Sourdough Multigrain Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

The Levain (Day 1, Evening)

A small overnight build. Ready when it's domed, smells sweet and yeasty, and a spoonful floats.

• 50g (3½ tablespoons) ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration
• 100g (¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon) bread flour
• 100g (⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons) water (about 80F / 27C)

The Soaker (Day 1, Evening)

Same soaker as the yeasted version. Two parts boiling water to one part cereal, built at the same time as the levain so you only dirty the kitchen once.

• 150g (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) seven grain hot cereal, uncooked
• 300g (1⅓ cups) boiling water
• 3g (½ teaspoon) fine sea salt

The Dough (Day 2, Morning)

The levain and soaker go in together with everything else.

• 500g (4 cups plus 3 tablespoons) bread flour
• 200g (1¾ cups) white whole wheat flour
• 360g (1½ cups) whole milk, lukewarm (about 90F / 32C)
• 80g (¼ cup) honey
• 50g (3½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 14g (2¼ teaspoons) fine sea salt

The Top

Brushed on cold, straight out of the refrigerator, right before the loaves go in the oven.

• 15g (1 tablespoon) whole milk, for brushing
• 15g (3 tablespoons) old-fashioned rolled oats

Total flour: 825g

Hydration: 59%

Pro tip: Feed your starter the morning of Day 1 so it's genuinely active when you build the levain that evening. A sluggish starter is the single most common reason a sourdough sandwich loaf comes out short and dense. If yours has been living in the back of the fridge, give it two feedings a day apart before you start.

Equipment

Method

Build the Levain

A small levain, about 6% of the total flour as ripe starter. Small on purpose. A big inoculation moves fast and gives you sour without the sweetness this loaf wants.

1. Mix. Stir the ripe starter, flour, and water together in a jar until smooth. Mark the level with a rubber band so you can see how far it climbs.
2. Ferment Overnight. Cover loosely and leave it at room temperature, ideally around 72F to 76F (22C to 24C), for 10 to 12 hours. It's ready when it's roughly doubled, domed on top, and webbed with bubbles underneath.

Wait: PT11H

Tip: If your kitchen sits below 68F (20C) overnight, use water at 85F (29C) and put the jar somewhere warm, like inside the oven with just the light on. Cold levain is slow levain, and a levain that hasn't peaked will not carry a loaf this heavy with grain.

Make the Soaker

Do this while the levain is getting mixed. The cereal needs the whole night to soften, and soaked grain is what keeps a whole grain loaf from drying out by the next afternoon.

1. Scald the Cereal. Put the cereal and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over it and stir well until there are no dry pockets at the bottom.
2. Cover and Hold Overnight. Cover and leave it on the counter next to the levain. By morning it's a thick, cool porridge that holds its shape on a spoon.

Wait: PT11H

Tip: The salt in the soaker is not for flavor. Grain sitting wet and warm all night starts converting its own starch to sugar, and a sourdough dough is already acidic enough to loosen the crumb. Salt slows those enzymes and keeps the crumb from turning sticky.

Mix the Dough

One mix, everything in. Sourdough gluten develops more slowly than a yeasted dough, and the grain adds shear, so this dough asks for a little patience up front and pays it back later.

1. Check the Levain. Drop a teaspoon of levain into a glass of water. If it floats, you're on. If it sinks, give it another hour or two and check again. Don't push forward with a levain that isn't ready.
2. Combine Everything but the Butter. Put both flours, the milk, honey, salt, the whole levain, and the whole soaker in the mixer bowl. Mix on low for 2 to 3 minutes until there's no dry flour anywhere. It looks rough. Let it look rough.
3. Rest 30 Minutes. Cover and rest. This autolyse matters more in the sourdough version than the yeasted one, because you've got a long fermentation ahead and softened bran is what keeps the crumb from going crumbly on day two.
4. Add the Butter and Develop. Add the softened butter in pieces on low speed, then mix on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough should clear the bowl sides and feel supple, tacky but not sticky. By hand, use slap and fold for 10 minutes with two 5 minute rests worked in.

Tip: Aim for a finished dough temperature of 78F (26C). Sourdough is far less forgiving about temperature than commercial yeast. Two degrees changes your bulk time by close to an hour, and with this much grain in the dough you won't be able to read the difference by eye.

Bulk Fermentation with Folds

Four to five hours at room temperature with three sets of folds in the first half. bulk fermentation is where a naturally leavened loaf earns its flavor, and where most people either stop too early or wait too long.

