This whole grain einkorn sourdough bread is nutty, wholesome, and delicious. Made with sourdough starter and 100% einkorn flour (an ancient grain), you might find that this easy-to-make bread is also easier to digest than breads made from modern wheat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 100% Whole Grain Einkorn Flour: I used the Jovial brand of whole grain einkorn flour. This seems to be the only brand I can find at the supermarket. Make sure you get the whole grain variety, because the same brand also sells an “all-purpose” einkorn flour that has been refined. This recipe calls for whole grain.
- Water: Plain, unchlorinated tap water is best. Use filtered water or bottled spring water if your city’s tap water contains harsh ingredients or has a bad taste.
- Sourdough Starter: I used my regular, 100% hydration sourdough starter for this recipe. The leftover starter that I had on hand was previously fed with rye flour, but whatever flour your starter was fed with previously doesn’t matter too much, you’ll feed your starter einkorn flour for this particular recipe.
- Honey: I added honey to this bread recipe for a touch of sweetness. If desired, you could replace the honey with an equal amount of maple syrup, white/brown sugar, or molasses.
- Salt: I used kosher salt for this recipe, but sea salt or plain table salt will also work well.
Note: See recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and quantities.
Ingredient Amounts
Starter Feeding
- Sourdough Starter, leftover – 25 grams
- Water – 50 grams
- Whole Grain Einkorn Flour – 50 grams
Main Dough
- Whole Grain Einkorn Flour – 450 grams
- Water – 325 grams
- Sourdough Starter, active – 100 grams
- Honey – 20 grams
- Salt – 10 grams
Suggested Timeline
| Time | Step |
|---|---|
| 10:00 PM (Day 1) | Feeding the Sourdough Starter |
| 6:00 AM (Day 2) | Mixing the Dough |
| 6:10 AM | The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation) |
| 9:10 AM | Shaping |
| 9:15 AM | The Second Rise (Final Proof) |
| 12:15 PM | Baking |
How to Make Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough Bread
Step-by-Step Instructions
Feeding the Sourdough Starter
Take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge and place the jar on a digital scale. (The leftover sourdough starter can be from any type of flour – bread flour, rye flour, whole wheat flour – it doesn’t matter). To the starter jar add 50 grams of water, and stir it with a spoon to dissolve the leftover starter. Then, add 50 grams of whole grain einkorn flour. Stir the flour into the liquid until the starter forms a pancake batter-like consistency. Mark the top of the starter with a rubber band and put the lid of the jar on loosely. Let the starter rise at room temperature overnight, or for around 6-8 hours, until it is doubled in size.
Mixing the Dough
Place a medium sized mixing bowl on your digital scale. Add the water, honey, and 100 grams of the active and risen sourdough starter to the bowl (there should be about 25 grams of starter remaining in the jar; store this in the fridge for the next time you want to bake.) Stir the water, honey, and starter together to dissolve. Then, add the whole grain einkorn flour and the salt to the bowl. With a spoon or dough whisk, mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly until there are no dry bits of flour remaining. The mixed dough should be a beautiful dark brown and have the texture of thick cement. (If you’re used to making bread with regular bread flour, this dough will probably seem more like a batter than a dough thanks to the low-gluten nature of whole grain einkorn flour). Now the dough is mixed and it’s ready to rise.
The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
Cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel or an air tight lid, and let the dough rise at room temperature for roughly 3-4 hours. You want the dough to almost double in size, but to not quite be completely doubled. After about 3 hours, your dough should be visibly risen, puffy to the touch, and if you peel back the top layer of the dough you should see small bubbles and signs of fermentation. This all means that your dough is ready to shape in the bread pan.
Shaping the Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough Bread
Prepare a standard bread pan by greasing the sides lightly with butter or oil. You could also use my favorite non-stick pan (affiliate link) and you won’t have to grease the sides of the pan at all. Scoop the risen dough/batter into the bread pan with a spoon until all of the dough is inside of the pan. Flatten the dough down with a wet spatula and smooth out the top so that the dough is completely flat. The dough should roughly fill the pan to the half-way mark or more, depending the pan you use. Now it’s ready to rise.
The Second Rise (Final Proof)
Cover the bread pan with a damp cloth or a sheet of plastic wrap (either of these will keep in the moisture. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 2-4 hours, or until it is almost doubled in size, but not quite fully doubled. (If you allow the dough to completely double in size, you’ll run the risk of it overproofing and deflating in the oven when it bakes.)
Baking the Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough Bread
30 minutes before your dough is done proofing, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) for a half hour. Place a metal pan on the lower rack of the oven to preheat; this will be used as a steam tray. Do not use a glass pan or it will shatter.
