Artificial Food Coloring Free Sourdough Country Loaf
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf from a screaming-hot Dutch oven, and this sourdough country loaf delivers exactly that kind of moment. The ingredient list is about as clean as it gets — bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt, and a live starter — so there is nothing artificial hiding anywhere in the formula. For anyone navigating store-bought bread labels and quietly dreading the dye-laden additives that sneak into commercial loaves, baking from scratch this way is the most straightforward solution imaginable. The whole wheat flour adds a gentle earthiness and a little extra nutrition, while the long cold proof overnight develops a complex, tangy flavor that no packaged loaf can replicate. The process does take patience — stretch-and-folds, a bulk ferment, and a slow refrigerator proof — but each step is simple and hands-off, making it very approachable even for newer bakers. Once that crust shatters under the knife and you see the open, airy crumb inside, you will understand why people get obsessed with this kind of baking. Slice it thick, toast it, or just tear into it warm with good butter.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
- 50 g active sourdough starter (100% hydration, fed and at peak)
- 375 g bread flour
- 75 g whole wheat flour
- 325 g lukewarm water (about 80°f / 27°c), divided
- 10 g fine sea salt
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter with 300 g of the lukewarm water and stir until the starter is fully dissolved and the mixture looks milky. Add the bread flour and whole wheat flour and mix with your hand or a stiff spatula until no dry flour remains and a shaggy dough forms. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30–45 minutes (autolyse).
- 2
Dissolve the salt in the remaining 25 g of lukewarm water. Pour the salt water over the dough and work it in by squeezing the dough through your fingers and folding until the liquid is fully absorbed and the dough feels cohesive, about 2–3 minutes. Cover and let rest 30 minutes.
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