Sourdough Sandwich Bread - with yeast, part whole wheat

This Sourdough Sandwich Bread recipe is fluffy and hearty. It is a yeasted loaf bread that uses either sourdough discard, leaven, or faux starter for flavoring. It can be made with varying percentages of whole wheat flour for extra substance.

What is a Leaven?

A leaven is a mixture of water, all-purpose flour, and sourdough starter that goes into bread dough for a sourdough recipe. Basically, it is a blend of flour and water that becomes a bread leavener through the process of fermentation. In the case of this recipe, the leaven ferments on the counter for 6 to 12 hours. So be sure to start it well before you are ready to bake your bread.

You will know that it is ready to use in your bread dough when it is slightly sour-smelling and bubbly. For those who enjoy a less sour taste in their bread, go for a shorter amount of time. People who love really tangy sourdough, however, may prefer to let the leaven sit for the full 12 hours.

Sourdough Starter

A starter is a blend of all-purpose flour and water that sits on a counter to activate the natural yeasts from the flour and also to collect additional yeasts from the air and environment. The starter requires regular feedings of additional flour and water to ensure that those yeasts stay active and develop into something that is strong enough to raise bread dough.

However, at each feeding, the baker needs to discard a portion of the starter, as it is simply not needed. If you have plenty of discard (¾ cups worth), you can use that to replace the leaven in this bread. It will give the loaf a delicious. strong and tangy sourdough flavour.

Sourdough recipes like this one or my Sourdough Biscuits an excellent place to use the sourdough discard. However, if you have a lot and really don't want to get rid of it, you could place it in the freezer. Simply put it in a sealable container to freeze. When it is thawed, you can use it in discard recipes. Otherwise, it will need a few daily feedings to activate it again.

Faux-Starter Option

Even if you don't have any starter around, you can still make this sourdough recipe. My friend Lorena taught me another way to make a starter in her Artisan Bread Recipe. To avoid confusion with the other mentions of starter and leaven in this post, I am calling that one faux-starter.

For faux-starter, you also make a leaven the night before baking, but instead of 1 tablespoon of sourdough starter, ½ packet of yeast is used. The yeast gets mixed with the flour and water like the sourdough starter would have and sits overnight to ferment into a bubbly, tangy mixture. This process makes for a more flavourful bread than omitting starter altogether. It just might not result in quite as tangy a loaf as when it uses sourdough discard or starter.

Two Rises

Making bread at home can be time-consuming, however, most of the time is hands-off. The dough undergoes two rises. The dough rises for the first time in a bowl after kneading, while the second rise happens in the loaf pan after shaping.

The first rise is part of the autolyse process, which is where protease and autolyse enzymes start to work. Basically, the protease enzymes break down the protein in the flour, whereas the autolyse enzymes make the sugars in the flour more accessible to yeast.

Proofing Dough in the Instant Pot

You can use your electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot on the Yogurt setting to speed up the first rise. The moderately warm temperature needed for yogurt incubation also creates the perfect environment in your Instant Pot for proofing dough.

Simply grease the inner liner, add the dough and close with a lid. I am using a glass lid, so I can watch the dough and see when it has doubled. Using the Instant Pot reduces the rising time from a minimum of 45 mins (at room temperature) down to 20 to 30 minutes.

When you let the dough rise at room temperature a second time, it helps with the structure of the bread. After shaping a bread dough, a lot of the air bubbles that the yeast created are pushed out of the dough. By letting the dough sit in the pan, it has the chance for the yeast to work again - producing more air and bubbles in the dough.

This helps the bread form a finer, fluffier crumb than it would have otherwise. This step is also called proofing and is the last thing the bread needs to do before baking.

How to shape the dough

Shaping the dough properly is important for a proper bread structure. Shaping a bread correctly means that it should rise in a uniform way during baking. Also, it will ensure that the bread has a smooth top once it is baked.

The process is relatively simple. After the first rise, turn out the dough on the counter and gently stretch it out by hand. Next, fold in one-third of the dough from the right towards the center, followed by one-third from the left. Now, roll up the dough tightly from the bottom and slightly tuck in the ends. Then you can put the sandwich loaf in your prepared loaf pan and let the dough rise for a second time in the loaf pan before baking.

Toppings

If desired, you can jazz up your sourdough bread with some toppings as a garnish. I like to add a mixture of seeds (flax + sesame) and rolled oats. Other options are sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, caraway, hemp, pumpkin seeds, millet, and more. These not only make the loaf look even more attractive and delicious but also add some hearty nutrition in the form of fiber and healthy fats.

When adding toppings to your bread, be sure to brush the top of the dough with water in order to help the seeds and/or oats stick. Otherwise, the seeds won't adhere during baking as the exterior becomes crispy.

Storing Sandwich Bread

While bread is delicious out of the oven, it can dry out quite quickly. Simply cover it tightly to protect it from drying out. You can wrap it tightly with foil, place it in a sealable bag or in a large airtight container. It should be able to keep at room temperature for several days like this.

If your bread does dry out too much to enjoy fresh, you don't have to throw it away unless it has turned moldy. Instead, toast it for breakfast or thinly slice or cut into cubes for crostini or croutons. Alternatively, you could use this stale bread in a bread pudding to give it new life.

Freezing Sourdough Sandwich Bread

For longer storage, slice the entire sourdough loaf once it has fully cooled. Then, place the slices in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. To use, take out only as many slices as needed. Defrost at room temperature (only takes a few minutes) or toast for that freshly baked taste.

Frequently Asked Questions About Baking Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Baking this sourdough sandwich bread or any other bread can be a complex process. Here are some frequently asked questions from Leelalicious' readers along with a few general questions about bread baking.

Can I Replace the Whole Wheat Flour with Another Type of Flour?

Yes, you can, although the bread may have slightly different results. For example, if you replace the whole wheat flour with rye flour or multigrain flour, the loaf may be denser and less fluffy than it normally would. A denser loaf isn't a bad thing, just a matter of preference.

Can I Adjust the Water if I Need to?

Yes, feel free to increase or decrease the amount of water you use in the sourdough sandwich bread recipe as needed. Humidity levels and times of the year can affect how much water your bread dough will need along with the type of flour you use or the flour brand.

Can I Omit the Flaxseed?

The flaxseed adds some textural contrast to the bread and absorbs some of the moisture, but is not an essential ingredient if you don't care for it. Some readers have noted success making this bread when they omitted the flaxseed in this bread recipe.

Does the Bread Need to Cool Completely Before Slicing?

While you may be tempted to slice into your bread early while it is still warm, it is best to wait until it is cooled before slicing. The bread continues baking after it comes out of the oven, so if sliced too early, the bread slices may be too soft and difficult to cut.

I Don't Have a Large Mixing Bowl. What Can I Use Instead?

If you don't have a large enough mixing bowl to accommodate the quantity of dough this sourdough bread recipe makes, you could mix it in a food-safe plastic tub or a Dutch oven instead. Whatever food-safe vessel you have that is large enough to hold the dough will work perfectly well.

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