Sourdough Einkorn Bread

4.54 from 162 votes

A delicious rustic sourdough einkorn bread recipe that uses a natural sourdough starter. The ancient grain einkorn creates an amazing depth of flavor. This is real bread with real flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Additional Time12

Total Time12 55

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Einkorn Sourdough bread

Servings: loaf

Author: Dahn Boquist

Equipment

AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven - 6-Quart, Blue
(10 x 4 Inch) Premium Round Banneton Basket with Liner - Perfect Brotform Proofing Basket for Making Beautiful Bread
Culinary Expertise Cordierite Pizza Stone Set & Bread Baking Stone for Oven & Outdoor Grill Top, 15-Inch Square with 14 Inch Cutter and Removable Rack | Thermal Shock Resistant
Digital Food Scale, Grams and Ounces

Ingredients

¾ cup active sourdough starter 180 grams, see notes
1 ⅔ to 1 ¾ cups warm water (392 to 413 grams)
5 cups all-purpose einkorn flour 600 grams
2 teaspoons salt 12 grams

Instructions

This recipe is based on a 100% hydration starter. Make sure the starter has been fed and is fully ripe or at it's peak when you use it. Make sure you have enough starter to use in this recipe and still have enough left over to continue maintaining.
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl and stir until it is a chunky, loosely combined dough.
Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes then fold it in half 3 or 4 times. Repeat another 10 to 15 minute rest and fold it again 3 to 4 times. You don't have to knead einkorn because the gluten in einkorn will not strengthen with kneading but the resting and folding process will help strengthen the dough.
At this stage, it will be wet and sticky. Don’t add more flour or your finished bread will be dense and heavy. If you get your hands wet, the dough won't stick as easily.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 3 to 6 hours (see notes) or in the refrigerator overnight. (A longer proof time in the fridge will give the bread a more tangy, sourdough flavor.)
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and form it into a round ball. (See notes)
Place the ball of dough into a proofing basket or any container that is the shape that you want your bread to be shaped. (See notes)
Let the dough rise again a second time in the fridge overnight for 10 to 15 hours. Don't let it double in size like traditional bread, it should only rise by 50% to 75%.
Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. When the oven is hot, tip the loaf of bread into a Dutch oven or onto a baking sheet. Make a slash in the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. (If you use a Dutch oven, place the lid on for the first 30 minutes of the baking time. Remove the lid from the Dutch oven after 30 minutes and continue baking until done.)

Notes

The amount of time needed for your bread to rise will vary depending on the temperature and humidity. You can slow the rise by placing it in the refrigerator and speed the rise by placing it in a warm room or a dehydrator. A slower fermentation time will help develop more complex flavors.
If you do your second proof in the fridge and your fridge is a few degrees colder than normal, the dough will not rise very much. If that happens, just let it sit at room temperature until it rises enough. Otherwise, it is fine to place the chilled bread dough directly into the hot oven.
For best results, weigh the ingredients with a kitchen scale. Using measuring cups can significantly change the final outcome of the bread.
When you knead and shape your dough, try not to add any flour to your countertop. Adding additional flour will create a denser and heavier bread. You can prevent the dough from sticking to your hands by getting your hands wet.
If you use a Brotform proofing basket give the basket a very generous dusting of flour. Regular flour will absorb too much of the moisture and make the dough stick to the brotform. We recommend making a 50/50 blend of rice flour and einkorn flour to dust your Brotform. If you don't have a brotform basket, you can use a bowl or a colandar to proof the bread in.
A Dutch oven works very nicely to form a crusty bread but if you don't have one you can just bake the bread directly on a baking sheet or even on a hot pizza stone.

Nutrition