Whole Wheat Sourdough French Bread Recipe

How to make it

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• Mix together starter, 1 c each white and whole-wheat flour, 1 cup warm water and 1 T honey. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-gree place overnight or up to 24 hours. Use a glass or ceramic bow; not metal.
• In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the one-half cup warm water and 1 T honey. When bubbly, add the starter mixture, salt and white flour and beat throroughly, 2 minutes with an electric mixer or 200 strokes by hand. Mix in the wheat germ.
• Slowly add enough whole wheat flour to make a dough that clings together and leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Sprinkle a little more whole wheat flour as needed if dough remains sticky.
• Place dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat all sides, cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled in bulk.
• Punch the dough down and, if you have time, let is rise again in the bowl. Punch the dough down again, turn it out onto a lighltly floured board, knead a few times, cut the dough in half , cover, and let rest 10-15 minutes.
• Roll out half of the dough with a rolling pin into a long rectangle. Starting with a long side, roll into a tight tube. Tuck the ends under, pinch them to seal and place, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet which has been dusted with corn meal. Repeat with the other piece of dough.
• With a sharp knife, slash the tops of the loaves in long diagonals.
• Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter, cover with a light cloth and let rise until not quite doubled.
• Preheat the oven to 400F. Place a shallow pain of boiling water on the bottom o f the oven.
• Spray loaves with cold water. Put in oven immediately.
• Bake 5 minutes, remove and spray loaves again with cold water.
• Return to oven; repeat spraying after another 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan of water and continue baking 15-20 minutes more (total of 25-30 minutes baking time) or until the botomes of th loaves sound hollow when tapped.
• Cool loaves on a rack.
• Makes 2 loaves.