profile

The Perfect Loaf 🍞

🍞 My best whole-grain breads

Published 4 months ago • 3 min read

My best whole-grain breads

A reader replied to me last week and asked:

So, do you do any whole-grain baking?

If I'm honest, I was a little shocked.

I feel like that's the majority of what I do! But maybe I've neglected my more "whole" recipes in this newsletter for a bit, even if I've been baking them here on the regular.

Well, this week it's all about whole grains. Not every loaf is 100% whole wheat, but the inspiration and flavor and nutrition are there. Plus, some freshly milled loaves if that's your thing, too.

Read on!

In this week's newsletter:

  • Recipes: 100% Whole Wheat; Honey Whole Wheat Pan Loaf; Spelt, Rye, and Wheat; 90 Rye
  • Baking Tip: Does a starter just die sometimes?
  • Links: How a bread factory makes 150,000 loaves/wk; The making of the legendary Samarkand bread

🍞 100% whole wheat sourdough

Let's start off with one of my all-time favs, my hundred percent whole wheat loaf. This one, I sift off some of the bran and germ for a soaker to soften, then reincorporate it back in during bulk fermentation.

It's an extra step, but one that makes for a soft and open loaf—even with this much whole grain.

🍞 Honey Whole Wheat Pan Loaf

While not 100% whole wheat, this loaf is a touch sweet thanks to the honey, but it's so well balanced against the whole wheat—this is the kind of bread you find yourself making regularly because it's so tasty and nutritious and versatile (sandwiches! French toast! eating plain just because you can!).

🍞 Spelt, Rye, and Whole Wheat

This is a really flavorful loaf; each grain brings its own character and depth of flavor. If you don't have spelt, swap it out for more whole wheat (though, I think you should definitely get some!).

🍞 90 Rye

Made with 90% whole grain rye, this is a flavor powerhouse, and it's actually a really short and easy bread to make.

🍞 Whole Grain Spelt Pan Loaf

Keeping with my love of spelt, this 100% whole grain spelt loaf is pure magic.

đź’ˇ In case you missed it... My guide to baking open-crumb bread

I know this is decidedly not a whole-grain recipe or guide, but some of the tips may still help you when baking with whole wheat!

Join the baker's corner

Want to chat with me and a bunch of other friendly and enthusiastic bakers? Join us and get all my sourdough tools, exclusive recipes, and access to our private chat channel. Plus, get first dibs on booking workshops and international trips (think: Sicily, Copenhagen, and more)!

đź’¬ Member Discussion of the Week

Does a starter just die sometimes? I have had mine for 5 years, and it has been consistently strong. I have tried everything to reset and restart it, but it doesn’t rise…. It has a few bubbles but no rise.

No, if properly cared for, it shouldn't spontaneously die. I've had mine for over 12 years now (and know other bakers who have been maintaining starters for much longer—see the P.S. at the end of this newsletter!).

That said, sometimes I've seen it dip in activity and need help. Here's what I recommend. Treat it like a sick child, and:

  • Use 50% whole grain rye flour to feed it for a week (the rest can be any white flour)
  • Feed it with warm water or keep it in a warm spot (78°F would be great)
  • If you usually keep it in the fridge, keep it out on the counter during this week and feed it once or twice a day.
  • Give it a little more attention. Watch it rise and fall, and feed it when needed.
  • Only feed it twice if you see lots of bubbles and vigorous fermentation activity.

Do that for a week, and it should spring back!

🛟 2 Ways I Can Help You Today

đź“™ What I'm Reading and Watching

Happy baking and happy halloween đź‘»!

Join me in the member's community, master sourdough, and get baker's perks.

Thank you for subscribing 🩶. Sent from Maurizio at The Perfect Loaf, 8100 Wyoming Blvd NE Ste M4, #343, Albuquerque, NM 87113.
​Unsubscribe · Preferences

The Perfect Loaf 🍞

Maurizio Leo

Want to make bakery-quality sourdough bread from home? Subscribe for the best sourdough guides and recipes to take your bread from ordinary to incredible.

Read more from The Perfect Loaf 🍞

I wrote a pizza book I've been working on something for a long time, and I'm ready to share it with you. My second book, The Perfect Pizza: The Craft and Science of Homemade Pizza, Focaccia, Flatbreads, and More, is available for pre-order. This book picks up where The Perfect Loaf left off. Every recipe is naturally leavened with a sourdough starter, no commercial yeast. I wrote it for home ovens first (though I cover other setups too), with recipes that range from a go-to weeknight pizza...

1 day ago • 1 min read

My spring baking reset If your baking has felt heavy and slow all winter, this is your reset. Three recipes this week, all built for speed and simplicity—but also recipes I find myself drawn to in the spring (apricots, herbs!). My pain de mie is sandwich bread that quietly outperforms everything else in your bread box. Soft, fine-crumbed, and engineered for slicing. The sourdough discard lemon cake that leans into spring without trying too hard, IMO. It's bright, tender, and a perfect way to...

8 days ago • 2 min read

An Ode to Sourdough Bagels For the past few weeks, I've been working on updates to my Sourdough Bagel recipe (both in my cookbook and on the website). They're pretty awesome as-is, but I've been adding a little whole-grain flour, a different same-day fermentation schedule, and a way for me to make these easier on the regular (we eat a lot of bagels here!). Here's what I've been playing with in this recipe: Using my pasta madre (panettone starter) for low acidity. A regular starter can be...

15 days ago • 2 min read