This is our everyday loaf — the one we bake every single week, no matter what else is going on. It's 20% whole wheat, naturally leavened with a starter that's been alive since 2021, and built around one long, slow, 18-hour cold ferment that does most of the actual work while we sleep.
There's nothing hidden about this recipe. No commercial yeast, no shortcuts, no dough conditioners — just flour, water, salt, and time. The long fermentation is what gives it that open, irregular crumb and the deep, almost blistered crust, and it's also what makes it easier on digestion than a same-day loaf for a lot of people.
Why the cold ferment matters
Retarding the dough in the fridge overnight isn't just about convenience (though it helps — you shape it the night before and bake first thing in the morning). The cold slows fermentation down without stopping it, giving the wild yeast and bacteria in the starter much longer to develop flavor and to break down some of the starches and phytic acid in the flour. The payoff is a loaf that tastes more complex than the time in the kitchen would suggest.
Ingredients & Nutrition
Instructions:
- Feed your starter the night before, and let it become bubbly and active — it should roughly double and float in water when it's ready.
- Mix the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and water together until no dry flour remains. Let it rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes.
- Add the active starter and salt, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Bulk ferment at room temperature for 3–4 hours, folding the dough over itself every 30 minutes for the first two hours.
- Shape the dough into a tight boule and place it seam-side up in a floured banneton or bowl lined with a floured towel.
- Cold retard in the refrigerator for 12–18 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 500°F (260°C) with a Dutch oven inside for at least 30 minutes.
- Score the cold dough, then bake covered for 20 minutes, remove the lid, and bake another 20–25 minutes until deeply golden.
- Cool completely on a wire rack — at least an hour — before slicing, so the crumb has time to set.