Ingredients for one loaf
| Ingredient | Weight | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Whole wheat flour | 250 g | Use a consistent brand or mill for the first repeat. |
| White bread flour | 250 g | The published blend uses unbleached bread flour. |
| Water | 375 g | Follow the recipe’s water guidance and note actual dough temperature after mixing. |
| Ripe starter | 180 g | Use the ripe-starter option. Record its flour blend and hydration. |
| Salt | 9 g | Weigh it before mixing. |
The 50% label describes the added flour. If your 180 g starter is 80% hydration and fed the same 50/50 blend, it contributes 100 g flour and 80 g water, with 50 g of that flour whole wheat. That gives 300 g whole wheat out of 600 g total flour, still 50%, and roughly 75.8% total hydration. If your starter is all white or has a different hydration, calculate the total from its actual composition. The hydration guide shows the split. [1] [3]
Set out a scale, covered dough container, scraper, basket or lined bowl and a compatible covered baker. Keep the bulk container size suitable for the dough so its starting and ending levels can be read. A cooler or warmer mix changes what time you should check. Measure the dough itself when you can. [1] [4]
How to make the loaf
1. Mix and rest
Use a starter that is ripe according to your feeding method. Combine it with the recipe water, then mix in both flours and the salt until the flour is moistened. Let the covered dough rest for about 30 minutes as the source method directs. A wholemeal dough can feel coarser than a white dough at first. Check it again after the rest before deciding the water amount needs to change. [1] [2]
2. Fold and judge bulk
The source 50/50 option uses four early fold sets about half an hour apart. Use a shorter pull when the dough resists. Whole wheat flour can make the dough feel different from the white loaf even at similar hydration. Look for how it stretches and holds together across sets, then let it continue developing after the last fold. [1] [5]
Use visible expansion, bubbles and a more aerated feel to assess bulk. The source describes a dough that looks larger and moves more lightly in its container. Track actual dough temperature and the rise from your starting mark if you can. Use the combination rather than relying on a sample that floats. If your dough has limited expansion and feels tight, schedule another check before shaping. [1] [6]
3. Shape and refrigerate
Gather the dough gently and finish shaping with enough tension to hold the loaf. Place it in a prepared basket, cover and refrigerate according to the source method, which gives a 12–24 hour cold-proof window for this loaf. Note the actual start time and how strong the loaf felt before chilling. A different fridge or a much warmer dough can change how the loaf behaves the next day. [1] [7]
4. Bake and cool
For the source’s Dutch-oven version, heat the oven to 450°F (about 232°C), using a vessel that permits the stated preheat. Score and bake covered for about 30 minutes, then uncover and finish for another 15–25 minutes. Check the source’s colour and internal doneness cues. Let the loaf cool on a rack before slicing through the centre. [1] [8]
Compare this loaf with a white-flour bake
| At the same step | What to record |
|---|---|
| After mixing and resting | Dough temperature, flour brand and whether the dough absorbed the water evenly. |
| After the final fold | How far the dough stretched before it resisted and how long it held its shape. |
| At shaping | Measured rise and whether the dough felt tight, aerated or weak. |
| After cooling | Centre-slice photo, texture and whether the crumb is set. |
For a controlled comparison, use one formula at a time and record the variables that differ between this loaf and the white-flour beginner loaf. Those two published recipes use different starter proportions and methods, so the finished slices will reflect more than flour alone. To study flour specifically, use one method and run a single flour-blend change in a future bake. Record any water adjustment separately. [1] [9] [2]
Crispy Crust’s planned formula and bake journal would keep the exact flour blend, dough temperature and crumb photo together. That would make it easier to repeat a loaf before testing another bag of wholemeal flour or a small water change.
Decide what to repeat after the first loaf
Record the starter mix as well as the added flour. With the same added flour and a white 80% hydration starter, the whole wheat share would be 250 ÷ 600, about 41.7%. That example shows how two loaves called “50/50” can differ even before anyone changes the water. If the loaf was tight at shaping, compare dough temperature and bulk cues on a repeat before adjusting hydration. If it felt unusually loose from the first mix, start by checking weights and flour identity. Keep the oven and proof plan as comparable as possible so the next loaf gives you a clearer signal.
Check the sourdough hydration calculator to include the flour and water in your starter without counting them twice.