Hard Winter Wheat, Southern Ground

Stone-ground whole-wheat bread flour is hard winter wheat milled in its whole form. It is 100 percent whole grain. Nothing is removed or separated and recombined; it is milled intact—whole grain in, whole grain flour out—intact and whole.

High-Extraction Bread Flour

High-extraction flour is a sifted flour that still contains a high percentage of the whole grain. It can be 80 to 90 percent extraction, meaning 10 to 20 percent of the larger bran particles have been sifted out. By removing just the largest bran particles, most of the nutrients are preserved, but this flour provides extra loft to breads compared with 100 percent whole-grain flour. We call our high-extraction bread flour 85 bread flour, indicating that of the grain in the hopper, 85 parts become flour and 15 parts (the larger particles of bran) are sifted out, give or take.

75- Extraction Bread Flour

Within the realm of stone-milled regional flours, this is the closest version to a roller-milled white flour in terms of extraction rate, with about 25 parts sifted out. The flour is a creamy color, not actually white. Made from hard winter wheat, it is a medium-strong flour and is quite versatile. Unlike roller-milled flour, the germ is not removed, but is instead crushed into the starchy flour, spreading its oils and delivering a richness to the resulting baked goods. If you cannot find a 75-extraction flour, opt for using a high-extraction flour or “half white” stone-ground flour in its place in the following recipes. And if you so desire, you can hand-sift a high-extraction flour to get closer to a 75-extraction.

Whole White Wheat Flour

White wheats lack the tannins found in red wheats and so provide a wholly different flavor profile. White wheats can be hard wheat or soft wheat. We grow a variety of hard white wheat called Appalachian White. This is one of Dr. Marshall’s varieties. Hard white wheat is lovely in bread applications, and any of the bread recipes in the Whole-Wheat Bread Flour section (beginning on this page) can be made with whole white wheat bread flour. But unlike whole wheat bread flour made from red wheat, white wheat excels in broad application, as the following recipes demonstrate.

Flemish Desem Bread

Natural Bridge Bakery ◆ Walnut, North Carolina

My need for fresh stone-ground flour to make the culture that would leaven my breads—providing the foundation for my bakery—is where it all began for me as a baker, and really as a miller, too. And so it seems especially appropriate to place this recipe prominently at the very beginning. It is an apt place to begin, too, because this bread presents stone-ground whole-wheat flour in its best form. Through slow fermentation, the flour, water, and salt are transformed into a bread of lovely tooth and crumb, with a rich, bold flavor of red wheat. Perfect in its simplicity. The use of 100 percent whole grain flour accounts for the high percentage of water (or hydration) in this dough, as whole-grain flour absorbs more water than sifted flour. Don’t worry if the dough seems especially wet during your initial mix. After a full hour of autolyze and the addition of salt, the dough will begin to come together nicely.

yield: 2 medium loaves

leaven

76g water

20g starter

80g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

713g water

158g leaven

792g whole-wheat bread flour

17g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a pint mason jar, then add the starter. Break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Divide the dough into two equal portions weighing around 840 grams each. Preshape one portion of the dough at a time. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line two 9-inch proofing baskets with a linen cloth and generously dust the cloth with flour. Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour, then place the dough seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours. Transfer loaves to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place two Dutch ovens on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. (If you don’t have two Dutch ovens, leave one of your loaves in the refrigerator while the first loaf is in the oven.) Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour.
Transfer each loaf to the Dutch oven (according Step 8 instructions on this page) and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 475°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread is a deep dark bronze color, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

Walnut Desem and Walnut-Raisin Desem

Natural Bridge Bakery ◆ Walnut, North Carolina

When I was running my Natural Bridge Bakery, this was my morning toast. I would make either a walnut or a walnut-raisin loaf each week. The addition of walnuts transforms the color of this dough to a beautiful mauve. The hydration is increased from the basic Flemish Desem Bread (this page) to account for the add-ins. A full-hour autolyze assists in the absorption of the increased hydration. These are 1-pound loaves loaded with walnuts and raisins.

yield: 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves

leaven

41g water

11g starter

43g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

405g water

85g leaven

426g whole-wheat bread flour

115g walnuts, chopped into large pieces

9g fine sea salt

85g organic raisins (optional)

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the flour and walnuts and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself.

If making one large walnut loaf, using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.

