Sourdough Soft Multigrain Sandwich Bread

Ingredients

The Levain (Day 1, Evening)

A roughly 1:7:7 build that peaks by morning. It makes 160g so you have a little extra to leave in the jar. Young and sweet at peak, which is what a soft sandwich loaf wants.

• 10g (2 teaspoons) ripe sourdough starter, 100% hydration
• 75g (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) bread flour
• 75g (¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon) water (about 78F / 26C)

The Scald (Day 1, Evening)

Identical to the yeasted version. Boiling water over ground cereal and a little flour, built alongside the levain and refrigerated overnight.

• 60g (⅓ cup) seven grain hot cereal, ground fine
• 40g (⅓ cup) bread flour
• 200g (¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons) boiling water
• 1g (⅛ teaspoon) fine sea salt

The Dough (Day 2, Morning)

The levain replaces the yeast and brings its own flour and water, so the bread flour and milk both come down.

• 150g (about ⅔ cup (weigh it)) ripe levain, at peak
• 285g (2⅓ cups plus 2 teaspoons) bread flour
• 50g (⅓ cup plus 1½ tablespoons) whole wheat flour
• 100g (⅓ cup plus 1½ tablespoons) whole milk, lukewarm (about 85F / 29C)
• 20g (¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon) nonfat dry milk powder
• 45g (2 tablespoons) honey
• 40g (2¾ tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 8g (1¼ teaspoons) fine sea salt

The Top

Whole grains on the outside, since the grains on the inside have been ground smooth.

• 10g (2 teaspoons) whole milk, for brushing
• 12g (2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) old-fashioned rolled oats

Total flour: 450g

Hydration: 66%

Pro tip: Use the levain at peak, not past it. A soft scald loaf has less gluten to spare than an ordinary sandwich bread, and an overripe levain brings enough acid and protease activity to loosen what's left. Peak levain also tastes sweet and mild, which keeps this loaf in sandwich territory instead of tangy country bread. If it's already collapsing when you get to it, feed 10g of it with 75g flour and 75g water and wait for it to peak again.

Equipment

Method

Build the Levain

A small starter feeding that turns into 160g of active levain by morning. You'll use 150g.

1. Mix. Stir the ripe starter, flour, and water together in a jar until no dry flour remains. Mark the level with a rubber band.
2. Ferment Overnight. Cover loosely and leave at room temperature, ideally 72F to 76F (22C to 24C), for 10 to 12 hours. It's ready when it has at least doubled, the top is domed or just starting to flatten, and it smells sweet and yeasty rather than sharp.

Wait: PT11H

Tip: The 1:7:7 ratio is built for an overnight window. Kitchen running warm, above 78F (26C)? Drop the starter to 5g. Running cold, below 68F (20C)? Use 20g of starter and water at 85F (29C).

Make the Scald

Same scald as the yeasted loaf. Boiling water swells and bursts the starch granules and locks water into a gel that survives the oven. It's the principle behind tangzhong, run on multigrain cereal.

1. Grind the Cereal. Pulse the seven grain cereal in a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or dry blender for about 30 seconds, until it looks like coarse cornmeal. You're not making flour, just opening the grain so the water can get inside.
2. Combine Dry. Whisk the ground cereal, 40g of bread flour, and the salt together in a medium heatproof bowl so the flour can't clump.
3. Pour and Whisk Hard. Pour the boiling water over it all at once and whisk hard for about a minute, until it's a smooth, glossy paste like thick oatmeal. Lumps now are lumps in the loaf.
4. Cover and Chill. Press plastic wrap onto the surface, cool on the counter for about an hour, then refrigerate overnight. Pull it out when you get up so it loses its chill before mixing. Cold scald plus a lukewarm levain makes a dough that sits at 70F and crawls through bulk.

Wait: PT10H

Tip: The water has to be at a full rolling boil when you pour. Water that's cooled off won't gelatinize the starch, and you'll get a wet paste that acts like plain water in the dough.

Mix the Dough

The levain goes in where the yeast used to. Aim for a final dough temperature of 76F to 78F (24C to 26C).

1. Combine Everything but the Butter. In the mixer bowl, add the levain, both flours, the milk, dry milk powder, honey, salt, and the whole scald. Mix on low with the dough hook for 2 to 3 minutes until no dry flour remains. It'll look pasty and a little odd. It comes around.
2. Rest 20 Minutes. Cover and rest. The short autolyse softens the whole wheat and gives you a head start on gluten before the butter goes in.
3. Add the Butter. Add the softened butter in three or four pieces with the mixer on low. The dough will look like it's coming apart. Keep mixing and it pulls back together in a couple of minutes.
4. Knead to a Strong Window. Mix on medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough clears the bowl and passes the windowpane test with a thin, even film. Check the temperature. Above 80F (27C), stop and let the rest of the development happen in the folds, since a hot sourdough overferments fast.
5. By Hand Instead. Mix until shaggy, rest 20 minutes, squeeze the butter in with your fingers, then slap and fold for 12 to 14 minutes with three 5 minute rests along the way.

