Best Multigrain Sourdough Bread Recipe

Sourdough bread is one of the most popular types of bread these days. The fact that the bread has no added yeast and works on its own as a leavening agent truly is a wondrous thing. This post will look at how you can make multigrain sourdough bread right at home! 

Like sourdough bread has been getting its proper recognition over the past few years, as has multigrain bread, since people prefer healthier food these days; even with sourdough bread, most people would choose a more beneficial variant, the multigrain version. 

It may seem like an intimidating task to make sourdough bread right at home. But it is not at all intimidating! You need patience as you work with the starter. My chef once told me, “you need to treat the starter like your baby and feed it daily. 

So yes, making the starter can be a little task, but the whole process and the end product make the bread completely worth it. So, I guarantee you will enjoy the entire process once you understand the whole gist of it. 

In this article, you will find a complete guide on how to make a multigrain sourdough bread at home, starting with the sourdough starter. Here, you will understand the equipment needed for the same, along with everything else, and how exactly you need to treat the starter until a description of the final product. So, let us get started! 

For The Multigrain Sourdough Bread Starter

You will have to begin with the starter for the dough for this recipe, which takes up to 6-8 days to ferment and be ready fully. Only once the starter is prepared can you begin with the rest of the steps in this recipe. 

What Equipment Will You Need To Make Sourdough Starter? 

• Measuring Cups – A set of measuring cups will be handy for this recipe as you need to be as precise as possible with all the ingredients, which is one of the fundamentals of baking. 
• Measuring Spoons – Like measuring cups, measuring spoons will give you an accurate and precise measurement of all the ingredients needed in smaller quantities. 
• Bowl – You will need two medium glass bowls to prepare the starter; you will have to mix it with fresh flour later. 
• Mason Jar – A mason jar can be handy and is the best way to store the starter to grow. But, if you don’tdon’t have one, you can also use a bowl instead. 
• Whisk – A whisk will be needed to mix the initial ingredients while making the sourdough starter for this recipe. 
• Towel – A kitchen towel will be needed to cover the dough while fermenting. 

How Much Time Will It Take To Make Sourdough Starter? 

What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Sourdough Starter? 

• All-Purpose Flour – The best type of flour to use while making a sourdough starter is indeed all-purpose flour. The gluten content in this flour is perfect for the fermentation to happen. Initially, you will need 20 grams on the first day and 40 grams of flour each day from the second until the eighth day. So that brings the total to 300 grams or 11 ounces. 
• Water – Just like the flour, the same quantity of water will also be needed to make the sourdough starter. On the first day, we will start with one tablespoon, which will increase to 2.5 tablespoons each day. 

Method To Make Sourdough Starter

1. Day One

On the first day, you will have to prepare the starter. Add two tablespoons of all-purpose flour and one tablespoon of water in a medium glass bowl. Whisk the two together and cover the bowl with a damp tea towel. 

Double up the towel so that it does not form a skin. Let the starter dough ferment for 24 hours. If a thin skin forms on the surface, you can mix it back up into the starter. 

2. Day Two

The next day, take two tablespoons of the fermented starter in a container or bowl, roughly 40 grams or 1.5 ounces. Add about ¼ cup of flour, 1.5 ounces, and two tablespoons plus two teaspoons of water, which is 40 grams again. 

Mix them up and cover them with a damp cloth, or transfer them to a mason jar and let the starter ferment. This process is called feeding the starter. Moreover. The rest of the fermented starter will not be needed later on and can be thrown out. 

3. Day Three To Eight

From day three until day eight, you must repeat the same process as on day two. Over these days, you will notice specific changes in the starter, like it begins forming bubbles on the surface, doubles in size, and has a sour aroma. 

These are all good signs that show that your starter is developing and fermenting well. Your starter should be ripe on day eight, but it may take longer. It is best to check the same with a float test. 