1. Transfer and Mark. Move the dough to a lightly oiled straight-sided container. Mark the starting level with tape or a rubber band. With this much grain in the dough, that mark is the only honest way to read the rise.
2. Three Sets of Folds. At 45, 90, and 135 minutes, give the dough a set of stretch and fold. Wet your hand, reach under one side, lift, and fold it over the center. Turn the bowl and repeat four times. Then leave it alone.
3. Rise Until Grown by Half. Total bulk is 4 to 5 hours at 76F to 78F (24C to 26C). You're looking for the dough to grow by about 50%, feel airy and domed, and show bubbles at the edges. Do not chase a doubling here. An enriched sourdough that doubles in bulk has nothing left for the pans.

Wait: PT4H30M

Tip: A cool kitchen stretches this to 6 or 7 hours and that's fine. A warm kitchen at 82F (28C) can finish in 3½. Watch the mark on the container and the feel of the dough, and let the clock come second.

Shape and Pan

Divide, roll tight, into the pans. Tight rolling is what buys you an even crumb instead of a big tunnel under the crust.

1. Divide and Weigh. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide it into two equal pieces, about 950g each. Weigh them so both loaves rise to the same height.
2. Pre-shape and Rest. Round each piece loosely and let them sit uncovered for 15 minutes. This bench rest relaxes the dough so the final roll doesn't fight you.
3. Roll Tight. Pat each piece to a rectangle as long as your pan, then roll it up tightly from the short edge, pinching the seam as you go. Press out any large pockets you feel under your palms.
4. Pan and Cover. Seam side down in greased 9 by 5 pans, pressed gently into the corners. Cover well so the tops don't dry out overnight.

Tip: Wet your hands instead of flouring the counter if the dough sticks. Extra flour on the outside of a roll turns into a gray seam inside the finished slice.

Overnight Cold Proof

Straight into the refrigerator. The cold retard does three things at once: it fits the bake into your morning, it deepens the flavor, and it firms the dough up so the loaves hold their shape going into the oven. If you mix around 10 in the morning, the loaves go into the fridge by late afternoon and you're baking before breakfast.

1. Refrigerate. Cover the pans and refrigerate for 12 to 16 hours. The dough rises slowly and finishes somewhere near the rim of the pan. Up to 20 hours is fine if your morning gets away from you, and the flavor only gets better.
2. Read It in the Morning. You want the dough crowning about ½ inch above the rim. If it's still below the rim, leave the pans on the counter for 1 to 2 hours until it gets there. If it's well above the rim, bake right away straight from cold.

Wait: PT14H

Tip: Refrigerator temperatures vary more than people think. A 34F (1C) fridge nearly stops the proof, so you'll need counter time in the morning. A 40F (4C) fridge keeps it moving and might finish overnight on its own. Learn yours once and you'll never guess again.

Bake and Cool

From cold, a little longer than the yeasted version. The chilled center takes extra minutes to come up to temperature.

1. Preheat and Top. Preheat to 350F (175C). While it heats, brush the cold loaf tops with milk and scatter the oats over them.
2. Bake. Bake on the lower-middle rack for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating front to back at 25 minutes. Tent with foil if the tops go dark before the 30 minute mark.
3. Check Internal Temperature. Pull at 200F to 205F (93C to 96C) in the center. Sourdough runs a few degrees higher than the yeasted version because the crumb is denser and holds moisture longer.
4. Cool Completely. Out of the pans immediately onto a wire rack. Cool a full 3 hours before slicing. Sourdough multigrain needs longer than a yeasted loaf, and cutting early gives you a gummy crumb that isn't the recipe's fault.

Tip: Butter the tops the second they leave the pans for a soft crust. Skip it for a firmer chew. Either way, get them out of the pans right away. Bread left sitting in a hot pan steams its own bottom crust soggy.

Shaping Options

The pan is the reason this recipe works for sandwiches. That said, the dough is strong enough for a couple of other formats.

Two 9 by 5 Pan Loaves (Recommended) (recommended)

Even slices and reliable geometry, which is the whole reason to make a sandwich loaf instead of a boule.

1. Divide. Two equal pieces, about 950g each.
2. Pre-shape. Round loosely, rest uncovered 15 minutes.
3. Roll and Pan. Roll tight from the short edge, seam side down in greased pans.

Two Lidded Pullman Loaves

Square slices, tighter crumb, and a flat top that stacks in a sandwich. Use 9 by 4 inch Pullman pans.

1. Divide. Two pieces of about 950g each, which fills a 9 by 4 Pullman to roughly two thirds.
2. Proof to Two Thirds. Cold proof until the dough reaches about two thirds up the pan, then slide the lid on.
3. Bake Lidded. Bake lidded at 350F (175C) for 40 minutes, pull the lid, and give it 5 more minutes to set the top.

One Loaf and Eight Rolls

Bake one 950g loaf and eight rolls of about 120g. Good move when you want both in one bake.

