Freshly Milled Flour Sourdough | My Easy Techniques

For years now I have been baking sourdough regularly in my kitchen. A few years after starting my sourdough journey, I started milling my own wheat berries for flour and using it in all of my sourdough recipes. I have learned so much about how to use fresh flour in my sourdough recipes.

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I want to share some tips and tricks that will help you make the most delicious and nutritious bread there is!

Store-bought flour or white flour has little to no flavor. When making bread with freshly milled flour, you get a depth of flavor like no other.

And, when making sourdough bread with fresh flour it only amps up the flavor even more.

Before we talk about using this flour in your sourdough baking, let’s talk about the different wheat berry varieties.

If you want to start milling your own flour, you will need a Grain Mill

I’ve been using a Nutrimill Classic for years and it is a true work horse in my kitchen.

Why use Freshly Milled Flour in Sourdough

Not only does fresh milled flour lend more flavor, but it also adds nutrition. The fresh flour has the bran and germ intact which contain all the nutrients and fiber.

Combine those health benefits with the fermentation process of sourdough makes for one of the most nutritious breads you can make.

Whole wheat flour also adds substance to your sourdough bread. Whole wheat sourdough bread is much more filling than bread made with all purpose flour.

Print my FREE 3 top tips for using fresh milled flour in sourdough

What is Active Sourdough Starter?

Active starter is starter that has been fed within the last 24 hours and is bubbly and active. This stage of a starter will rise your bread dough.

If you are brand new to sourdough, you will need to make a sourdough starter

It is a simple process using only flour and water.

There are 3 main categories of wheat berries

1. Modern wheat.
2. Heritage wheat.
3. Ancient wheat.

Let’s start with modern wheat varieties

Hard Wheat

Hard wheat berries are used for bread products. It makes lofty loaves with great texture.

There are hard white and hard red. Let’s talk about hard red first.

When it comes to hard red wheat, it has so much flavor and makes bread taste amazing! It is also easy to work with. However, hard red is a bit heavy and will make a denser loaf if used alone.

The hard white wheat variety is much lighter than hard red. It’s also very easy to work with. However, it doesn’t lend that strong flavor of the hard red.

My favorite recipe to make with Hard Wheat is my Easy Soft Freshly Milled Sandwich Bread

Soft wheat

Soft wheat is best used for pastries and pie crusts and the like. It has a lower protein which makes for much softer baked goods. It’s not suited for sourdough or yeast breads.

Heritage wheat

Heritage wheat varieties are those that have not been hybridized. Meaning, it’s in it’s original form and hasn’t been changed for growing purposes. This type of wheat can be easier to digest and often adds tremendous flavor to your baked goods.

Ancient Wheat

The 3 that I have used in my kitchen are: Einkorn, Kamut, and Spelt.

Keep in mind, ancient wheat varieties have a weaker gluten structure and will behave differently from modern day wheat.

Considerations when using fresh milled flour in sourdough bread

I am going to break this down into 3 tips/tricks you can use to be successful in baking sourdough with freshly milled flour.

Soaking

Freshly milled flour retains all the nutrients of the wheat berry. The germ and bran are in the flour, both of which can act as shards in the dough inhibiting the gluten production.

To combat this, I recommend soaking a portion of the flour in the water to soften the bran and germ.

This process will yield a softer loaf with a better rise.

I soak 3/4 the amount of flour the recipe calls for in all of the water for at least 30 minutes or longer covered with plastic wrap at room temperature.

Kneading Time

In my experience, bread made with freshly milled flour requires a longer kneading time to achieve the proper texture and gluten production to make a soft loaf with a good rise.

I use a stand mixer, however, you can always knead by hand. I did for many years before I purchased a mixer. This is the stand mixer I use the Nutrimill Artiste with a dough hook attachment.

Kneading dough activates the gluten in the flour. Properly kneaded dough will be smooth and elastic.

If your dough breaks easily when stretched, knead longer.

I find it necessary to knead for at least 8-15 minutes to achieve this texture.

Fermentation Time

Freshly milled sourdough tends to ferment more quickly than sourdough made with all-purpose flour.

With this in mind, it is important to learn the signs of fermentation. I always say it is better to slightly under ferment with fresh flour than over ferment.

Note: If your house is particularly cool, try to find a warm place for your bread dough to rise

The signs you are looking for are a dough that is springy and feels like it is full of air.

Tip: I recommend using a large bowl when making sourdough. If the bowl is too small the dough could overflow.

You will also sometimes see the bubbles rising to the surface of the dough.

This is the time you want to either bake the bread or move it to the fridge to slow down the fermentation process.

I find that with all-purpose flour, there is more leeway to the fermentation process.

Keep this in mind when proofing your sourdough made with freshly milled flour.

Quick Tips

If your bread recipe calls for stretching and folding, turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface to do this.

It makes it much easier to gauge the dough and how it is coming a long during the fermentation process.

After your dough has proofed in the banneton basket and you are ready to bake, score the top of the dough with a sharp knife or razor to make a way of expansion for the dough. It also makes it pretty!

If your dough accidentally over proofs, just put the dough in a bread pan and bake as a sandwich loaf.

Other considerations

When making sourdough bread whether with whole grain flour or all purpose, use active starter for best results.

If making Artisan style loaves, use a Dutch oven when baking to hold in the steam for a better rise.

Storing Sourdough Whole Grain Bread

You should store your bread in a plastic bag on the counter for 3-4 days after is has cooled completely.

Bread can be frozen in freezer safe bags for up to 3 months.

In Conclusion

Using freshly milled flour in your sourdough baking makes for an incredibly delicious and nutritious loaf of bread.

Following just a few tips will make sure your loaves are successful.

I hope you found this information helpful if you are interested in transitioning your sourdough baking to fresh flour.

My favorite bread recipes using fresh milled flour in Sourdough

This whole grain sourdough discard sandwich bread is hearty and perfect for if your starter is young as it uses a bit of yeast.

One of my favorites is this whole grain sourdough sandwich bread

For an artisan loaf, I use this whole grain sourdough kamut loaf