To do a float test, add a bit of the starter to a glass of water. If the starter floats, it is ready, and if it sinks, it needs a little more time to ferment. Once your starter is ready, depending on how frequently you plan to use it, you can either store it at room temperature or in the refrigerator. 

However, before using the starter, you must refresh it, as explained in the next step. 

4. Refresh The Starter Before Using It

Before you use the starter to make your bread, it is essential to refresh it. For that, whisk three tablespoons of the starter with ⅓ cup of flour and ¼ cup of water. Mix them in a mason jar and let them rise for 8-10 hours. 

If you want the starter to rise slowly, it can be stored in the refrigerator to slow down the process. Similarly, if you want the starter to grow faster, add in some water at 80 degrees Fahrenheit. After the starter is doubled in size or after said time, do a float test and then use it to make your bread. 

A Few Tips To Keep In Mind While Making A Sourdough Starter 

1. If you live in a scorching atmosphere and your starter is growing too quickly for your liking, you can slow down the process by storing it in the refrigerator for some time. 
2. If you live in a cold environment and the starter is not rising, refresh it with the same flour and water as mentioned above to ensure strength. 
3. Make sure you feed the starter every day, and as much as it needs, think of it as your baby or pet that needs to be fed every day. 
4. If your starter is ready and you don’tdon’t have time to refresh it, let it be in the refrigerator for some time until you can restore it. Placing it in the fridge will slow down the fermentation process. 
5. The layer of liquid that forms on your starter after a few days is called a ”hooch” and is perfectly normal. It is a naturally occurring alcohol in the dough, indicating that it might be a bit past the time to feed your starter. You can pour it out or leave it in the starter if you like. 
6. The excess starter does not necessarily have to be thrown out. You can even use it to make various other sourdough recipes, like pancakes and cakes. 
7. If you see the starter getting moldy or having a thin layer of orange color, it is best to discard it entirely and make a new batch. 
8. Once your starter is ready, store it at room temperature only if you plan on using it daily, or else, store it in the refrigerator. 
9. Remember to refresh the starter before you make your sourdough bread. 

For The Multigrain Sourdough Bread: 

Once your starter is ready and refreshed, you can begin making the actual multigrain sourdough bread, the main recipe here. Here is how to go about it. 

What Equipment Will You Need To Make Multigrain Sourdough Bread? 

• Measuring Cups – Like the starter, measuring cups are vital while making sourdough bread. A set of measuring cups will help you precisely gauge all the ingredients. 
• Measuring Spoons – We will use a set of measuring spoons to get precise measurements for ingredients needed in smaller quantities. 
• Bowl – About three large bowls will be needed for this recipe, one to make the soaker for all the grains, the other for the dough mixing, and one for fermentation. Similarly, you can use a large glass bowl for the final fermentation if you still need a banneton. 
• Banneton – 2 bannetons will be needed to keep the dough while it is rising. If you don’t have one of these, don’tdon’t fret! Just use a glass bowl instead. 
• Towel – A damp towel will help with the easy fermentation of the dough. 
• Vessel With A Lid – To bake the sourdough bread, you will need a large container with a lid, as that is the best way to retain the shape of the bread. 
• Parchment Paper – Parchment paper will be needed to line the vessel where the sourdough bread will be baked. 
• Bench Scraper – A bench scraper will help with transferring the dough from one place to another and cleaning up and scraping.
• Small Knife – Lastly, you will need a small knife to score the dough on top to make it look beautiful! 

How Much Time Will It Take To Make Multigrain Sourdough Bread? 

What Ingredients Will You Need To Make Multigrain Sourdough Bread? 

For The Soaker:

• Grain Cereal – For the soaker of this recipe, you will need ¼ cups of grain cereal. You can use quinoa or millet if you don’t have any. 
• Rolled Oats – 3 tablespoons, or a single ounce of rolled oats, will be used. 
• Quinoa – About two tablespoons of rinsed red quinoa will work great for the soaker. 
• Flax Seeds – 2 tablespoons of flax seeds will work exceptionally well for this recipe. 
• Hot Water – You will need water at about 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which will help make the soaker in a decent amount of time. ¾ cup of the same will work fine for this recipe. 