If making one walnut loaf and one walnut-raisin loaf, divide the dough into two equal portions weighing around 510 grams each. Preshape the first portion of the dough. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour and cover with a kitchen towel. Lightly pat down the second portion of dough into a disk (do not flatten it—just pat it down somewhat) and place the raisins in the center. Fold the bottom edge of the dough up over the raisins, fold the sides in, then fold the top down over and past the bottom fold. Position the dough seam-side down, dust with flour, and cover with a kitchen towel. Let both portions of dough rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: If making one large walnut loaf, line a 10-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and generously dust the cloth with flour. Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour, then place the dough seam-side up in the prepared basket.

If making one walnut loaf and one walnut-raisin loaf, line two 8-inch proofing baskets with a linen cloth and generously dust the cloth with flour. Perform the final shaping of the walnut dough as directed in Step 6 on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour, then place it seam-side up in one of the prepared baskets.

For the walnut-raisin loaf, flip the dough so it is floured-side down and gently pat it down. Fold the sides in and then gently pull the top of the dough away from you and, with the heel of your hand, press down on the very top of the dough, so that the top edge of the dough sticks to the counter, then roll the dough up from the bottom up and seal. Sprinkle the top with flour and then place the dough seam-side up in the second prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket(s) with kitchen towel(s) and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place two Dutch ovens on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. (If you don’t have two Dutch ovens, you can bake one loaf at a time, leaving one of your loaves in the refrigerator until the first loaf is in the oven.). Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the baskets from the refrigerator and set them on the counter; let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Transfer each loaf to a Dutch oven according to Step 8 instructions on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot(s) and lower the oven temperature to 475°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread is a deep dark bronze color, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot(s) to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing.

Piedmont Loaf

La Farm Bakery ◆ Cary, North Carolina

La Farm developed this bread to showcase the flour coming from our region. It is a 70/30 whole-grain/stone-ground sifted flour bread with its leavening fed with stone-ground sifted flour. The large percentage of whole-wheat delivers tooth and flavor, while the sifted flour provides the bread’s loft. It is flavorful and spongy soft, the ideal choice for lunchbox sandwiches.

Note: This dough is baked the same day it is made, but it can be refrigerated overnight and baked in the morning. For the final rise, transfer the dough to the refrigerator after it has risen for about 2 hours, or when an indentation left by your fingertip only partially disappears.

yield: 1 (8 x 4-inch) pan loaf

leaven

50g water

10g starter

50g 75-extraction (stone-ground sifted) bread flour

dough

320g water

100g leaven

266g whole-wheat bread flour

114g 75-extraction (stone-ground sifted) bread flour

9g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½ pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Place the lid on the container and let sit overnight at room temperature or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water. Add the whole-wheat and sifted bread flours and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 2 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil, grease an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with parchment paper cut to fit the length of the pan and wide enough that it covers the two long sides, then grease the parchment as well. The narrow ends of the pan are left uncovered, so brush them with extra oil.
Final shaping: Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed in Step 6 on this page and place it seam-side down in the prepared pan.
Final rise: Cover and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. After 2 hours, begin checking the dough to see if it is ready to bake. Dip your fingertip in flour and gently poke the dough. If the indentation slowly and evenly rises back, it is ready to bake (see Note).
Bake: Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Score the top of the dough as desired. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and immediately transfer the bread from the pan to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before serving.

Whole-Wheat Flax Bread

Weaver Street Market Bakery ◆ Hillsborough, North Carolina

This is another 70/30 whole wheat/sifted flour dough, this time with the addition of flax and sunflower seeds. The leaven for this bread is quite stiff and develops over a long period—16 hours. The flaxseeds, too, require 16 hours of soaking, after which their soaking liquid has transformed into a viscous elixir that adds an unbelievable silkiness to the dough (and the resulting crumb). It is flaxseed magic.

yield: 1 large loaf

leaven (16 hours)

28g water

3g starter

43g 75-extraction bread flour

soaker (16 hours)

146g water

50g flaxseeds

dough

260g water

68g leaven

303g whole-wheat flour

124g 75-extraction bread flour

196g soaker

38g hulled sunflower seeds

10g sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½ pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 16 hours, or until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the soaker: In a container with a lid, stir together the water and flaxseeds. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 16 hours.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add both flours, the soaker, and the sunflower seeds and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a 10-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and generously dust the cloth with flour. Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour, then place the dough seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place a Dutch oven on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the basket from the refrigerator and set it on the counter; let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven according to the instructions on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 450°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread has a deep dark golden hue, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

North Carolina Sourdough

Flat Rock Village Bakery ◆ Flat Rock, North Carolina

This is a bread that Flat Rock created to showcase our North Carolina bread wheat. Flat Rock was part of the original group of bakeries that helped launch Carolina Ground, and when they developed this bread, it was the first time I was able to experience what stone-ground high-extraction bread flour offers to our bakers. With just fifteen parts of the larger bran particles removed, this flour makes a bread with loft without compromising nutrients or flavor. The flavor is bold, but the crumb is open. This bread contains an especially high percentage of leaven (for a nonrye bread), creating an especially active dough with a complex flavor profile.

