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Sandwich Bread (Sourdough Whole Wheat + Rye)

Prep 45m Cook 55m Total 100m hard
breadsourdoughbakingwhole-grain

Method

  1. 1
    Night before: build the levain. Whisk the starter into the water until milky, then mix in the bread flour until no dry bits remain. Cover loosely and ferment at room temperature until domed, very bubbly, and sweet-tangy. Build ~10% extra if you want a buffer — you'll weigh out the final amount in the morning. ⏱ 600m
    20 g
    active sourdough starter
    3.9 %
    92 g
    water
    18.0 %
    92 g
    bread flour
    18.0 %
  2. 2
    Next morning, combine the dough flours and water in the stand mixer bowl. Mix on Speed 1 just until fully moistened, then cover and rest for the autolyse. ⏱ 45m
    256 g
    bread flour
    50.0 %
    102 g
    whole wheat flour
    19.9 %
    52 g
    rye flour
    10.2 %
    287 g
    water
    56.1 %
  3. 3
    Add the ripe levain, sugar, and salt to the autolysed dough. Mix on Speed 1 for about 1 minute to incorporate.
    19 g
    sugar
    3.7 %
    10 g
    salt
    2.0 %
  4. 4
    Knead on Speed 2 until the dough is cohesive and slightly shiny. It will stay tacky — that is normal for whole grain. ⏱ 7m
    Note: too soupy at 4 min add bread flour 5 g at a time; too tight add water 5 g at a time
  5. 5
    Pour the olive oil into the zip-top freezer bag, seal, and rub to coat the interior. Scrape the dough into the bag, turn to coat, press out excess air, and reseal.
    43 g
    olive oil
    8.4 %
  6. 6
    Rest the bagged dough at room temperature, then refrigerate for the cold bulk — 8 to 16 hours, overnight is ideal. ⏱ 45m
  7. 7
    Next day, take the bag from the fridge. Massage the dough through the bag to press out bubbles, venting briefly if needed, then reseal. Leave at room temperature until no longer fridge-cold and slightly puffy. ⏱ 75m
  8. 8
    Grease the loaf pan. Lightly flour the counter, dump the dough out with its oil, and fold or knead for 30-60 seconds to distribute the oil. Shape into a tight log and place seam-side down in the pan. Cover.
    Note: no pre-shape needed — go straight from bag to final shape
  9. 9
    Proof at room temperature until the dough is well-domed and risen 1-2 cm above the rim of the pan. Typically 2-5 hours; whole grains can move faster.
    Note: poke test — should spring back slowly and leave a slight dent
  10. 10
    Preheat the oven.
    Target: oven 177°C
  11. 11
    Optional: slash one long line down the center. Bake until deep brown, the crust sounds hollow, and the internal temperature hits target. Tent with foil for the last 15-20 minutes if the top browns too fast. ⏱ 55m
    Target: oven 177°C, internal 96°C
  12. 12
    If using, brush the hot top with butter for a softer crust. De-pan and cool on a rack at least 1 hour before slicing.
    —
    butter

Multi-day recipe. Build the levain the evening before, autolyse and knead the next morning, cold bulk overnight, then shape and bake on day 3. Rough active time: ~10 min on night 1, ~30 min on mix day, ~15 min on bake day, plus ~55 min in the oven.

Whole wheat and rye absorb more water than bread flour and release it slower — the dough stays tacky through kneading and firms up during the cold bulk. Do not chase a smooth, bouncy dough on the mixer; cohesion and slight shine are enough.

Formula summary: 70% bread flour / 20% whole wheat / 10% rye, overall hydration 76%, levain ~20% of total flour, added olive oil 8.4% of flour. Exact per-ingredient percentages are on the **Formula** tab.

Adapted from a white sandwich-loaf method at 1.6× scale (zip-bag oil, KitchenAid knead). If your bread flour protein is noticeably low or high, nudge the dough water by 5 g at a time during the knead.