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Making an attempt and experimenting with totally different flours is considered one of my favourite methods so as to add complexity and curiosity to sourdough breads, particularly when utilizing historic grains. This Emmer Sourdough Bread has a nutty, hearty taste with a beautiful reddish hue from emmer flour (or farro).

Emmer flour tends to be very extensible attributable to its decrease gluten content material, so numerous changes to your baking should be made so as to fight this which I handle within the submit under.

This detailed recipe will stroll by means of each step of the method and provides a number of ideas so you will get one of the best outcome attainable. Should you’re new to baking with emmer flour, it’s an awesome recipe to begin with!

Emmer sourdough bread sliced in half and stacked on top of each other with a bag of emmer flour in the background.Emmer sourdough bread sliced in half and stacked on top of each other with a bag of emmer flour in the background.

🌾 What’s Emmer Flour and Easy methods to Bake with It?

Emmer, or farro, is an historic wheat grain that’s been grown and cultivated for hundreds of years.

Farro is often eaten as a complete grain in pilafs, hearty salads, soups, porridges, and even risotto.

Whereas einkorn has 14 chromosomes and is a diploid, emmer has 28 chromosomes and is a tetraloid, which derives from its hybridization from two grasses (in case you’re within the genetic make-up of emmer!).

Baking with emmer flour is much like working with spelt. It’s very extensible attributable to its barely decrease gluten content material, has a nutty taste, and loaves tackle a barely reddish hue.

It isn’t a gluten-free flour comparable to buckwheat and it comprises extra gluten than rye flour and einkorn. Nevertheless, it comprises much less gluten than trendy wheat varieties.

Due to its extensibility, it may be difficult to work with in massive quantities and performs finest with barely decrease hydration ranges. In any other case, the dough might be very sticky, proof fairly quick, be onerous to form attributable to its decrease gluten content material, and lead to flatter loaves.

I have a tendency to search out that 25-40% emmer flour in a recipe is a adequate quantity of emmer to style its taste with out being detrimental to your bread. This recipe is about 30% emmer and I take advantage of high-protein bread flour for the remaining make-up of the dough to offer it extra crucial energy.

Close up of emmer or farro grain berries.Close up of emmer or farro grain berries.

👨‍🏫 Baker’s Proportion Chart

I embody a baker’s share chart to scale a recipe up or down simply. With baker’s percentages, the complete weight of all flour within the recipe is 100%.

I additionally embody the prefermented flour from the levain on this flour weight. Lastly, I be aware the components proportionally to the whole weight of flour (on this case, 430g, which incorporates 30g from the levain). That’s why the whole percentages under will add as much as over 100%.

If you wish to study extra, the King Arthur web site has a extra detailed reference page on why and the way baker’s percentages are calculated.

Substances Weight Baker’s Proportion
Bread Flour 286 grams (contains 15g for levain*) 66.5%
Emmer (or farro) Flour 144 grams (contains 15g for levain) 33.5%
Sea Salt 9 grams 2.1%
Water 306 grams (contains 30g for levain) 71.2%
Sourdough starter 30 grams (all for levain) 7%

*Notice: Should you choose to not make a levain, use an equal 90 grams of lively sourdough starter when mixing the dough.


View my Sourdough Instruments and Tools information for a whole record of my favourite bread-baking instruments.

Tools needed to bake sourdough bread including Challenger Bread Pan, Thermapen, Bench Scraper, Scale, Bread Lames, and BannetonsTools needed to bake sourdough bread including Challenger Bread Pan, Thermapen, Bench Scraper, Scale, Bread Lames, and Bannetons
Challenger Bread Pan, Thermapen, Bench Scraper, Scale, Bread Lames, and Bannetons
  • Dutch Oven
    • I really like baking with my Challenger Bread Pan. It bakes wonderful sourdough bread for a house baker and is heavy-duty forged iron.
    • For extra dutch oven data, I record my suggestions with execs and cons right here.
  • Baking Scale
    • It’s vital to measure your components by weight as a substitute of quantity so that you get a extra constant and correct bake.
  • Bread Lame
    • Can use a pointy razor blade or sharp knife.
  • Bench Scraper
    • Assists with shaping and transferring your bread to your banneton or basket.
  • Banneton Proofing Basket
    • I take advantage of this 10″ oval proofing banneton for baking batards (ovals) and a 9″ round banneton for boules (rounds).
    • A proofing basket will assist preserve your dough formed whereas it proofs in a single day and removes simply from the basket with a liner. Should you don’t have one, line a mixing bowl with a floured tea towel.
  • Non-compulsory: Brød and Taylor Folding Bread Proofer
    • This folding proofing field by Brød & Taylor is a sport changer to maintain your sourdough starter and doughs on the excellent temperature whereas proofing.
    • The proofer folds up simply, features a humidity tray, is multifunctional, and may even be a gradual cooker.
  • Non-compulsory: Danish Dough Whisk
    • I actually like utilizing a Danish dough whisk to assist with mixing with much less mess. It’s an non-obligatory, however useful instrument.