yield: 1 medium loaf

leaven

91g water

18g starter

91g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

271g water

181g leaven

376g high-extraction (85) bread flour

12g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a 1-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 1½ hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a 9-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and generously dust the cloth with flour. Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour, then place the dough seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place a Dutch oven on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the basket from the refrigerator and set it on the counter; let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven according to Step 8 on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 475°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread is a deep dark bronze color, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

NC Miche

Flat Rock Village Bakery ◆ Flat Rock, North Carolina

When I first tasted this bread, I was amazed to learn it is actually made from the same dough as Flat Rock’s North Carolina Sourdough (see this page). It is extraordinary to see what happens when the size of a loaf is more than doubled. The difference in the ratio of crust to crumb from an 800-gram loaf to a 2-kilogram loaf and the increased baking time required for the larger loaf (which produces a much deeper caramelization of the crust) are enough to transform the same dough into a distinctly different bread. The leaven used in the dough is fed twice—timing-wise, this makes it a good bread to bring together over a long weekend: Do the initial feeding of the leaven midmorning on the first day and the second feeding that evening; mix your dough the next morning and put the shaped loaf in the refrigerator that evening; and finally bake the bread the following morning.

Note: The size of this bread requires a round proofing basket or banneton no less than 13 inches in diameter. You’ll also need a Dutch oven no less than 13 inches in diameter, but if you don’t have one, you can bake the dough on a pizza stone under a large stainless-steel bowl.

Note: This bread is shown on the book cover.

yield: 1 extra large loaf

leaven STAGE 1

20g water

4g starter

20g whole-wheat bread flour

leaven STAGE 2

43g stage 1 leaven

215g water

215g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

645g water

430g leaven

896g high-extraction (85) bread flour

29g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: This leaven will be build in two stages. For the first stage, measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a pint-size mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.
Make stage 2 of the leaven: For the second stage, graduate to a larger container; a wide-mouth quart mason jar works well. Scoop the 43 grams of leaven (stage 1) into the jar and add the water, breaking the culture apart into the water, then adding the flour. Cover and let sit for 8 hours more before mixing the dough.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a round 13-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and dust the cloth well with flour. Flip the dough onto your work surface, floured-side down. Pull each corner of dough toward the center, making a round. Seal the seam on the bottom by rolling the dough on its side and pinching the bottom between the work surface and the palm of your hand. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, then place it seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place an extra-large Dutch oven (no less than 13 inches in diameter) on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. (If you don’t have a large enough Dutch oven, place a large baking stone on the lowest rack instead, and have a stainless-steel bowl at least 13 inches in diameter and 5 inches deep handy.) Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the basket from the refrigerator and set it on the counter; let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
If you have a large enough Dutch oven, transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven according to Step 8 on this page and place the lid on the pot.
If you are baking on a stone, cut a piece of parchment paper larger than the loaf but smaller than the baking stone. Sprinkle the parchment with coarse flour, cornmeal, or semolina, then flip the loaf seam-side down onto the parchment. Score the loaf in whatever pattern you desire (four slashes making a square works well on a miche). Using oven mitts, open the oven door and place the loaf, still on the parchment, on the baking stone. Quickly cover the loaf with a large stainless-steel bowl and close the oven door. (Note: If you have a pizza peel, forgo the parchment and load the loaf directly onto the baking stone.)
Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot (if using a Dutch oven) or remove the bowl (wearing oven mitts and using the tip of a knife to carefully lift the bowl so you can remove it) and lower the oven temperature to 400°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 40 minutes, or until the bread is a deep dark bronze, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 206° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing.

Hippie Desem (aka Seeded Wheat)

Osono Bread ◆ Atlanta, Georgia

Betsy Gonzalez, baker/owner of Osono Bread, explains the origins of this bread, “The ‘Hippie’ name comes from my time interning at Bread by Bike—Andy Strang, the owner, named his seedy sourdough loaf the Hippie loaf after his father said bread with seeds was for ‘hippies.’ The desem part comes from the emphasis of whole-grain and high-extraction flour both from the starter and dough, but mainly from my time in Bokrijk, Belgium, at Egt Brood, where desem is Dutch for leaven.’ The name was really an homage to my time interning at Bread by Bike and Egt Brood.”

