Nutmeg Free Sourdough Country Loaf
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf out of a screaming-hot Dutch oven, and this sourdough country loaf delivers exactly that kind of moment. The ingredient list is beautifully stripped back — bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt, and a lively starter — so there is nothing hidden to worry about, no spice blends, no pre-mixed seasonings, just honest fermentation doing all the heavy lifting. The whole wheat flour adds a gentle earthiness and a slightly open crumb, while the long cold proof overnight develops a complex, tangy flavor that no commercial loaf can replicate. Stretch-and-folds build strength in the dough gradually, so even if you are newer to sourdough, the process feels manageable and forgiving. Scoring the cold dough at a confident angle lets it bloom dramatically in the oven, giving you that signature ear and a crust that shatters when you press it. Letting the loaf cool fully on a wire rack before slicing is genuinely the hardest part, but it is the step that turns a good bake into a great one.
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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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