🛒 Substances Wanted

See under for extra data, variations, and attainable substitutes.

Labeled bowls of ingredients needed for emmer sourdough bread including bread flour, emmer flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter.Labeled bowls of ingredients needed for emmer sourdough bread including bread flour, emmer flour, water, salt, and sourdough starter.
  • Bread Flour
    • I used King Arthur Bread Flour at 12.7% protein for recipe testing this bread. A high-gluten content material flour works finest for this loaf, however you need to use all-purpose flour too.
  • Emmer Flour
    • I bought Emmer Flour from Bluebird Grain Farms based mostly in Washington state. It’s natural, complete grain and really top quality! When you’ve got a house mill, you possibly can grind your personal complete berries to make emmer flour too, which additionally they promote.
    • What I used for creating this loaf just isn’t the identical as black emmer flour, however you may substitute black emmer as properly.
  • Sourdough Starter
  • Salt
    • There’s simply above 2% of salt on this recipe, which helps tighten up the gluten construction a bit of extra on this slack dough.
  • Water
    • I sometimes use heat water for autolyse so the dough remains to be heat once I add my levain.

⏰ Pattern Baking Schedule

That is my typical baking schedule for many sourdough breads. This schedule works properly for a weekend bake. Nevertheless, many steps are versatile, relying by yourself day-to-day schedule.

For instance,  you may make the levain the night time earlier than (use 10g of starter and 40g of flour and 40g of water). You can even proof the dough in a single day within the fridge for as much as a day to bake by yourself time.

Steps Time
1. Make the Levain 9:00am
2. Autolyse 1:00-1:30pm
3. Add Levain & Relaxation 1:30-2:00pm
4. Add Salt & Combine 2:00pm
5. Bulk Fermentation (Contains folds) 2:00-7:00pm (about 5 hours after including the levain at 78ºF)
6. Form 7:00pm
7. In a single day Proof 7:00pm-9:00am (or as much as a day)
8. Rating and Bake Subsequent Day, 9:00am

👨‍🍳 Easy methods to Make Emmer Sourdough Bread

Observe this visible and step-by-step detailed information that can assist you make this emmer sourdough bread recipe.

1. Make the Levain

Combine 30 grams of sourdough starter, 15 grams of bread flour, 15 grams of emmer flour, and 30 grams of water in an empty jar.

Cowl and set it in a heat location (between 75-80ºF) for about 4-5 hours till it’s bubbly and ripe. The levain ought to no less than double in measurement throughout this time.

2. Autolyse

A few half-hour earlier than the levain is prepared, combine the bread flour and emmer flour in a big mixing bowl and pour within the heat water.

I sometimes don’t autolyse this bread as lengthy as a result of it’s extra extensible, however you’re welcome to let it relaxation longer relying in your schdule.

Use your arms or a Danish dough whisk to combine the flours and liquids. It’s okay if some scraggly bits of flour stay, however you need most of it to be hydrated.

Cowl the bowl and set it apart to autolyse for a half hour.

3. Add the Levain and Relaxation

When the levain is bubbly and ripe, add all of it to the dough.

Use your arms to dimple the levain into the dough. Then, stretch and fold the dough onto itself for a couple of minutes till you totally incorporate the levain into the dough.

You’ll do extra mixing later if you add within the salt, however you wish to make certain the levain is evenly distributed all through the dough.

To stretch and fold:

  1. Use your hand as pincers to tug up a portion of the dough.
  2. Elevate the dough to stretch it, then fold it down in the midst of the bowl.
  3. Rotate the bowl and repeat this movement.

Cowl the bowl and relaxation it in a heat location for half-hour.

Pouring emmer levain into dough in a bowl.Pouring emmer levain into dough in a bowl.

4. Add Salt & Combine

After half-hour, sprinkle the salt onto the dough.

At this level, you may add one other 10 grams of water in case you suppose the flour can deal with it. Nevertheless, emmer flour tends to be very extensible, so it’s higher to carry off on among the water and solely add small quantities because it soaks in.

Dimple within the salt and start mixing. Stretch and fold the dough for about 5 minutes till it’s smoother and principally holds its form and is smoother.

Cowl the bowl and relaxation for half-hour.

Mixing emmer sourdough bread dough with stretch and folds and hand in the dough bowl.Mixing emmer sourdough bread dough with stretch and folds and hand in the dough bowl.