Note: The process for this bread diverges a bit from the Bread Method on this page in that the initial autolyze is without the leaven and is 2 hours long. Also note that all of those hippie seeds will be added 1 hour into the bulk fermentation phase.

yield: 1 large loaf

leaven

34g water

17g starter

49g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

321g water

73g leaven

23g maple syrup

367g high-extraction (85) bread flour

92g whole-wheat bread flour

10g fine sea salt

37g hulled pumpkin seeds, plus more for coating

37g hulled sunflower seeds, plus more for coating

14g flaxseeds, plus more for coating

14g poppy seeds, plus more for coating

14g sesame seeds, plus more for coating

mixed seeds, for coating

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Two hours before the leaven is mature, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the maple and both flours. Mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
After 2 hours, add the leaven to the dough, incorporating it by squeezing it into the dough and folding the dough over itself. Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough every 30 minutes for 1½ to 2½ hours (three to six series of folds total), until the dough feels strong (see this page for detailed stretch-and-fold instructions), incorporating the seeds by folding them into the dough as part of the second fold. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough developing strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a 10-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and dust the cloth well with flour. Combine the remaining mixed seeds on a large plate. Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed in Step 6 on this page, then roll the shaped dough in the mixed seeds and place it seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place a Dutch oven on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the basket from the refrigerator and set it on the counter; let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats. (If your kitchen is cold, place your loaf near your oven.)
Transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven according to Step 8 on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 450°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls

Beach House Restaurant ◆ Bradenton Beach, Florida

Teddy Louloudes developed this recipe specifically for the grilled veggie sandwich served at Beach House, a sandwich inspired by the organically raised vegetables grown fifteen minutes down the road from their kitchen at Gamble Creek Farms. This is one of the few yeast-leavened breads in this book, but the dough includes a pre-ferment called a biga—a small portion of the flour, water, and yeast left to ferment overnight. Stretching out the fermentation time further highlights flavor-forward flours; this can be done in a yeasted bread by the use of a pre-ferment. Here the biga contributes complexity to the bread’s flavor and crumb.

yield: 8 sandwich rolls

biga

103g water

¼ teaspoon yeast, instant or active-dry

154g high-extraction (85) bread flour

dough

395g water

1¾ teaspoons yeast, instant or active-dry

258g biga

428g high-extraction (85) bread flour

48g whole-wheat bread flour

10g fine sea salt

semolina, for dusting

Make the biga: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a 1-pint mason jar, then add the yeast and flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
Make the dough: The next morning, measure the water into a large bowl. Add the yeast, biga, and both flours and mix until fully incorporated. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough as directed on this page. Cover the bowl with cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 1 hour, stretching and folding the dough every 20 minutes (see this page for detailed stretch and fold instructions). With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough developing strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 30 minutes to 1½ hours, depending on the time of year.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife, divide the dough into eight equal pieces weighing around 138 grams each. Preshape one piece of the dough at a time: Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour and set aside. Repeat to preshape the remaining pieces of dough, then cover them all with a kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
Final shaping: Dust a couche (linen cloth well) with flour. Working with one ball of dough at a time, perform the final shaping as directed on this page, creating little baby loaves. Roll each in flour and them place on the prepared cloth, seam-side down, four rows of two end to end with a folded crease of cloth dividing the rows.
Final rise: Cover the rolls with a kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes to 1½ hours.
Bake: Preheat a convection oven to 475°F or a standard oven to 480°F. Lightly dust a baking sheet with semolina.
Carefully transfer the rolls to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until they begin to turn golden and their internal temperature reads 195°F. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Hemp Crisp Breads

Beach House Restaurant ◆ Bradenton Beach, Florida

This is a great use for extra sourdough culture. These crisp breads keep incredibly well, a solid approach to stocking the pantry with house-made crackers. I love that Teddy chose our high-extraction flour for these, as the flavor of the flour and the flavor of the hemp hearts combine beautifully. At Beach House, these crisp breads are served with their smoked fish dip and house-made ferments made from organic vegetables grown just down the road from their kitchen. Teddy adapted this recipe from Chad Robertson’s Tartine Book No. 3.

Note: This recipe uses extra sourdough culture. If you don’t have any, measure 19 grams water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add 4 grams starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add 19 grams flour (this can be whole grain or sifted, wheat or rye) and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).

yield: about 30 crisp breads

142g water

42g sourdough culture (see Note)

227g high-extraction (85) flour

57g whole-wheat bread flour

37g hemp hearts

7g sea salt

In a large bowl, combine the water, sourdough culture, both flours, the hemp hearts, and the salt and mix until just incorporated. Remove from the bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Turn the dough out onto your work surface. Divide it into three equal pieces weighing around 170 grams each. The dough for these crisp breads can be rolled out by hand or with a hand-crank pasta roller (without the cutting attachment).
To roll out the dough by hand, cut two 18 x 13-inch sheets of parchment paper. Place one piece of the dough between the parchment sheets and roll it out with a rolling pin to the edges of the parchment, rotating 90 degrees as needed to extend each side. You want to roll out the dough as thin as possible; if it is resisting, let it rest for 10 minutes, then try again. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet.

