100% Whole grain. Stoneground. Naturally leavened.

The bread where it all began…

This is the bread where it all began for me as a baker and really as a miller too, my need for freshly stoneground flour in order to make the culture that leavens this bread, which is also made from freshly stoneground flour. This Flemish whole grain naturally leavened bread known as Desembrod (or just Desem) is made with just three ingredients: freshly stoneground whole wheat flour, water, and sea salt.  

In 1993, when I first attempted to make this bread, it was nearly impossible to find freshly stoneground whole wheat flour. I secured two apprenticeships– in Arkansas and California– and in both bakeries we stone-milled our flour in-house because there were no millers milling with stone at the time; and because there's simply no mistaking fresh, stoneground flour, especially when working with whole grains. In setting up my bakery, the first piece of equipment I acquired was a small stone-burr gristmill.

Today, freshly stone-ground flour is an ingredient one can access. Carolina Ground is one of many stone mills nationwide (really worldwide) providing freshly stoneground flour made from regionally grown grains. We are part of a burgeoning movement. And sourdough (natural leavening) is (finally!) all the rage. 

SO here's my recipe for making the bread. I offer this recipe using our Appalachian White Wheat, which is a high performing thirsty grain (so really appreciates this level of hydration) and delivers a mellower flavor than our NuEast— more buttery than bitter.
 Yield: One loaf

To make the leaven: In a small clear container with a lid, such as a Weck jar or a half pint mason jar, add 40 grams of water, and 10 grams of starter. Either with a spoon or your fingers, break apart the starter into the water. Next, add 40 grams of flour and mix until fully incorporated. Place lid on container and let sit overnight  at room temperature for eight to ten hours until fully developed,  before mixing dough. 

To make the dough: When the leaven is fully developed, weigh your water and pour into a large mixing bowl, then dissolve the leaven into water, breaking it apart with your fingers. Next, add flour. Mixing by hand, keep one hand clean and dry, using that hand to hold the edge of the bowl. With the other hand, take a flexible plastic dough scraper and scoop down underneath the ingredients, then fold the ingredients onto itself. With each fold, rotate your bowl, continuing this process of scooping down and folding over until your ingredients are fully integrated and have become a homogenous enough form, folding in the bowl, now with your hand instead of scraper. Once the ingredients are fully incorporated, cover with a cotton kitchen towel and let rest for one hour. (This resting period, before the salt is added is known as Autolyse.)

After an hour, add salt by sprinkling evenly over the dough and then fold and/or kneading the dough a few times to fully incorporate the salt evenly into your dough. 

Next, either keep your dough in your mixing bowl and cover or transfer to a container with a lid. The period of bulk fermentation now begins.

Stretch and fold: During bulk fermentation, stretch and fold the dough every forty-five minutes for 2.25 to 3 hours-- 4 folds total. With each stretch and fold, you should feel the dough develop in strength and structure. After the final fold, allow the dough to rise, covered, until it has increased in volume by about 20 to 30 percent. This could be take two or three hours depending on the time of year, the temperature of your kitchen, and how active your leavening is.

Pre-shape and bench rest: Once you dough has increased in volume by 20 to 30 percent, turn the dough out onto the work surface and fold it over itself. Using a bench knife or your hands, drag the dough across the table to create surface tension. The shape should be a tight ball.

Dust with flour, and cover. Rest 30 minutes.

Final shaping: Perform final shaping, sprinkle top with flour and then place seam side up into a well-floured linen-lined basket.

Final rise: Cover basket with cotton or linen kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature for 3 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator for final proof in cold temperatures overnight.

For the bake: In the morning, place Dutch Oven in a cold oven on lowest rack with lid off; place lid in the oven as well on the rack. Turn oven on to 500F. and preheat for one hour. When ready to load, cut a piece of parchment paper larger than your loaf but small enough to fit into your Dutch oven (it’s okay if it comes up the sides of the Dutch oven). Sprinkle coarse flour, corn meal, or semolina onto the parchment and then flip the loaf from the proofing basket onto the parchment so your seam side is down. Score your loaf in whatever pattern you desire, and using oven mitts, open oven door, place loaf, parchment and all, into Dutch oven and place lid on. Set timer for 20 minutes. after 20 minutes, remove the lid and turn down the temperature to 475F and continue to bake uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until deep dark bronze and internal temperature reads between 204° and 210°.

Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. If you can wait, cool completely before slicing into.