Once your dough is properly risen, slide the bread pan into the middle rack of your oven to bake. Pour about a cup of boiling or very hot water into the metal pan on the bottom rack of your oven, being careful not to spill any on the oven window. When the water hits the metal pan it will start to release steam and that steam will help the bread rise correctly and form a beautiful crust.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes initially, then remove the steam tray and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes without steam. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least 1-2 hours before slicing.
This whole grain einkorn sourdough bread has a nutty, wholesome flavor that is very unique. I enjoyed this bread with butter and jam, and also with peanut butter and jelly. It was great both ways. This bread is fantastic toasted and with small amounts of tangy or fruity toppings or spreads that complement the heartiness of the bread.
Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough Bread
This whole grain einkorn sourdough bread is nutty, wholesome, and delicious. Made with sourdough starter and 100% einkorn flour (an ancient grain), you might find that this easy-to-make bread is also easier to digest than breads made from modern wheat.
Ingredients
Sourdough Starter Feeding
- Sourdough Starter, leftover - 25 grams
- Water - 50 grams
- Whole Grain Einkorn Flour - 50 grams
Main Dough
- Whole Grain Einkorn Flour - 450 grams
- Water - 325 grams
- Sourdough Starter - 100 grams
- Honey - 20 grams
- Salt - 10 grams
Instructions
Feeding the Sourdough Starter
Take 25 grams of leftover sourdough starter out of the fridge and place the jar on a digital scale. (The leftover sourdough starter can be from any type of flour – bread flour, rye flour, whole wheat flour – it doesn’t matter). To the starter jar add 50 grams of water, and stir it with a spoon to dissolve the leftover starter. Then, add 50 grams of whole grain einkorn flour. Stir the flour into the liquid until the starter forms a pancake batter-like consistency. Mark the top of the starter with a rubber band and put the lid of the jar on loosely. Let the starter rise at room temperature overnight, or for around 6-8 hours, until it is doubled in size.
Mixing the Dough
Place a medium sized mixing bowl on your digital scale. Add the water, honey, and 100 grams of the active and risen sourdough starter to the bowl (there should be about 25 grams of starter remaining in the jar; store this in the fridge for the next time you want to bake.) Stir the water, honey, and starter together to dissolve. Then, add the whole grain einkorn flour and the salt to the bowl. With a spoon or dough whisk, mix all of the ingredients together thoroughly until there are no dry bits of flour remaining. The mixed dough should be a beautiful dark brown and have the texture of thick cement. (If you’re used to making bread with regular bread flour, this dough will probably seem more like a batter than a dough thanks to the low-gluten nature of whole grain einkorn flour). Now the dough is mixed and it’s ready to rise.
The First Rise (Bulk Fermentation)
Cover the mixing bowl with a kitchen towel or an air tight lid, and let the dough rise at room temperature for roughly 3-4 hours. You want the dough to almost double in size, but to not quite be completely doubled. After about 3 hours, your dough should be visibly risen, puffy to the touch, and if you peel back the top layer of the dough you should see small bubbles and signs of fermentation. This all means that your dough is ready to shape in the bread pan.
Shaping the Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough Bread
Prepare a standard bread pan by greasing the sides lightly with butter or oil. You could also use a non-stick pan and you won’t have to grease the sides of the pan at all. Scoop the risen dough/batter into the bread pan with a spoon until all of the dough is inside of the pan. Flatten the dough down with a wet spatula and smooth out the top so that the dough is completely flat. The dough should roughly fill the pan to the half-way mark or more, depending the pan you use. Now it’s ready to rise.
The Second Rise (Final Proof)
Cover the bread pan with a damp cloth or a sheet of plastic wrap (either of these will keep in the moisture. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 2-4 hours, or until it is almost doubled in size, but not quite fully doubled. (If you allow the dough to completely double in size, you’ll run the risk of it overproofing and deflating in the oven when it bakes.)
Baking the Whole Grain Einkorn Sourdough Bread
30 minutes before your dough is done proofing, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) for a half hour. Place a metal pan on the lower rack of the oven to preheat; this will be used as a steam tray. Do not use a glass pan or it will shatter.
Once your dough is properly risen, slide the bread pan into the middle rack of your oven to bake. Pour about a cup of boiling or very hot water into the metal pan on the bottom rack of your oven, being careful not to spill any on the oven window. When the water hits the metal pan it will start to release steam and that steam will help the bread rise correctly and form a beautiful crust.
Bake the bread for 20 minutes initially, then remove the steam tray and continue baking for another 15-20 minutes without steam. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least 1-2 hours before slicing.
This whole grain einkorn sourdough bread has a nutty, wholesome flavor that is very unique. I enjoyed this bread with butter and jam, and also with peanut butter and jelly. It was great both ways. This bread is fantastic toasted and with small amounts of tangy or fruity toppings or spreads that complement the heartiness of the bread.