To roll out the dough using a pasta maker, feed one piece of dough through the pasta roller on the number 1 setting (I like to do this a couple of times before moving on to the thinner settings). Change the setting to 2 and feed the sheet of dough through; continue to the number 6 setting, then transfer the sheet of dough to the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, making sure the center is crisp and fully baked through. Keep an eye on these, as they definitely can jump from golden to burnt quickly.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the crisp bread to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, then break into smaller pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature. These crackers keep really well, at least a week, though we’ve never let them last that long.

High-Extraction Focaccia

Walnut Schoolhouse ◆ Walnut, North Carolina

Brennan Johnson’s Walnut Schoolhouse is a wood-fired bakery located in the space that was formerly occupied by my Natural Bridge Bakery. Baking in a wood-fired oven means considering which breads can best utilize the range of heat produced in a single firing: flatbreads (pita, pizza, and focaccia) on one end—when the hearth is too hot for loaves of bread that will take at least 25 minutes to bake—and on the other end, when the heat is waning, 100 percent rye breads that can bake for hours at low temperatures. Brennan developed this focaccia—made from a wet and airy dough meant to be baked hot—in order to take the high heat, cooling down his hearth enough for the loaves of bread to follow. This focaccia also translates well to a baking sheet and home oven. Top it with any number of ingredients, such as sage and other fresh herbs, sliced shallots, garlic, thinly sliced potatoes, and (always) flaky sea salt.

yield: 1 (18 x 13-inch) focaccia

leaven

86g water

17g starter

86g high-extraction (85) bread flour

dough

765g water

170g leaven

850g high-extraction (85) bread flour

21g fine sea salt

43g olive oil, plus more for drizzling

toppings

flaky sea salt

2 cups (prepped) vegetables, such as thinly sliced shallots, tomatoes, or garlic

1 cup fresh herbs, such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, or sage, whole or slivered

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 8 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Sprinkle on the salt and pour the olive oil over. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes.
Mix the olive oil and salt into the dough (as directed on this page). Cover with plastic wrap, or transfer it to a container with a lid.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 3 hours, stretching and folding the dough every 30 minutes (see this page for detailed stretch-and-fold instructions). After the final fold, cover the bowl or container, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Final rise: The next day, grease a baking sheet well. Pour the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet and let proof at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours, until very bubbly.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 550°F, or as high as your oven will go.
Using wet fingers, dimple the dough, consolidating the small air bubbles into bigger ones and leaving indentations from your fingers in between them. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt, then fill the indentations with any desired toppings.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until deeply browned.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, place on a cooling rack for 7 to 10 minutes, and then remove focaccia from the baking sheet and transfer to a cooling rack.

Sourdough Sweet Buns

Walnut Schoolhouse ◆ Walnut, North Carolina

This is a naturally leavened version of a sweet Scandinavian wheat bun similar to what we know as a sticky bun in the United States, though a bit more refined—less sweet, less sticky, with a fragrant cardamom-forward flavor. This dough calls for both high-extraction flour and a flour we call our Trinity Blend, a mix of rye flour, pastry flour, and bread flour that has been sifted. If you don’t have this blend, you can use a 50/50 mix of stone-ground light rye flour and sifted pastry flour. I’ve also had success making this recipe using just high-extraction (stone-ground) all-purpose flour—a blend of bread flour and pastry flour. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

yield: 24 buns

leaven

66g water

11g starter

55g high-extraction (85) bread flour

dough

170g unsalted butter

140g milk

140g heavy cream

1 tablespoon ground cardamom

1 egg

70g granulated sugar

120g leaven

240g high-extraction (85) bread flour

120g Trinity Blend flour (or your own blend; see this page)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

filling

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

90g granulated sugar

1½ tablespoons ground cardamom

glaze and toppings

2 tablespoons syrup (either golden syrup, honey, sorghum)

1 tablespoon water

flaky sea salt, for finishing

granulated sugar, for finishing (optional)