1. Divide. One 950g piece for a pan, then eight pieces of about 120g.
2. Shape. Roll the loaf as usual. Round the rolls tight on an unfloured spot so they grip and build tension.
3. Bake. Rolls bake from cold at 375F (190C) for 20 to 24 minutes to 200F (93C) internal.

Proof test: Press the side of the cold loaf gently with a floured fingertip. The dent should fill back in slowly and not all the way. Cold dough always feels firmer than it is, so read the height above the rim first and use the poke as a second opinion.

Bake the Loaves

Standard oven, no steam. These bake straight from the refrigerator.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F. Internal temperature when done: 93-96°C / 200-205°F.

Bake From Cold (Recommended) (recommended)

Straight from the refrigerator to a hot oven. Easier handling, better oven spring, no second guessing.

Equipment: Two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans, lower-middle rack

1. Preheat. Preheat to 350F (175C) for at least 20 minutes while the pans stay cold.
2. Top and Load. Brush with milk, add oats, load both pans on the lower-middle rack.
3. Bake. 40 to 45 minutes, rotating front to back at 25 minutes.
4. Verify and Turn Out. Pull at 200F to 205F (93C to 96C). Out of the pans immediately, cool 3 hours.

Warm Up First

For a slightly more open crumb, or when the cold proof stalled and the dough is still below the rim.

Equipment: Two 9 by 5 inch loaf pans

1. Rest on the Counter. Leave the covered pans out for 1 to 2 hours until the dough crowns about ½ inch over the rim.
2. Bake. Bake at 350F (175C) for 35 to 40 minutes. A warm loaf bakes faster than a cold one.
3. Verify. Same target: 200F to 205F (93C to 96C).

Note: Bake to temperature every single time. A sourdough grain loaf holds moisture better than any other bread in the Pantry, which means it hides an underbaked center better too.

Storage

• Room temperature: 3 to 4 days in a sealed bread bag or a lidded box. Grain breads hold moisture better than plain white loaves because the soaked grain keeps giving water back to the crumb.
• Refrigerated: Skip the fridge. Bread goes stale faster at refrigerator temperature than it does on the counter.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice the whole loaf first, freeze in a bag with the air pressed out, then pull slices as you need them and toast straight from frozen.
• Refresh: Sprinkle the loaf with water and warm it at 350F (175C) for 8 to 10 minutes. The crust crisps back up and the crumb softens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use discard instead of ripe starter?

Not for the levain. Discard has already used up its food and won't build the strength this dough needs. What you can do is feed 50g of discard the morning of Day 1, wait for it to peak, and use that. That's ripe starter again, which is exactly what the recipe asks for.

How is this different from the yeasted version besides the leavening?

The soaker is identical. The differences are a small levain instead of instant yeast, a little less milk because the levain brings water of its own, a longer bulk with folds, and an overnight cold proof in the pans. The result is a slightly denser and more flavorful crumb that keeps a day or two longer. If you've made the yeasted loaf, you already know the hardest part.

My cold proof didn't rise at all overnight. Is the dough ruined?

No. Your refrigerator is just colder than mine. Take the pans out, leave them covered on the counter for 1 to 2 hours until the dough crowns about half an inch over the rim, then bake. Next time either extend the bulk by 45 minutes before shaping, leave the dough in the fridge closer to 18 hours, or find a slightly warmer shelf, usually the top one. A 34F (1C) refrigerator nearly stops the proof. A 40F (4C) one finishes it overnight.

Why bulk to only 50% instead of doubling?

Because this dough is carrying 150g of soaked grain plus butter and honey, and all three of those work against gluten. If you let it double in the bulk, the structure has already spent itself and the loaf comes out of the oven with a caved top. Half again is where an enriched sourdough should stop.

Can I make one loaf instead of two?

Yes. Cut every ingredient in half, including the levain build. The only thing that doesn't scale is timing, which stays the same. A single loaf actually ferments a hair faster because a smaller mass loses heat quicker, so check the bulk 20 minutes earlier than the recipe says.

The crumb is a little gummy near the bottom. What went wrong?

Three usual suspects, in order. It got sliced before it was fully cool, which is the most common by far. Or it came out under 200F (93C) in the center. Or it sat in the hot pan after baking and steamed its own bottom crust. Fix those three and gummy goes away.

Can I add seeds on top of the grain that's already in there?

Yes, and 60g of sunflower or pumpkin seeds is a good place to start. Soak them separately in 50g of cool water for an hour, then add them at the last set of folds so they don't shred the gluten during the mix. Don't take water out of the dough for this, because those seeds absorb close to exactly what you soaked them in.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 48g)): 140 calories, 26g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 2g fat, 2g fiber, 210mg sodium. Makes 32 servings.