I have tried on and off to become an artisan sourdough baker somewhat unsuccessfully for the past couple of years. You see, the truth is I’d love to be a purist. I have the heart of a purist. I’d love to grow my own food, get milk from a cow in my own backyard, collect eggs every afternoon, and bake my own bread. But I’m not in a season of my life that I can spend hours slaving over my meals so I have found myself to be more of a “drive through sue” right now. However I have made a commitment to my family that I will no longer be buying bread from the store. The reason I don’t wanna buy bread from the store is because I find myself buying sprouted wheat for myself and my family just doesn’t like it so I end up buying junk white bread for my family. I just don’t feel good about that. So instead I began making various sprouted wheat recipes and while I have found that my family likes this one, and it is by far the easiest I’ve made!
and that’s why I’m sharing it with you.
Next time I make this recipe I intend on taking a few more photos but for now you will have just my words to guide you, and that is enough because it really is that easy.
Start by taking 2 cups of water and warming it up, then dissolve 1 tablespoon of honey in it.
In a large batter bowl combine 3 cups of sprouted wheat flour, 1 cup of all purpose or bread flour. Add to the bowl 1 tablespoon of Active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Whisk all the dry ingredients to combine well and then pour the warm honey water in and mix it up with a spatula. You don’t have to go crazy here just get all of the flour wet and leave it as a big shaggy mess in the bowl. Cover it up and leave it for an hour.
Let’s say you get busy and you don’t come back to it- for a couple hours, that’s fine too. I’ve mixed it up in the morning and baked it in the afternoon when I had the time. But an hour is minimum.
When you come back, preheat the oven to 425. And now you select your pan. I like to use two small greased bread pans.
But, I’ve used all of these options- 9inch pie dish, greased with oil, cast iron Dutch oven, 2 small (4.5×8.5 inch) bread pans – greased, or a stone Dutch oven.
Turn the dough bowl over and dump it into your pan, use a little bit of oil on your hands to get the dough all the way out of the bowl and into the pan. Allow the dough to puff up for about 30 minutes while your oven preheat.
Bake for 15 minutes at 475, then turn the temperature down to 375 and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. I like to bake the dough uncovered for the first 15 minutes, and then put the lid on (or tent with foil if you don’t have a lid for your pan) for the second 15 minutes so that my crust doesn’t get too golden.
Once the dough is baked and you pull it out, I like to turn it onto a cooling rack.
I store my bread loosely wrapped in a tea towel and then inside a bread box. Our you use plastic bags, wait until the bread is fully cool so it doesn’t condensate in the bag.
Live. Love. Sisters. 