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Classic Sourdough Country Bread Using German Flour

I promised I wouldn't become this person, yet here we are.

I have started making Sourdough and I cannot stop. Another Corona victim.

Crumb structure, cut side, of sourdough bread

Moving from London to Europe though, I have come across the difficulty of finding recipes using the flour I now have access to. This is especially true since most sourdough recipes online at the moment seem tailored to the US/UK, and therefore the flour from there. So in case anyone else is having these issues, the recipe below is for you. This recipe is an adaptation of Artisan Bryan's Easy Country Bread (link here) with measurements for one loaf or two at about 70% hydration.


For those who are also in a multi-country area like Basel, I will be uploading another adaptation of this recipe using French flour soon.


I am still new to this world of baking and sourdough and getting my head round all the different flours, and how flour is made, how sourdough works, etc., however these flours in conjunction with this recipe amended as per below has worked great for me as a sourdough beginner. As I learn more, and try more flours, I will continue to share the outcomes and recipes.


German Flour Used

The German flour that I have found works best instead of US/UK Bread Flour is called Mischmehl Type 890 (pictured below). The protein level of this flour is 11.6g. This mischmehl is a combination of Rye Flour + Wheat Flour Type 812 (which I believe is high gluten). For AP Flour I use German 450, although I believe this is actually the cake flour equivalent. However, I have found this flour easier to find in supermarkets, than the recommended 550 type for AP. If you have tried any other flours that work well, feel free to let me know in the comments section below.


Therefore in this recipe:

Bread Flour = German Mischmehl Type 890 (as pictured below)

AP Flour = German 450 Flour

Rye Flour = German Roggenmehl Type 1150

Bag of German Wheat and Rye Flour called Mischmehl

(Half Recipe/One Loaf) using German Flour

Day 1 11pm: Feed starter.

Day 2 9am: Make Levain.

Mix 25g starter + 13g Rye Flour + 38g Bread Flour + 43g water at 29c. Wait for this to double in size, this will take about 4 hours.

Day 2 1pm-ish: Levain is ready, make the dough.

First mix together 263g water at 29c + all the Levain made.

Then add in 400g Bread flour. Mix with chopstick until incorporated.

Next, add in 100g AP Flour. Mix until fully incorporated. If it's not incorporating, wait 5 minutes, and come back to it. This gives the flour time to absorb the water.

Day 2 1:20pm: the above steps take about 20 mins.

Day 2 1:30pm (10 minutes later): Mix in 20g water.

Day 2 1:40pm (10 minutes later): Mix in 20g water. Transfer to container with a lid.

Day 2 2:40pm (1h later): Mix in 10g salt + 20g water.

Day 2 2:45pm: Mixing in the salt takes about 5 minutes.

Day 2 3:15pm (30 minutes later): First stretch and fold.

Day 2 3:45pm (30 minutes later): Second stretch and fold.

Day 2 4:15pm (30 minutes later): Third and final stretch and fold. Start bulk fermentation.

Day 2 8:30pm (about 4 hours later): Bulk fermentation completed. You are looking for it to rise about 40%. Shaped into desired loaf shape and put into banneton.

Day 2 8:45pm: Put banneton into fridge.

Day 3 8am: Pre-heat Oven and cast iron pan with lid for 30 minutes at 260c. Non-fan setting.

Day 3 8:30am: Take bread out of the fridge. Cut line. Without burning yourself, place into pan, close lid and place into oven. Turn the oven down to 250c.

Day 3 8:50am (20 minutes later): Remove lid from pan. Turn oven down to 240c.

Day 3 9:10am (20 minutes later): Take cooked bread from oven.


Food Photography of Sourdough Loaf

(Full Recipe/Two Loaves) using German Flour

Day 1 11pm: Feed starter.

Day 2 9am: Make Levain.

Mix 50g starter + 25g Rye Flour + 75g Bread Flour + 85g water at 29c. Wait for this to double in size, this will take about 3 hours.

Day 2 noon-ish: Levain is ready, make the dough.

First mix together 525g water at 29c + all the Levain made.

Then add in 800g Bread flour. Mix with chopstick until incorporated.

Next, add in 200g AP Flour. Mix until fully incorporated. If it's not incorporating, wait 5 minutes, and come back to it. This gives the flour time to absorb the water.

Day 2 12:20pm: the above steps take about 20 mins.

Day 2 12:30pm (10 minutes later): Mix in 40g water.

Day 2 12:40pm (10 minutes later): Mix in 30g water.

Day 2 12:50pm (10 minutes later): Mix in 30g water. Transfer to container with a lid.

Day 2 1:50pm (1h later): Mix in 20g salt + 40g water.

Day 2 1:55pm: Mixing in the salt takes about 5 minutes.

Day 2 2:30pm (30 minutes later): First stretch and fold.

Day 2 3:00pm (30 minutes later): Second stretch and fold.

Day 2 3:30pm (30 minutes later): Third and final stretch and fold. Start bulk fermentation.

Day 2 7:30pm (about 4 hours later): Bulk fermentation completed. You are looking for it to rise about 40%. Shaped into desired loaf shape and put into banneton.

Day 2 7:45pm: Shaping takes about 15 minutes. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes in the bannetons. When making half the dough amount I don't find this step as essential as when making two loaves.

Day 2 8:15pm: Bench rest completed. Put bannetons into fridge.

Day 3 8am: Pre-heat oven and cast iron pan with lid for 30 minutes at 260c. Non-fan setting.

Day 3 8:30am: Take bread out of the fridge. Cut line. Without burning yourself, place into pan, close lid and place into oven. Turn the oven down to 250c.

Day 3 8:50am (20 minutes later): Remove lid from pan. Turn oven down to 240c.

Day 3 9:10am (20 minutes later): Take cooked bread from oven.

Repeat the last 4 steps for the second loaf.



Small note: There is an old blog post where I started making 'sourdough' bread a couple of years ago for the first time. I used a Tasty video for this, as I was just learning about bread. In hindsight, that might have not been 'real' sourdough as that starter used yeast. So if you are after 'real' sourdough recipes I do recommend checking out the newer posts such as this one.

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