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: In a small saucepan, combine the butter, milk, cream, and cardamom and heat over low heat, stirring, until the butter has melted. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and let cool, then whisk in the egg and sugar. Add the leaven, both flours, and the salt, and mix and knead until the dough is smooth and shiny. Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment at room temperature applying a series of stretch and folds to the dough every hour (according to Step 3 instructions on this page) for 3 hours. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Make the filling: In the morning, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge. While the dough is coming to room temperature (or at least warming up enough to become malleable), make the filling in a medium bowl, combining the butter, sugar, and cardamom. Mix well to make a spreadable paste.
Shape and fill the buns: Turn the dough out onto your work surface. Divide it into two equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it out into a rectangle about 5 inches wide, 12 inches long, and ¼ inch thick. Orient the dough so one long side is parallel with the edge of your counter. Spread the filling over the bottom half of the dough (the side closest to you). Fold down the unfilled top half to enclose the filling, forming a rectangle 2½ inches wide and 12 inches long. Cut the rectangle crosswise into twelve 1-inch-wide strips and cut a slit in each strip so it looks like a pair of trousers. Twist the trouser legs around each other and then wrap the last bit around the whole pastry. Place the buns on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to roll out, fill, and shape the second piece of dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let proof at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Bake the buns for 20 to 23 minutes, until golden along the edges.
Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the syrup and water until smooth.
Remove the buns from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. While cooling, baste them with the syrup. Sprinkle with flaky salt and sugar, if desired.

Porridge Bread

OWL Bakery ◆ Asheville, North Carolina

This bread has a lovely texture, loaded with porridge and seeds—a combination of buckwheat, barley, oats, and sunflower seeds—all ingredients that can come off the same fields as our wheat and rye. Rich, diverse crop rotations are good for the soil and for the farmer (think diversified portfolio). Incorporated into bread, this diversity adds flavor, texture, and increased nutritional value. This bread is baked from a wet dough that is well served by using a bread pan, though it can be done in a very well-floured basket. The recipe involves both an overnight soaker and a cooked porridge, which should be at room temperature when it is incorporated into the dough (the porridge can be made the day before, refrigerated, and then pulled out of the fridge 3 to 4 hours before using). This recipe yields three loaves, as OWL’s co-owner Maia Surdam considers this the perfect number to bake at home: “One to eat, one to freeze, and one to give away.”

yield: 3 (8 x 4-inch) pan loaves or medium-size hearth breads

leaven (8 to 10 hours)

83g water

14g starter

83g whole-wheat bread flour

soaker (8 to 10 hours)

100g flaxseeds

100g hot water

porridge

70g barley groats

70g buckwheat groats

100g rolled oats

525g water

pinch fine sea salt

dough

640g water

160g leaven

640g 75-extraction bread flour

160g whole-wheat bread flour

20g fine sea salt

about 600g porridge

200g soaker

100g hulled sunflower seeds, toasted

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature or overnight for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the soaker: In a container with a lid, stir together the flaxseeds and hot water. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours.
Make the porridge: In a large pot, combine the barley groats, buckwheat groats, oats, water, and salt. Stir well and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring regularly so the porridge doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, until the porridge has thickened considerably but not become dry, 10 to 20 minutes. If your porridge is hot, wait about 10 minutes and then cool it down by spreading it out on a baking sheet and covering with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out as it cools.
Make the dough: This dough likes patient hydration. Pour 600 grams of the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add both flours and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough, splash on the remaining 40 grams water, and then fully incorporate the salt and water into the dough using a squeezing motion to pass the dough between your fingers to ensure that the salt is distributed evenly. Fold in the porridge, then the soaker, and then sunflower seeds, again using a squeezing motion to incorporate each into the dough. Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: Let the dough ferment at room temperature for 2 hours, stretching and folding the dough every 30 minutes (according to Step 3 on this page). With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough developing strength and structure. After the final fold, transfer to a container (with a lid), large enough to allow for expansion, and place in the refrigerator to proof for 12 to 18 hours.
Preshape and bench rest: The next day, pull dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto your work surface. Using a bench knife, divide it into three equal pieces weighing about 840 grams each. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
With a pastry brush dipped in olive oil, grease three 8 x 4-inch bread pans. Line each with parchment paper cut to fit the length of the pan and wide enough to cover the two long sides. Grease the parchment as well; the narrow ends of each pan are left uncovered, so brush them with extra oil.
Final shaping: Working with one piece of dough at a time, perform the final shaping as directed on this page, then place the dough seam-side up in one of the prepared pans.
Final rise: Cover the pans with kitchen towels and let the dough rise at room temperature until the dough is ready. This can take as little as 1 hour or as much as 3 hours or more depending on the time of year and the strength of your leaven. To gauge whether the dough is fully proofed, dip your fingertip in flour and gently poke the dough. If the indentation slowly rises back, leaving behind a slight dip, it is ready to bake. If the dough bounces right back, let proof for another 15 minutes, then test it again.
Bake: Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
Score the top of the dough as desired. Place the pans in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the bread is deep golden brown, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove the pans from the oven and immediately transfer the loaves to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before serving.