For The Dough: 

• Sourdough Starter – About ¼ cup or 50 grams of refreshed sourdough starter will be the natural leavening agent in this recipe. 
• Hot Water – Hot water at a temperature of 80 degrees Fahrenheit will help activate the starter and the rest of the dough, and you will need one ⅓ cup of the same. 
• Maple Syrup – About 2.5 tablespoons of Maple Syrup will add just the right sweetness to this sourdough bread. 
• Bread Flour – For this recipe, bread flour will work the best because it has just the right amount of gluten. Three cups of the same will be needed. 
• Whole Wheat Flour – Around ½ cup plus one tablespoon of whole wheat or whole wheat bread flour will be needed to make this dough. 
• Sea Salt – Lastly, you will need about two teaspoons of sea salt as a seasoning for the bread. 

Steps To Make Multigrain Sourdough Bread

1. Prepare The Soaker

Before you begin with the dough, it is essential to get the soaker ready. This step is probably the easiest part, as all you have to do is mix all the ingredients for the soaker in a mixing bowl with warm water and keep it aside. 

2. Mix The Dough

Once the soaker is ready and has been kept aside, you can begin with the dough. Mix the starter, water, and maple syrup in a large bowl. Once they are all mixed together, add the flour and salt to this mix. 

Begin mixing all of it by hand. It may seem too dry initially, but the more you work the dough, the more hydrated it will become. You can also use a fork to mix everything if you would not want the dough to stick to your fingers. 

Mix the dough thoroughly for 3-4 minutes until everything is well incorporated. This may seem like a process since a lot of dough will stick to your fingers. That is okay since you can later scrape it all off.  

Once the dough is well mixed, add it to a bowl and cover it with a damp towel. Let the dough rest well for 30 minutes, and you can get on to the next step. 

3. Add The Soaker

Once the dough has rested enough, you can incorporate the soaker. For that, dump the soaker onto the rested dough and begin kneading the dough. Fold the dough on top of itself to ensure all the grains are incorporated well. 

Continue doing this for 1-2 minutes until everything is combined. The dough will be sticky and may seem like the soaker is not incorporated. That is normal since the dough will take in all the soakers when resting. 

If the dough seems a little too sticky or too dry, this is the perfect time to adjust the quantities and add more flour or water if you would like. Rest the dough for half an hour with a damp towel over it. 

4. Fold The Dough

After the 30-minute mark, once the dough has rested enough, it is time to fold it before bulk fermentation. Folding the dough will ensure that the crumb turns out to be exactly as it should be. 

To fold the dough, grab a small piece from the center and fold it over, making sure you do this with the entire dough. While folding, you will also notice that the dough is much more malleable and easy to work with. 

A single fold is enough per se, and you can begin bulk fermentation after this process if you would like. But, if time allows, you should do another fold as well, as that will surely help with the final product. All about 30-35 minutes of rest time between each fold. 

5. Bulk Fermentation

Once the folding is over, you can begin the bulk fermentation process. For that, add the dough back into the bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for over 8-10 hours at room temperature. 

If you live in a cold climate, it is best to let the dough rest for as long as 14 hours to ensure it rises appropriately. The dough is ready once it is jiggly when the bowl is shaken and also when it has doubled in volume. 

6. Shape The Dough

After the bulk fermentation process, you can begin shaping the dough. First, line a bowl with a towel or a banneton with flour. Now, take the dough out of the bowl and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. 

Pull some of the dough from the center and push it back into the dough, repeating this process all the way through. Spray some water onto the dough, just a little bit, to make sure that the skin of the dough gets as tight as possible. 

Now, let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Once you have sprayed the dough with some water, press it down and keep pushing it back into the center. This is similar to folding and is just a process to ensure the dough gets as tight as possible on the surface. 

