsp) instant yeast

The Cracked Wheat Soaker (Night Before)

Cracked wheat needs hydration before it goes into the dough. Pour boiling water over it and let it sit overnight.

• 50g (⅓ cup) cracked wheat
• 100g (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) boiling water

The Seed Soaker (Night Before)

Hydrating the seeds overnight keeps them from stealing water from the dough during the bake. Soft, plump seeds in every slice.

• 30g (⅓ cup) rolled oats
• 30g (¼ cup) raw sunflower seeds
• 25g (3 tbsp) raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 25g (2 tbsp) tri-color quinoa, uncooked
• 20g (2 tbsp) whole flax seeds
• 15g (2 tbsp) ground flax meal
• 150g (⅔ cup) warm water

The Final Dough

Brings it all together the next morning. The apple juice concentrate is the move that makes this taste like a good seeded sandwich loaf and not a brick.

• 300g (2½ cups) white whole wheat flour
• 50g (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) bread flour
• 15g (2 tbsp) vital wheat gluten
• 60g (¼ cup) apple juice concentrate, thawed (frozen kind)
• 100g (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) water
• 20g (1½ tbsp) neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
• 10g (2 tsp) apple cider vinegar
• 10g (1¾ tsp) fine sea salt
• 5g (1½ tsp) instant yeast

For the Crust Coating

The seeds pressed into the crust are what make this loaf look like the one in the store. Don't skip this part.

• 40g (⅓ cup) mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax, rolled oats, sesame)
• 15g (1 tbsp) water for misting — For misting the shaped loaf

Total flour: 500g

Hydration: 78%

Pro tip: Apple juice concentrate is what gives this loaf its lightly sweet, fruity flavor without dumping in sugar or honey. Look for it in the frozen juice aisle, the kind labeled 100% juice with no added sugar. Thaw it before mixing.

Equipment

Method

Build the Poolish

The overnight poolish is what gives this loaf real flavor depth. It also pre-hydrates a portion of your whole wheat flour, which makes a big difference in the final crumb.

1. Mix the Poolish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water, and yeast until you have a thick, lump-free batter. It should look like pancake batter.
2. Cover and Rest. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a plate and leave it on the counter at room temperature for 12 to 14 hours. By morning it should be bubbly, domed, and smell pleasantly sour and fruity.

Wait: PT12H

Tip: If your kitchen is cold (under 65F / 18C), the poolish will need closer to 14 hours. If it's warm (over 75F / 24C), check it at 10 hours. Ready when it's domed on top and starts to show signs of collapsing in the center.

Build the Soakers

Two soakers go in at the same time as the poolish. The cracked wheat needs boiling water to soften it. The seed soaker just needs warm water and overnight time.

1. Make the Cracked Wheat Soaker. Place the cracked wheat in a small heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over it, stir once, and cover. Let it sit overnight on the counter. By morning the cracked wheat will be soft and most of the water will be absorbed.
2. Make the Seed Soaker. In a separate medium bowl, combine the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, whole flax, and ground flax. Pour the warm water over the top, stir to combine, and cover. The flax will gel up overnight, which is exactly what you want.

Tip: Soaking is the move that separates a good seeded loaf from a mediocre one. Dry seeds will pull water out of your dough during the bake and leave you with a tight, dense crumb. Soaked seeds give that water back during baking, which keeps the loaf soft for days.

Mix the Final Dough

Time to bring it all together. The dough is going to feel sticky and a little loose at first. That's the high hydration plus all the seeds. Trust the process.

1. Combine the Wet Ingredients. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the poolish, the apple juice concentrate, the water, the oil, and the apple cider vinegar. Stir to roughly combine.
2. Add the Dry Ingredients. Add the white whole wheat flour, the bread flour, the vital wheat gluten, the salt, and the yeast. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until everything is just combined, about 2 minutes.
3. Knead to Develop the Gluten. Increase the mixer to medium-low speed and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will start out shaggy and rough. By the end it should be smoother but still slightly tacky to the touch. Whole wheat doughs never feel as silky as white flour doughs. Don't chase that. Look for elasticity instead. When you stretch a piece, it should pull back.
4. Add the Soakers. Add the cracked wheat soaker (with any remaining water) and the seed soaker (with the gelled liquid) to the dough. Mix on low speed until everything is evenly distributed, about 2 minutes. The dough will feel wetter and looser at this point. That's normal.

