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Fresh-Milled Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Acres and Aprons
This simple, satisfying recipe for sourdough sandwich bread is made even more nutritious with the use of fresh milled flour!
5 from 5 votes
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Servings 2 Loaves

Equipment

  • 1 sourdough starter, active and bubbly
  • 2 loaf pans
  • 1 Mixing bowl
  • 1 Stand mixer
  • 1 Kitchen Scale

Ingredients
  

  • 920-950 grams fresh milled flour use hard white wheat or a combination like me (800g hard white wheat, 120g hard red wheat, rye, or Kamut)
  • 750 grams water, room temperature
  • 60 grams melted butter (or olive oil)
  • 40 grams sugar or 66 grams honey
  • 15 grams sea salt
  • 1 large egg, room temp
  • 150 grams active sourdough starter
  • 1 egg, optional (for egg wash)

Instructions
 

  • Prepare Your Starter: The night before, make sure to feed your sourdough starter so it’s bubbly and active by morning.
  • Mill your flour: In the morning, mill your flour. I typically use hard white wheat with a little Kamut (Khorasan wheat) mixed in. You can use hard red wheat or rye as well. The key is to use mostly hard wheat to ensure proper gluten development for a well-risen loaf.
  • Autolyse: In a stand mixer, combine the water (750g) and freshly milled flour (920-950g). Mix slowly until all the dry flour is hydrated. Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour. This rest allows the flour to absorb the water fully and gives the bran time to soften. This step is called the autolyse.
  • Add Remaining Ingredients: After the autolyse, add the melted butter or oil (60g), sugar or honey (40g or 66g), salt (15g), sourdough starter (150g), and the egg. Mix all ingredients until well combined.
  • Knead the Dough: Begin kneading the dough. I use setting 2 on my Bosch Mixer. This may take anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes depending on your mixer and flour type. The dough should become stretchy and cohesive. It’s a wet dough, so try to avoid adding too much extra flour. Check for a strong, elastic texture that passes the windowpane test.
  • Bulk Ferment: Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 2 to 8 hours depending on your starter and kitchen temperature. My dough takes 2-4 hours to double in the warmer months, but longer in the winter months. Make sure to watch your dough more than the clock. 
  • Shape the Loaves: Line two small bread pans with parchment paper. Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface and divide it in half. This makes two small 1-pound loaves. Gently stretch each half flat, then roll them into a log shape. You can gently pull them on the counter to build some surface tension. The dough will be sticky, oil your hands and surface to make shaping easier.
  • Final Rise: Place each shaped loaf into a prepared pan. Cover and let rise again for 2–3 hours, or until visibly puffy. Rise time varies, so check on your loaves periodically.
  • Preheat Oven: Toward the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Optional Egg Wash: Once the loaves have risen and look puffy, you can brush the tops with an egg wash for a shiny, golden crust. This step is optional.
  • Bake: Bake the loaves for 40–45 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 205–210°F (96–99°C).If the temperature is below this range, the loaves may turn out gummy.
  • Cool on a Rack: Once the loaves are done, remove them from the oven and lift them out of the pans using the parchment paper.Place on a wire rack to cool completely. (The parchment acts as a handle to help avoid burns.)
  • Let Cool Before Slicing: Allow the loaves to cool completely before slicing. Cutting too early may result in a gummy texture.Once fully cooled, slice to your desired thickness and enjoy!

Notes

  • Adjusting Flour Amounts: Since sourdough starter hydration levels vary, you may need to adjust the amount of flour slightly. Start with the amount in the recipe, then add a little more if the dough is too sticky.
  • Softened Butter: Use very soft butter cut into small cubes, which makes it easier to incorporate into the dough.
  • Watch Your Mixer Capacity: Depending on your stand mixer model, handling a double batch might be too much for the motor. If you have a standard KitchenAid, you may want to only make one loaf at a time, I use this mixer and it can handle multiple batches of dough with no issues, she's a real workhorse.
  • Avoid Over-Fermentation: Over-fermenting can turn your dough into a sticky mess that struggles to rise properly. If this happens, don’t worry! You can still repurpose it into sourdough croutons or breadcrumbs.