How to Make Artisan Einkorn Sourdough Bread

If you would like to make a loaf of bread with the rustic look and flavour of traditional sourdough, then you will want to try this recipe. It features einkorn flour which is the original wheat before it was hybridized. It is slightly nutty and buttery tasting, and more flavourful than modern whole wheat in my opinion. It makes a delicious, tender loaf and is full of nutrients. Discover why using einkorn is beneficial to your health, and learn how to make beautiful and delicious artisan einkorn sourdough bread at home!

What is Einkorn?

Einkorn is what modern wheat used to be before it was subjected to multiple hybridization experiments in the 1950s and beyond. While this created a wheat variety that is high-yielding, disease resistant, and produces high-rising baked goods, it has also altered the gluten and starch structure, making it virtually undigestible for many people.

The word “einkorn” is German in origin and means “one grain”. And this is what einkorn is, one grain that has not been cross-bred with other plants.

Is Einkorn Healthier than Modern Wheat?

In many ways, einkorn is healthier than modern wheat. To start, it has a weaker gluten structure which makes it easier to digest and less likely to cause digestive issues for those with mild gluten sensitivities. Yet einkorn offers more protein per serving than whole wheat, containing 18 grams per 100-gram serving compared with 10 grams in the same amount of whole wheat. It is also higher in iron and zinc, two trace minerals particularly important in a vegetarian diet since these minerals tend to be less bioavailable in plant-based sources due to the phytates they contain.

Where to Buy Einkorn

Most major grocery stores don’t carry einkorn flour, but you will likely find it at your local health food store. I’ve even found it at Farmers’ Markets, but one sure place to find it is online. Online health food retailers and Amazon carry it. It’s on the pricier side, but worth trying for the health benefits.

Tools Needed

Dutch oven – you can bake your bread on an oven stone, but baking it in a Dutch oven gives the best result.

Kitchen scale

Large mixing bowl

Liquid measuring cup

Dough scraper – not absolutely necessary but it makes shaping the dough easier.

Scoring lame – a very sharp knife can be used if a scoring lame is not available.

Banneton basket – line with linen or clean tea towel. A bowl can be substituted.

Clear plastic bag – to keep the dough from drying out while fermenting.

Parchment paper – a must to prevent the bread from sticking to the Dutch oven.

Ingredients

• Einkorn flour
• All-purpose unbleached flour
• Salt
• Filtered water – room temperature
• Sourdough starter – fed, active and bubbly
• Honey/molasses

How to Make Artisan Einkorn Sourdough Bread

Mix Ingredients

Start by mixing the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine water, honey, and fed starter. Whisk and add to the dry ingredients.

Use wet hands to mix the dry and wet ingredients until no dry flour remains. The dough will be wet and not able to hold a shape.

Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and leave for 1 hour.

Bulk Ferment & Stretch-and-Folds

After an hour, you can begin the stretch-and-folds. Grab one side of the dough and stretch it just before it breaks, then fold it over to the other side of the dough. Turn the bowl 90 degrees clockwise and repeat. Do this until the dough is less stretchy and you can feel resistance. Cover the bowl and wait 15 minutes before doing another set of stretch-and-folds.

I usually do 3 – 4 sets of stretch-and-folds, but you can do up to 6 if you have the time. The stretch-and-folds will help develop the gluten and give structure to your bread.

First Shaping

After completing the last set of stretch-and-folds, it is time to shape the dough. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured work surface. Using a dough scraper, fold the dough over itself a few times and then flip it over. Flour the dough scraper if it sticks to the dough. Shape the ball into a rough ball shape. Sprinkle a little flour over the dough.

Bench Rest

Leave the dough to “rest” on the work surface for about 20 minutes. This will allow the gluten bonds to relax a little in preparation for the final shaping.

Final Shaping

Before the final shaping, prepare your banneton basket. Generously flour a linen-lined banneton basket with gluten-free flour (rice or sorghum work well). Spelt or wheat flour can be used, but the dough is more likely to stick.

Returning to your dough, take one side of the dough and fold the edge into the middle. Do the same for the opposite side, and then the same for the perpendicular sides.

Flip the dough over and, using your dough scraper and free hand, gently rotate it while tucking the edges underneath it. This builds surface tension in your dough, allowing it to hold its shape better.

Once the dough is shaped (it doesn’t need to be perfect), flip it into the floured banneton basket with the smooth side of the dough facing down.

Basket Proofing

Once the dough is in the banneton basket, place the basket in a clear plastic bag. Tie the end of the bag, ensuring you’ve pushed all of the air out before sealing it.

Now the dough can sit at room temperature for 1 – 3 hours for further fermentation. If your kitchen is warm, leave it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. If your kitchen is on the colder side, you can leave it out longer, for up to 3 hours. If you’re not sure, start with 1 hour and adjust the time the next time you make sourdough. Remember that you do not want your sourdough to over-ferment, so less time is better until you figure out how long sourdough needs to ferment at your kitchen’s temperature.

Because it has a weaker gluten structure, einkorn sourdough will not rise as much as sourdough made completely with modern wheat. The dough will also feel more slack and spread out rather than rising markedly. This makes it difficult to gauge when it is ready for cold-proofing. Look for bubbles (but not too many) on the surface of the dough and a giggle in the dough when you gently shake the basket. These are better indicators of when your dough is ready.

Remember that over-fermented dough will have deflating bubbles and be very giggly and wet-looking. Your dough will continue to ferment once you place it in the fridge, so it is better to err on the side of caution and shorten the time.

Cold Proofing

Once your sourdough has had time to ferment at room temperature, it can be placed in the fridge to cold-proof. The purpose of cold proofing is to slow down the fermentation process and to develop more flavour in your sourdough.

Sourdough can be left in the fridge for 8 – 36 hours. I have found leaving it longer results in over-fermented dough, particularly when using whole-grain flours (whole-grain flours ferment faster than refined flours).

If you notice during cold-proofing that the bag is full of gas (inflated) and the dough has expanded quite a bit, you need to bake it right away. This is a sign of over-fermentation.

Baking

Before baking, preheat your Dutch oven with the lid on at 525 F for 30 – 60 minutes. This is an important step as it creates the oven “spring” that causes your dough to rise. I have read some methods where sourdough is placed in a cold Dutch oven and then into a preheated oven. It did not yield good results for me, so I do not recommend it.

Once your Dutch oven has been preheated, remove the banneton from the fridge. Gently flip your dough onto a square of parchment paper larger than the dough. Brush off any excess flour and score your dough with a bread lame or very sharp knife. This can be a simple slash through the middle or a more intricate design if you prefer.

Remove the Dutch oven and place the dough in it, lowering it by holding the corners of the parchment. Cover with the lid, and place back in the oven.

Lower the temperature to 475 F and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the lid and lower the temperature to 425 F. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Once baking is complete, transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for at least a couple of hours before cutting into it. Cutting into the bread too soon will cause it to dry out.

Notes

• Einkorn has a weaker gluten structure than modern wheat making it more difficult to handle. Expect a softer dough and be gentle with folding during bulk fermentation to avoid damaging the gluten bonds.
• Less time is required to ferment einkorn than needed for modern wheat. Keep an eye on the dough and shorten the fermenting time if necessary. The dough can also be placed directly into the fridge after transferring it to the banneton basket.
• Einkorn absorbs less water than modern wheat. Add 30 grams of flour if the dough feels too wet to handle. Remember that it will become more manageable as it absorbs the water during bulk fermentation.
• The times given above for fermenting can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen, the strength of your starter, and the hydration of your dough. Higher temperatures, stronger starters, and higher hydration doughs will speed up fermentation.