5. Bulk Fermentation and Folds

After mixing within the salt, bulk fermentation will take about 4.5-5 hours at 78ºF.

I seen fermentation was barely sooner with emmer flour, which might be attributed to utilizing a complete grain flour, so control your dough because it proofs.

In case your dough and setting are colder, bulk fermentation will take longer. Conversely, in hotter situations, the dough will ferment sooner.

Due to its extensibility (the stretchiness of the dough), I additionally wanted to carry out stronger folds throughout bulk fermentation. Should you discover that the dough remains to be very slack after a couple of folds, chances are you’ll wish to add extra folds in.

Notice: An instant-read thermometer just like the Thermapen is a good instrument to test your dough temperature all through bulk fermentation.

Carry out no less than 4 extra units of stretch and folds, separated by 30-45 minutes every.

Due to its extensibility (the stretchiness of the dough), I additionally wanted to carry out stronger folds throughout bulk fermentation. Should you discover that the dough remains to be very slack after a couple of folds, chances are you’ll wish to add extra folds in.

The dough rests for the rest of time till shaping.

Bulk fermentation is full with this dough doubles in measurement, feels stuffed with air, is smoother, and there are some seen bubbles on prime of and across the dough.

6. Form

Flippantly flour your floor and banneton (rice flour is useful to forestall sticking) and use a bench scraper to form the dough right into a boule (round) or batard (oval).

Elevate the dough and place it seam-side up into the banneton. Sew the dough if essential to strengthen it some (as seen within the picture under). To do that, I merely pinch two ends of the dough and cross them over one another down the center of the dough to create the sew.

Should you discover that the dough could be very slack if you flip it out of its bowl, add an additional preshaping step to strengthen it additional.

Emmer sourdough bread shaped in banneton.Emmer sourdough bread shaped in banneton.

7. In a single day Proof

Cowl the banneton and place it in a chilly fridge in a single day and as much as 48 hours.

The in a single day proof, or retard, will give further taste to the dough and decelerate fermentation so you may bake it by yourself schedule.

8. Rating & Bake

Place an empty Dutch oven contained in the oven and preheat it at 500ºF (260ºC) for an hour.

After an hour, take away the chilly dough from the fridge and switch it out onto a small piece of parchment paper.

Then, rating the dough utilizing a pointy bread lame.

I normally rating with one lengthy slash for a batard (oval). For a boule (spherical), rating the dough with a cross sample within the heart of the dough or one other design.

To assist enhance the possibilities of a sourdough ear, the rating ought to be about ¼”-½” deep at a slight angle. If , I usually share scoring movies on my Instagram.

Fastidiously place the scored dough with parchment into the Dutch oven and instantly cowl it with the lid.

Scored emmer sourdough bread in Challenger Bread Pan before baking.Scored emmer sourdough bread in Challenger Bread Pan before baking.

Bake

I observe the identical routine to bake most of my sourdough breads, comparable to My On a regular basis Sourdough Bread Recipe and regulate the ultimate baking instances barely relying on how briskly a loaf is browning.

Bake at 500ºF (260ºC) for 20 minutes.

Take away the lid, flip the oven right down to 450ºF (232ºC), and bake with the lid off for about 13-Quarter-hour.

Cool the loaf on a wire rack for no less than an hour earlier than slicing.

Lastly, take pleasure in chopping into this mouthwatering emmer sourdough bread!

It’s regular if the loaf is flatter than your typical breads because of the decrease gluten content material of the emmer flour, however I discover I are likely to get a really open and wild crumb utilizing this flour which I really like!


Easy methods to Retailer

I prefer to retailer sourdough bread cut-side down as soon as sliced. This helps the loaf retain moisture so it doesn’t dry out and develop into stale.

To slice, reduce the bread in half, flip it cut-side down, after which slice it with a pointy, serrated bread knife.

Then, wrap the loaf in a tea towel and place it in a bread bag, bread field, or brown paper bag, the place it can keep contemporary for about three days. After a couple of days, chances are you’ll have to reheat or toast slices.

Unsliced, the bread will final one other day or two with out staling or dropping an excessive amount of moisture.

Lastly, you may freeze emer bread by inserting slices in a freezer-safe bag the place it can preserve for months. To thaw, reheat the frozen slices in a toaster oven, toaster, or oven.


❓Emmer Sourdough Bread FAQs:

Can I take advantage of all-purpose flour?

You should use all-purpose flour as a substitute of bread flour, however be aware that you could be want to combine extra or add a few further folds to strengthen the dough.

Can I mill my very own farro to make emmer flour?