Tip: If you're mixing by hand, use the slap and fold method for about 12 to 15 minutes after combining the wet and dry ingredients. Add the soakers at the end and fold them in by hand.

Bulk Fermentation

The first rise. This is where the dough gets its strength and flavor.

1. Transfer and Cover. Lightly oil a large bowl, transfer the dough to it, and cover with plastic wrap or a plate.
2. Bulk Rise. Let the dough rise at room temperature (around 72-75F / 22-24C) for 60 to 90 minutes. It should grow by about 50 to 75 percent. Not quite doubled, but well-puffed. Whole wheat doughs don't rise as dramatically as white doughs, so don't wait for a full doubling.
3. Optional Stretch and Fold. About 30 minutes into the bulk rise, you can do one set of stretch and fold in the bowl to build extra strength. Wet your hands, grab one side of the dough, stretch it up, and fold it over to the opposite side. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. Four total folds. Then cover and continue resting.

Wait: PT1H30M

Tip: If your kitchen is cold, use the oven with just the light on. That gentle warmth gets you to about 78F / 26C, which is ideal.

Shape and Coat

Shaping a sandwich loaf is straightforward, and the seed coating is what makes this look like a real bakery loaf.

1. Pre-shape. Lightly flour your work surface. Turn the dough out and gently pat it into a rough rectangle about the length of your loaf pan.
2. Shape into a Log. Starting from the long edge closest to you, roll the dough up tightly into a log, sealing the seam by pinching as you go. The log should be about the length of your 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.
3. Mist and Coat. Spread the mixed seeds for the crust coating on a clean work surface or on a sheet pan. Mist the top, sides, and ends of the dough log generously with water (or roll it briefly on a damp towel). Then roll the dough through the seeds, pressing gently so they stick. Don't worry about getting the bottom coated. Get the top and sides well-covered.
4. Place in the Pan. Lightly grease your 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Place the seeded log in the pan seam-side down. Cover loosely with a clean towel or lightly oiled plastic wrap.

Tip: Don't be shy with the misting and the seeds. A heavily-coated crust is what makes this loaf look unmistakable on the cutting board.

Final Proof

The second rise. This is the one that determines your final crumb texture, so don't rush it.

1. Proof Until the Dough Crowns. Let the loaf proof at room temperature for 60 to 90 minutes, until the dough has risen about 1 inch above the rim of the pan and looks well-puffed. The poke test works well here. Press gently with a floured finger. If the indent springs back slowly and partially, it's ready. If it springs back fully and fast, give it more time. If it doesn't spring back at all, you've over-proofed.

Wait: PT1H15M

Bake and Cool

A long, moderate bake gets you a fully cooked center without burning the seeds on top.

1. Preheat. While the loaf is doing its final proof, preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Place a rack in the lower-middle position. No Dutch oven needed for this one. A regular sandwich loaf bakes uncovered.
2. Bake. Place the proofed loaf on the lower-middle rack and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The seeds on top will toast and the crust will turn deep golden brown. If the top is browning too fast (which can happen with the seeds), tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
3. Check Internal Temperature. The loaf is done when the internal temperature reads 200-205F (93-96C) on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center. Don't rely on color alone with whole wheat. Always check the temp.
4. Cool Completely. Remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 1 hour, ideally 2, before slicing. Cutting too soon will give you a gummy, sticky crumb. The bread is still cooking from residual heat as it cools.

Tip: I know waiting an hour to slice fresh bread feels cruel. Do it anyway. The texture difference between hot bread and cooled bread is dramatic, especially with a high-fiber whole wheat loaf like this one.

Shaping Notes

This is a sandwich loaf, so the shape is simple. The key is rolling it tight enough that you don't get big air pockets in the finished crumb.

Pan Loaf (Recommended) (recommended)

Standard 9 by 5 inch sandwich loaf. The crumb stays even, the slices are uniform, and it works for sandwiches, toast, and freezing.

1. Pre-shape. Pat the dough into a rough rectangle the length of your pan.
2. Roll Tight. Roll up tightly from the long edge, pinching the seam as you go.
3. Mist and Coat. Mist with water and roll through the seed coating.
4. Pan. Place seam-side down in a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan.

Proof test: Use the poke test. Press gently into the side of the dough with a floured finger. The dough is ready when the indent springs back slowly and only partially fills back in.

Bake the Loaf

Standard oven bake, no Dutch oven required. The seeded crust browns beautifully without steam.

Oven: 190°C / 375°F. Internal temperature when done: 93-96°C / 200-205°F.