Piedmont Miche

Weaver Street Market Bakery ◆ Hillsborough, North Carolina

From Weaver Street baker Jon McDonald: “This dough defies logic a bit by pre-fermenting a rather large percentage of the flour. The bread includes a wheat and a rye starter and should have a beautiful dark, shiny mahogany color coming out of the oven. The crust is redolent of fresh ground coffee and butterscotch. The flavor is robust but not super acidic. The crumb should have a medium consistency.”

This is a large, over 3-pound loaf that requires a round basket or banneton at least 10 inches in diameter and an 11-inch-diameter Dutch oven; if you don’t have a Dutch oven large enough, you can bake the dough on a pizza stone under a large stainless-steel bowl.

yield: 1 large round loaf

rye leaven (16 hours)

128g water

5g starter

135g whole-rye flour

wheat leaven (16 hours)

322g water

39g starter

489g 75-extraction bread flour

dough

178g water

798g wheat leaven

242g rye leaven

160g whole-wheat bread flour

106g 75-extraction bread flour

16g fine sea salt

Make the rye leaven: Measure the water into in a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 16 hours, or until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the wheat leaven: Measure the water into a container (with a lid) large enough to allow for expansion, but not too large (this is a lot of leaven and requires a container that’s ideally about 3.5 liters), then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 16 hours, or until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add both leavens and dissolve them in the water, breaking them apart with your fingers. Add both flours and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 45 minutes for 3 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let rise, undisturbed, for 30 minutes, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. If not, continue bulk fermentation for another hour or more. Because of the higher percentage of leavening in this dough, it will likely develop more quickly than doughs with less leavening.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a 10-inch-round proofing basket with a linen cloth and dust the cloth well with flour. To shape the miche, flip the dough floured-side down onto your work surface. Pull each corner of dough toward the center, making a round. Seal the seam on the bottom by rolling the dough on its side and pinching the bottom between the work surface and the palm of your hand. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour, then place it seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let rise at room temperature for 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place a large Dutch oven (at least 11 inches in diameter) on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour.
Transfer the dough to the Dutch oven according to the instructions on this page and place the lid on the pot. After you’ve placed the bread in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 440°F. Set a timer for 30 minutes. When it goes off, uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 420°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, until the bread is a deep dark mahogany color, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 206° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

Miche Baby

Tara Jensen ◆ Pound, Virginia

I was intrigued by this recipe because, like Weaver Street’s miche (see this page), it calls for two different starters and, additionally, a blend of flours, with each baker’s choice of flour defining the bread. In Tara’s miche, 80 percent of the flour is 75-extraction bread flour, and her choice of adding 10 percent whole rye and 10 percent whole spelt contributes tenderness to the crumb. With this recipe, Tara shares, “Traditional miche can weigh anywhere between 1.5 and 5 kilograms. The heavy weight reflects a time when bread was baked in a communal oven and a family would eat from a single loaf for the week. Often the loaf was round and would be cut into wedges. This version is scaled down to a standard 840-gram loaf.” Miche baby.

yield: 1 medium loaf

rye leaven

28g water

7g starter

28g whole-rye flour

wheat leaven

28g water

7g starter

28g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

332g warm water (about 85˚F)

55g wheat leaven

55g rye leaven

313g 75-extraction bread flour

39g whole-rye flour

39g whole-spelt flour

8g fine sea salt

Make the rye leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the wheat leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water, then add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add both leavens and dissolve them in the water, breaking them apart with your fingers. Add the bread flour, rye flour, and spelt flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 30 minutes for 1½ hours. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the third fold, if it feels like a fourth fold will serve your dough, do it, then cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 25 to 35 minutes.
Final shaping: Line an 9-inch-round (or oval) proofing basket with a linen cloth and dust the cloth well with flour. To shape the miche, flip the dough floured-side down onto your work surface. Pull each corner of dough toward the center, making a round. Seal the seam on the bottom by rolling the dough on its side and pinching the bottom between the work surface and the palm of your hand. Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour and then place it seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place a Dutch oven on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour.
Transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven according to Step 8 on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 475°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread is a deep golden brown, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

