Pregnancy Friendly Sourdough Country Loaf
There is something deeply satisfying about pulling a crackling, mahogany-crusted loaf from the oven, and this sourdough country loaf delivers that moment in full. Made with just five simple ingredients — bread flour, whole wheat flour, water, salt, and an active starter — it's a clean, wholesome bake with nothing hidden or unnecessary. That simplicity is exactly what makes it such a reassuring choice during pregnancy, when reading store-bought labels for additives, preservatives, and mystery "dough conditioners" gets old fast. The long cold proof and natural fermentation do all the heavy lifting, developing deep, complex flavor without any commercial yeast or shortcuts. Whole wheat flour adds a subtle nuttiness and a little extra fiber to every slice, while the open crumb and blistered crust make it genuinely beautiful to look at. It's the kind of bread that works just as well toasted with butter at breakfast as it does alongside a bowl of soup at dinner. Once you've made it, it's very 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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