Typically, sure. Nevertheless, some farro offered in shops is definitely spelt or different grains.

What else can I make with emmer flour?

Can I substitute emmer with one other flour?

This recipe was developed particularly for emmer flour. If you wish to use one other flour, I’d recommend wanting into considered one of my different sourdough bread recipes that includes numerous flours and historic grains!

Close up of emmer sourdough bread crumb.Close up of emmer sourdough bread crumb.

Emmer Sourdough Bread

Emmer flour is an historic grain with a beautiful nutty taste and reddish hue. This Emmer Sourdough Bread recipe walks by means of each step on how one can incorporate emmer flour right into a scrumptious and manageable sourdough bread that is nice for newbie’s seeking to bake with emmer flour for the primary time.For extra ideas, particulars, and pictures, observe the information above that features step-by-step directions.

Prep Time1 day

Cook dinner Time35 minutes

Whole Time1 day 35 minutes

Yield or Serving: 1 loaf

Emmer Sourdough Bread

  • 271 grams Bread Flour
  • 129 grams Emmer Flour
  • 276 grams Water, plus 10g extra throughout mixing if wanted
  • Levain, see above, or 90 grams of lively sourdough starter
  • 9 grams Sea Salt

Forestall your display from going darkish

  • Make the Levain:In a clear jar, combine the sourdough starter, bread and emmer flours, and water for the levain.Cowl and set in a heat location (between 75-80ºF) for about 4-5 hours till doubled and bubbly.Alternatively, skip making a levain and use 90 grams of lively sourdough starter under.

    30 grams Sourdough Starter, 15 grams Emmer Flour, 30 grams Water

  • Autolyse:About half-hour earlier than the levain is prepared, combine collectively the bread flours, emmer flour, and water in a mixing bowl.Make a properly within the heart of the flour and pour in 276 grams of heat water.Use a dough whisk or your arms to combine collectively the flour and water simply till it comes collectively.Cowl and relaxation in a heat location for half-hour.

    271 grams Bread Flour, 129 grams Emmer Flour, 276 grams Water

  • Add Levain, Salt, and Combine:Add the entire levain into the bowl and dimple it into the dough. Then, stretch and fold the dough for a couple of minutes to include.Cowl and relaxation in a heat location for half-hour.Sprinkle the salt on prime. Dimple the salt into the dough. Stretch and fold the dough for about 5 till totally blended and the salt dissolves. Whereas mixing, if the dough appears stiff and also you suppose the dough can deal with it, you may add one other 10 grams of water or so.Cowl and relaxation in a heat location for half-hour.

    Levain, 9 grams Sea Salt

  • Bulk Fermentation & Folds:At 78ºF (26ºC), bulk fermentation sometimes takes about 4.5-5 hours. Emmer can proof sooner, so control it throughout fermentation.Throughout bulk fermentation, carry out 4 or 5 units of sturdy stretch and folds, spaced half-hour aside. Add extra folds if the dough nonetheless appears very slack after the final set. Relaxation for the rest of bulk fermentation.On the finish of bulk fermentation, the dough ought to be easy, really feel stuffed with air, have seen bubbles, and jiggle if shaken. The dough ought to rise about 75%.
  • Form:Flippantly flour the highest of the dough and the counter. Gently loosen the dough from the perimeters of the blending bowl and switch the dough out onto the counter.With the assistance of a bench scraper, form the dough right into a batard (oval) or boule (spherical).Elevate it up and place it right into a floured banneton.Stitch the dough within the banneton if it is nonetheless slack.
  • Chilly In a single day Proof:Place the coated banneton right into a fridge to proof in a single day and for as much as a day.
  • Bake:Place the empty Dutch oven with lid within the oven and preheat for an hour at 500°F (260ºC).As soon as preheated, take away the banneton from the fridge and switch the dough out onto a bit of parchment paper. Rating the dough with a pointy bread lame about ¼-½” deep.Switch the scored dough to the Dutch oven and canopy it with the lid.Bake at 500°F (260ºC) for 20 minutes. Take away the lid, decrease the oven temperature to 450ºF (232ºC) and bake for about Quarter-hour with the lid off.Take away from the oven and funky on a wire rack for no less than an hour earlier than slicing.Slice and revel in!
  • Attempt to preserve the dough at a relentless, heat temperature (between 75-80ºF) as a lot as attainable all through fermentation. I take advantage of the Brød and Taylor bread proofer to maintain my dough at a relentless 78ºF. In case your dough and setting are cooler, bulk fermentation will take longer. Conversely, in hotter situations, the dough will ferment sooner.
  • Learn my guide above for an in depth walkthrough with pictures and movies for shaping, scoring, and baking this bread.

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