Once the dough is tight enough, please pick it up with one swift motion with the bench scraper and transfer it to the bowl or banneton, with the top side facing down. Now, sprinkle a bit of dusting flour on the base of the dough and cover the bowl again with a damp towel. Let it rest for 30-45 minutes until light and jiggly. 

7. Preheat, Score, And Bake

Once the shaping and proofing dough is done, you can preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, cut a sheet of parchment paper and place it in the vessel you will be baking the bread, leaving enough excess on the sides. 

While baking, keep a tray on the rack and place the baking vessel on top of that. This will ensure that the bottom is not exposed to too much heat and will prevent the bread from having a burnt base. 

Now, place a piece of parchment over the bowl in which your dough was proofing and flip it over. Then, using a blunt knife, score any pattern you want onto your dough. Carefully pick up the parchment paper and transfer the dough into the baking vessel. 

Next, place the baking vessel with the lid in the oven, and bring the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, bake the bread in the oven for 20 minutes with the lid on. After that, remove the cover and bake for another 35-40 minutes. 

To check if the bread is ready after all that baking, you can use a probe thermometer to check the internal temperature. It is done if the internal temperature reads 190-250 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, transfer the container to a wire rack and let the bread cool completely before you slice it. Enjoy! 

Tips To Store Sourdough Bread: 

1. Sourdough bread will stay fresh and taste delicious for 3-4 days, even if stored at room temperature. 
2. You can keep the bread in the refrigerator for a week if you want to use it longer. 
3. Sourdough bread also freezes well and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months while retaining its flavor. 

What Else Can The Remaining Sourdough Starter Be Used For? 

Once you are done making the sourdough bread, you will have a lot of excess sourdough starter left. As I mentioned earlier, throwing away the extra starter is unnecessary. 

Instead, you can use it to make an array of other baked goods, which are just as delicious! You can make lovely recipes with the remaining sourdough starter: pancakes, sourdough pizza, crumpets, crackers, scones, sourdough focaccia, and cinnamon buns.  

1. Crackers

Making sourdough crackers is lovely and easy to use all the remaining starters left. You only need to mix some of your favorite seeds and toasted quinoa to make these crackers. Mix it all and spread the dough over a non-stick sheet. Sprinkle the top of this dough with some sea salt, and bake! 

2. Sourdough Pizza

You may have had a lot of pizzas before, but a sourdough pizza is worth all your time and effort! Sourdough pizza is easy to make and has a lovely chewy and crispy crust. Instead of using other leavening agents in your dough, use sourdough starter instead. 

3. Sourdough Pancakes

Making sourdough pancakes can be an innovative way to use the leftover starter like sourdough pizza. Mix some starters with your pancake batter to get light, fluffy pancakes with a sour and tangy aftertaste. 

Nutritional Information

How Will The Multigrain Sourdough Bread Look And Taste Like? 

Making sourdough bread is a very long process, as you may have guessed already. It would help if you began with the starter and slowly proceeded with the whole process. It is essential to ensure that you keep the starter alive and in its best form, as that is one of the main parts of this recipe. 

But, whether you are a seasoned baker or even a beginner, knowing what to expect with the final product is a must. One thing I would like to say here is that if you have followed everything correctly, regarding the starter and even the dough, the chances of the bread becoming a disaster are minimal. 

So, don’tdon’t worry too much and follow all the steps! As far as how the bread will look, it will have a rustic look, with a lovely crumb and a brown exterior. Moreover, I cannot even emphasize the smell you would get in your kitchen by baking this bread! 

The scoring of the bread indeed adds a lot to it and makes it look even more rustic and utterly beautiful. As far as flavor goes, sourdough bread tastes different from regular bread, which is very evident with the first bite. 

As the sourdough starter is rested for a long time, it releases natural alcohol. This gives the starter a unique sour flavor, which eventually gets transferred to the bread. This, in turn, makes the bread taste a bit spoiled with a close crumb. Toast the bread and have it with some garlic butter for added flavor! 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)