Tip: Don't skip the windowpane. The scald takes some structure and the acid takes some more, so the gluten you build right here is what holds the loaf up for 4 hours of bulk and a tall rise in the pan.

Bulk Fermentation

Longer than the yeasted loaf and warmer is better. bulk fermentation with butter, honey, and milk solids in the dough takes 4 to 5 hours at 76F to 78F (24C to 26C).

1. Round and Cover. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, set it in a lightly oiled straight-sided container, cover, and mark the starting height.
2. Two Sets of Coil Folds. At 45 minutes and again at 1½ hours, wet your hands, lift the dough from the middle, and let it fold under itself on all four sides. Then leave it alone.
3. Rise About 75%. Let it go until it has risen about 75%, the top is domed, the sides show bubbles, and the container jiggles when you shake it. Don't push for a full double like the yeasted loaf. An acidic dough taken that far loses the strength it needs for the pan.

Wait: PT4H30M

Tip: Read the dough, not the clock. At 72F (22C) this can take 6 hours or more. A Brød & Taylor proofer set to 78F turns a guessing game into a schedule.

Shape and Pan

One tight roll. The dough is soft and slightly tacky, so use a light touch of flour and firm hands.

1. Degas and Pat. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and press it flat to push out the big bubbles. Pat it into a rectangle as long as your pan and about ¾ inch thick.
2. Roll Tight. Roll snugly from the short edge, pinching the seam as you go. Tension matters more here than in the yeasted loaf, because the long pan proof will find any loose spots and turn them into a tunnel.
3. Pan It. Seam side down in a greased 9 by 5 pan, pressed into the corners so it rises level.

Tip: For the bakery look, divide into three pieces of about 330g, roll each into a tight log, and set them side by side across the pan.

Final Proof

The slow part. Warm and same day, or cold and overnight for a bake the next morning.

1. Proof Until Well Domed. Cover loosely and proof at 76F to 80F (24C to 27C) for 2½ to 3½ hours, until the crown sits about 1 inch above the rim of the pan.
2. Or Proof Overnight. Once the crown reaches the rim, cover it well and refrigerate 10 to 14 hours. In the morning, let it sit out 1 to 2 hours until it crowns about 1 inch above the rim. Expect a slightly tangier loaf.
3. Poke It. Use the poke test. A floured fingertip should leave a dent that fills back slowly and stops just short of level. Press gently. This dough is soft.
4. Brush and Top. Brush the top with milk, not water, and scatter the oats over it. The milk sugars and proteins glue the oats down in the oven.

Wait: PT3H

Tip: Sourdough won't give you the extra 1½ inches the yeasted loaf does. Aim for 1 inch and bake. Overproofed, this loaf caves in as it cools, because the heavy gelatinized starch sits on gluten that's already been weakened by acid.

Bake and Cool

Moderate heat, same as the yeasted loaf. Honey, milk, and milk powder all brown early.

1. Bake. Bake at 350F (175C) on the lower-middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating front to back at 20 minutes. Straight from the refrigerator, add about 5 minutes.
2. Tent Early. Tent loosely with foil when you rotate at 20 minutes. Deep color isn't a sign it's done.
3. Check Internal Temperature. Done is 195F to 200F (90C to 93C) in the center. The scald holds so much water that the crumb feels soft even when it's still wet, so trust the thermometer.
4. Butter the Top. Brush the crust with a little butter the moment it comes out of the pan. It's what keeps the top tender instead of leathery.
5. Cool Completely. Out of the pan onto a wire rack. Wait at least 2 hours before slicing. Cutting early is the number one cause of a gummy bottom on this loaf.

Tip: Give it a full day before you judge the flavor. Sourdough sandwich bread tastes a little flat warm and comes into itself by the next morning, mild, sweet, and just barely tangy.

Shaping Options

A soft dough that takes any sandwich format. Sourdough proofs are longer across the board.

Single Tight Roll (Recommended) (recommended)

One roll, seam down, in a 9 by 5 pan.

1. Degas and Pat. Press flat to push out the big bubbles, then pat to a rectangle as long as the pan.
2. Roll Tight. Roll from the short edge, pinching the seam as you go.
3. Pan. Seam side down, pressed into the corners.

Three Log Bakery Loaf

Three small rolls side by side across the pan for a finer crumb and three domes on top.