Standard Oven Bake (recommended)

A simple uncovered bake on a regular oven rack.

Equipment: 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, oven rack in lower-middle position

1. Preheat. Preheat oven to 375F (190C) for at least 20 minutes.
2. Bake. Place loaf on lower-middle rack. Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
3. Tent if Needed. If the top browns too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
4. Verify Doneness. Check internal temp. 200-205F (93-96C) is fully baked.

Note: If you want a softer top crust for sandwich-bread purposes, brush the loaf with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven. For a crisper crust, leave it alone.

Storage

• Room temperature: 3-4 days in a sealed bread bag or wrapped tightly in beeswax wrap. The vinegar in the dough helps keep it fresh.
• Refrigerated: Don't refrigerate. Bread stales faster in the fridge than on the counter.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice the entire loaf before freezing, then pull out individual slices as needed and toast directly from frozen.
• Refresh: To refresh a day-old loaf, sprinkle with water and warm in a 350F (175C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Toasting individual slices works at any age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without vital wheat gluten?

I wouldn't recommend it. With this much whole wheat flour and seed mass, vital wheat gluten is what keeps the loaf from baking up tight and dense. It's not optional in this recipe. Look for it in the baking aisle or order Bob's Red Mill online. A small bag lasts a long time.

What's the deal with apple juice concentrate? Can I just use honey?

Honey works, but the flavor is different. Apple juice concentrate gives you a clean, lightly sweet, slightly fruity note that's hard to get from any other sweetener. It's also lower-glycemic than honey. If you want to substitute, use 40g of honey instead of the 60g of concentrate, and add an extra 20g of water to balance. The bread will be tasty either way, just slightly different in flavor.

Can I substitute the seeds?

Yes, with one rule. Keep the total seed weight roughly the same (around 145g pre-soaker). Sesame seeds, hemp hearts, chia seeds, poppy seeds, and millet all work well as swaps. Just stay aware that chia seeds absorb a lot more water than sunflower or pumpkin, so if you swap chia in for any seed, reduce the soaker water by about 20g.

My poolish didn't bubble much. What went wrong?

Usually one of three things. Your kitchen was too cold (the poolish needs at least 65F / 18C to ferment well). Your yeast was old or dead. Or you used too little yeast. Even ⅛ teaspoon should produce visible bubbles after 10-12 hours at room temp. If yours is flat, give it another 4 hours in a warmer spot before deciding to start over.

How do I know when bulk fermentation is done?

With a high-percentage whole wheat dough like this one, the dough won't fully double the way a white-flour dough does. Look for about a 50 to 75 percent increase, a slightly domed surface, and a feel that's pillowy and airy when you gently press the side. bulk fermentation is more about the feel than the time.

Why did my crust burn before the inside was cooked?

Two likely reasons. Your oven might run hot (use an oven thermometer to check). Or the seeds on the crust toasted faster than the bread cooked through. Tent the loaf loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of bake time. The internal temperature should still hit 200-205F (93-96C) before you pull it.

Can I use starter straight from the refrigerator?

Not for this loaf. Use an active starter that has been fed and is at or near peak. The levain needs enough strength to lift a whole wheat dough carrying a large load of soaked grains and seeds.

Why does the dough feel wetter after I add the soakers?

That is expected. The soaked grains and flax gel change the surface feel and make the dough seem looser. Develop the gluten before adding them, then mix only until evenly distributed. Do not add flour just to make the dough feel dry.

How do I know bulk fermentation is finished?

Look for about a 50-75% increase in volume, a slight dome, visible aeration at the edges, and a dough that feels lighter and pillowy. Do not wait for a full doubling.

Do I still need the vital wheat gluten?

Yes. This loaf contains a high percentage of whole wheat plus a heavy grain and seed load. The vital wheat gluten gives the dough enough strength to rise well and stay sliceable.

Why is there still apple cider vinegar in a sourdough loaf?

It is part of the original loaf's flavor and keeping-quality system. At 10g it should not make the finished bread taste vinegary, and the fermentation schedule already accounts for the naturally leavened dough.

My kitchen is cooler than 76°F. What should I change?

Change the time, not the formula. Keep watching the rise and dough condition. A cooler kitchen can extend both bulk fermentation and final proof by several hours.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 50g)): 165 calories, 26g carbohydrates, 7g protein, 5g fat, 4g fiber, 245mg sodium. Makes 16 servings.