Whole Wheat Imitation Sourdough Bread [Long Fermentation]

 Whole Wheat Imitation Sourdough Bread

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Sourdough bread is a wonderful thing for those that enjoy it, but maintaining a sourdough starter and planning ahead for feedings can be difficult for busy people. Whole wheat flour is especially well suited to sourdough baking, but my excitement to try something new was dashed by fear of not being able to maintain a starter if I'm busy working a full-time job. Unfortunately, baking with only commercial yeast is just not going to create that signature sour flavor and unique texture, but I've managed to find what I think the next closest thing.

The easily recognizable qualities of sourdough come from microorganisms other than Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is the regular yeast bakers and brewers use. Starters are allowed to develop into a symbiotic colony of omnipresent wild yeast and wild lactobacillaceae, or lactic acid bacteria. Fermentation activity produces lactic acid and other acids, which give sourdough its sour flavor. However, these things take time, which is something that many people don't have much of in the typical fast-paced, dynamic, side-hustling lifestyle.

I iterated on my own simple recipe by gradually adding ingredients that might result in a mimicry of sourdough properties. After trial and error, I narrowed this down to yogurt and lemon juice. Real yogurt, not the sweet stuff, is slightly to moderately sour as a result of lactic acid bacteria, which in dairy function by fermenting lactose into lactic acid; this is exactly what a sourdough bread needs, even if it isn't exactly the same. Lemon juice (or any sour citrus juice) is acidic by itself, of course, but also provides ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to help yeast grow better and does a similar job to a powdered dough conditioner. Note, however, that yogurt also contains a lot of dairy fat, which can weigh down a dough and prevent it from rising as much. Too much might make a bread become dense and heavy, but still soft.

Feel free to adjust as you see fit, but I recommend only changing one variable at a time. As with any long fermentation bread, too little water or poor mixing will result in the formation of hard pieces of dry flour as the dough rises, so make sure to be careful.

Equipment:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Loaf pan or dutch oven
• Oven-safe container for hot water (see step 5)
• If making by hand:
• Large bowl
• Large spoon
• If using a stand mixer:
• Stand mixer with bowl and dough hook attachment

Ingredients:

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
• ¾ teaspoon active dry yeast dissolved in ¹⁄₂ cup slightly warm water
• 1 3/4 cups additional water, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or other sour citrus juice
• Needs to contain ascorbic acid, so not just any sour liquid will work.
  
• 1 ¹⁄3  tablespoon yogurt
• Real, slightly sour yogurt, not the sugary kind.
  

Directions:

1. I highly recommend letting the yogurt sit in a warm place for a few hours before using to promote growth of the lactic acid bacteria that contribute the distinctive flavor of sourdough. Do not microwave or overheat the yogurt as this will kill all the bacteria. Keep covered to prevent drying.
   
2. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in water. Once dissolved, mix in citrus juice and yogurt; do your best to break up yogurt clumps so it distributes evenly. Add the rest of the water, then salt, then flour. 
• Please note that I've spent a lot of time working out the right balance of ingredients. If you use less salt (like I did once), your dough may try to escape its container and make a mess of your kitchen.
  
3. Mix the dough with a spoon or in a stand mixer until all ingredients are evenly mixed and the dough is visibly stringy, which indicates good gluten formation. This is a very loose/slack dough, so there is no real kneading by any means.
4. If baking into loaves, transfer dough into a loaf pan lined with baking paper and cover tightly, but with room for expansion. 
• If baking in dutch oven, transfer dough into an appropriately-sized clean bowl lined with baking paper and cover tightly. The bowl will help shape the dough.  
5. Let the dough rise on a kitchen counter or in a cool oven overnight (room temperature), 12-16 hours, but note this will vary depending on the ambient temperature of your kitchen. It may need longer in winter and shorter in summer. I usually make the dough after dinner, around 7-8:00pm, and it is ready to bake the morning, 10:00am at the latest. 
6. Optionally, when ready to bake and before preheating the oven, place the dough in a warm environment or on a warm surface. This makes the yeast more active and can contribute to more rise if your dough is looking a little flat.
   
7. For both loaf pan and dutch oven, bake at 450 ℉ for 33 minutes uncovered and 10 minutes uncovered. Note that dutch ovens need to be preheated with the oven.
• When it is time to transfer dough to your preheated dutch oven, take the dough out of the bowl by holding onto the baking paper and drop it in the center of your dutch oven. There's no better way to do this than quickly and carefully.
• I tend to avoid making bread with a tough, hard, or crunchy crust, but you are welcome to do so by lengthening the uncovered baking time.
8. Let bread cool completely before slicing. I know it's tempting, but slicing too early will release steam and prematurely dry out your hard-earned bread.

Let me know how this goes for you in the comments!