1. Divide. Three equal pieces of about 330g each.
2. Roll Each. Pat each piece flat and roll it into a tight log about the width of the pan.
3. Arrange. Set the logs side by side across the pan, seams down, touching.

Nine Soft Rolls

Pull-apart dinner rolls in a square pan.

1. Divide. Nine pieces of about 110g each, weighed.
2. Round. Round each tight and set them in a greased 9 by 9 inch pan in a three by three grid, barely touching.
3. Proof and Bake. Proof 2 to 3 hours at 76F to 80F until they've merged, then bake at 350F (175C) for 22 to 26 minutes to 195F (90C). Butter the tops out of the oven.

Proof test: Press gently with a floured fingertip. The dent should fill in slowly and stop a little short of level. A hard poke leaves a permanent dent in this soft dough.

Bake the Loaf

Standard oven, no steam. Low, steady heat so the center finishes before the crust goes too dark.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F. Internal temperature when done: 90-93°C / 195-200°F.

Standard Oven Bake (recommended)

One pan, uncovered, tented partway through.

Equipment: One 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, lower-middle rack

1. Preheat. Preheat to 350F (175C) for at least 20 minutes, rack in the lower-middle position.
2. Bake. 35 to 40 minutes, rotating front to back at 20 minutes. Add about 5 minutes for a cold-proofed loaf.
3. Tent. Tent loosely with foil at 20 minutes.
4. Verify. Pull at 195F to 200F (90C to 93C) in the center.
5. Butter and Cool. Out of the pan immediately, brush with butter, cool 2 hours on a rack.

Lidded Pullman Pan

Square slices and the tightest crumb. Use a 9 by 4 inch Pullman pan.

Equipment: 9 by 4 inch Pullman pan with lid

1. Proof to Three Quarters. Proof until the dough is about three quarters of the way up the pan, about ½ inch below the rim, then slide the lid on. Skip the milk wash and oats.
2. Bake Lidded. Bake at 350F (175C) for 35 minutes with the lid on.
3. Finish. Pull the lid and bake 5 more minutes. Verify at 195F to 200F (90C to 93C).

Note: Tent early and bake to temperature. This loaf looks done at 25 minutes and still has a wet center. The thermometer is the only opinion that counts.

Storage

• Room temperature: 4 to 5 days in a sealed bread bag or lidded box. The scald keeps the crumb moist and the acidity slows staling, so it outlasts the yeasted version by about a day.
• Refrigerated: Skip the fridge. Bread goes stale faster at refrigerator temperature than on the counter.
• Frozen: Up to 3 months. Slice first, freeze in a bag with the air pressed out, and toast slices straight from frozen.
• Refresh: Sprinkle with water and warm at 325F (165C) for 8 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between this and the yeasted Soft Multigrain Sandwich Bread?

Same scald, same softness, same flour total. The levain replaces the 6g of instant yeast and carries 75g of flour and 75g of water in with it, so the dough bread flour drops to 285g and the milk drops to 100g. You trade a same-afternoon bake for a two-day schedule and get a loaf that stays fresh longer and tastes a little deeper, without tasting sour.

How is this different from the Sourdough Multigrain Sandwich Bread?

That one is the sourdough version of the Everyday loaf, with a whole cereal soaker you can see and feel in every slice, and it makes two loaves. This one grinds and scalds the cereal for a smooth, pillowy crumb with no grain texture. One loaf, softer crumb.

Will it taste sour?

Barely. A peak levain, a warm ferment, honey, milk, and milk powder all push it toward mild and sweet. The milk powder also buffers acidity. If you want more tang, use the overnight cold proof. If you want less, keep bulk at 78F and bake the same day.

Can I use discard instead of levain?

Not as the leavening. Discard doesn't have the strength to raise an enriched dough. Feed it with the 1:7:7 build the night before, wait for it to peak, and use that.

My loaf came out dense and short. What happened?

Usually one of three things. The levain wasn't at peak, the dough ran cooler than 74F so bulk wasn't really finished, or the kneading stopped short of a windowpane. Check your final dough temperature first. It explains most sourdough sandwich loaves that don't rise.

Do I really have to grind the cereal?

Yes. Cracked grain has too little surface area for boiling water to gelatinize it properly, so you'd get hard bits and lose the whole point of the loaf. Thirty seconds in a spice grinder does it.

How long does this stay soft?

Four to five days on the counter in a sealed bag. The scald holds water in the crumb and the sourdough acidity slows staling and mold, so this keeps a little longer than the yeasted version.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 slice (about 57g)): 150 calories, 27g carbohydrates, 5g protein, 3g fat, 1.5g fiber, 230mg sodium. Makes 16 servings.