Emulsifier Free Sourdough Country Loaf
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf from a screaming-hot Dutch oven, and this country sourdough delivers exactly that kind of moment. The ingredient list is refreshingly short — just bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt, and a live starter — which means there is nothing hiding in here that doesn't belong. For anyone navigating emulsifier-free eating, store-bought bread is a minefield of additives, but this loaf sidesteps all of that entirely by relying on fermentation and technique to do the heavy lifting. The long cold proof overnight develops complex, tangy flavor while the stretch-and-fold method builds gluten structure without a single additive. Baking covered in a preheated Dutch oven traps steam and creates that dramatic oven spring and blistered crust you see at artisan bakeries. The crumb sets as it cools, so patience pays off — slice too early and you lose the open, chewy interior this process is designed to produce. Once you have a loaf like this on your counter, it is genuinely hard to go back to anything wrapped in plastic.
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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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