Rustic Peasant Bread

Natural Bridge Bakery ◆ Walnut, North Carolina

When I first began my Natural Bridge Bakery, I made just one bread—100 percent whole-grain desem bread. I had a few customers ask if I’d considered offering a little variety, but I wasn’t inspired by any other bread until we traveled up to Glover, Vermont, and met Peter Schumann of the Bread and Puppet Theater. He was making a bread that was half cracked rye and half sifted wheat flour. I was so intrigued by the flavor, texture, and nose of this bread. At the time, I had no interest in sifted flour, but the cracked rye gave the sifted flour flavor and texture, and the sifted flour provided structure and crumb to the cracked rye. As soon as I made it back to my bakery, I began experimenting until I landed on this recipe. I then called Peter Schumann and asked if I could name my bread after him. He told me that was a ridiculous idea, as he did not invent the bread. He said it was gray bread, or graubrot, and that that was what I ought to call it. I was not sure if anyone would want to buy a bread called “grey bread,” so I called it my Rustic Peasant.

Note: The cracked rye scald must be soaked overnight.

yield: 1 medium loaf

cracked rye leaven

32g water

6g starter

32g coarsely cracked rye

scald

99g coarsely cracked rye

119g hot water

dough

246g water

61g leaven

218g scald

307g 75-extraction bread flour

7g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a ½-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight or for 8 to 10 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the cracked rye scald: In a medium bowl, stir together the coarsely cracked rye and hot water. Cover with a cotton kitchen towel and let sit overnight.
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the scald and the flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 30 minutes for 1½ hours. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the third fold, if it feels like a fourth fold will serve your dough, do it, then cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 1 to 3 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and the strength of your leaven.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a 9-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and dust the cloth well with flour. Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour, then place the dough seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover the basket with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof overnight.
Bake: In the morning, place a Dutch oven on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the basket from the refrigerator and set it on the counter; let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats. (If your kitchen is cold, place your loaf near your oven.)
Transfer the loaf to the Dutch oven according to Step 8 on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 475°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the bread is a deep golden brown, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove from the oven and transfer the bread from the pot to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let the bread cool completely before slicing into it.

Southeast Sourdough

Folk ◆ Nashville, Tennessee

Michael Matson developed this bread while running the bread program at Folk. His choice of flours in this bread provide the ideal balance of what he sought to achieve: a simple loaf where the flour is the most important facet of the bread. Whole-grain hard white wheat provides tooth without adding the bold flavor of whole-grain red wheat. Rye lends a silkiness to the crumb, as well as delivers flavor. And the 75-extraction bread flour provides the loft.

Note: Michael refers to his leaven as “Mom.”

yield: 1 large hearth loaf

leaven (aka mom, See note)—4 to 6 hours

36g water

7g starter

36g whole-wheat bread flour

dough

358g water

51g leaven

316g 75-extraction bread flour

84g whole white wheat bread flour

219g whole-rye flour (or rye meal)

11g fine sea salt

Make the leaven: Measure the water into a small clear container with a lid, such as a widemouthed 1-pint mason jar, then add the starter. Using a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Add the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, until fully developed (see image on this page).
Make the dough: Once the leaven is fully developed, measure the water into a large bowl, then add the leaven and dissolve it in the water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Add the bread flour, whole-wheat flour, and rye flour and mix until fully incorporated (according to Step 1 on this page). Cover with a cotton or linen kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Sprinkle the salt evenly over the dough and then fully incorporate it into the dough (according to Step 2 on this page). Cover the bowl with a cotton or linen kitchen towel.
Bulk ferment the dough: During bulk fermentation, apply a series of stretch and folds to the dough (according to Step 3 on this page) every 30 minutes for 2 hours—four series of folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, cover the dough with a kitchen towel or transfer to a container with a lid, and let rise, undisturbed, until it has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent. This could take 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and the strength of your leaven.
Preshape and bench rest: Turn the dough out onto your work surface and fold it over itself. Preshape the dough, using a bench knife or your hands to drag the dough across the work surface to create surface tension while shaping it into a tight ball. Dust the dough with flour, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Final shaping: Line a 10-inch proofing basket with a linen cloth and dust the cloth well with flour.
Perform the final shaping of the dough as directed on this page. Sprinkle the top with flour and place seam-side up in the prepared basket.
Final rise: Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to proof for 12 to 24 hours.
Bake: Place a large Dutch oven on the lowest rack in a cold oven; place the lid on the rack as well. Preheat the oven to 500°F for 1 hour. Pull the loaf from the refrigerator and let the dough come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Transfer the dough to the Dutch oven according to the instructions on this page and place the lid on the pot. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover the pot and lower the oven temperature to 450°F. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf has a deep dark golden hue, sounds hollow when you tap on the bottom, and the internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°F.
Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and immediately transfer the loaf to a cooling rack. If you can wait, let cool completely before slicing.