Multigrain Pain Au Levain
- 30m Prep Time
- 35m Cook Time
- 1h 5mReady In
A hearty multigrain sourdough bread made with wholemeal flour, sunflower seeds, linseeds, cracked rye, and rolled oats. The dough is fermented overnight for deep flavor, then baked in a Dutch oven for a crisp crust.
Ingredients
- 50 g white sourdough starter
- 30 g white bread flour
- 50 g wholemeal bread flour
- 45 g water
- 35 g sunflower seeds
- 35 g linseeds
- 35 g cracked rye
- 35 g rolled oats
- 8 g fine salt
- 65 g wholemeal bread flour
- 185 g water
- 265 g wholemeal bread flour
- 165 g water
- sunflower seeds for topping
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 11 of 14 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 164 mg
- Iron: 24.9 mg
- Magnesium: 470 mg
- Phosphorus: 1232 mg
- Potassium: 1261 mg
- Zinc: 9.89 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 50 g white sourdough starter
- 30 g white bread flour
- 50 g wholemeal bread flour
- 45 g water
- 35 g sunflower seeds
- 35 g linseeds
- 35 g cracked rye
- 35 g rolled oats
- 8 g fine salt
- 65 g wholemeal bread flour
- 185 g water
- 265 g wholemeal bread flour
- 165 g water
Prepare
- sunflower seeds, for topping
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Mix the pre-ferment ingredients (50g white sourdough starter, 30g white bread flour, 50g wholemeal bread flour, 45g water) together in a bowl. Cover and leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours, typically overnight.
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Step 2.
In a separate bowl, mix the soaker ingredients (35g sunflower seeds, 35g linseeds, 35g cracked rye, 35g rolled oats, 8g salt, 65g wholemeal bread flour, 185g water) together. Cover and also leave at room temperature for 8–12 hours.
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Step 3.
Towards the end of the pre-ferment and soaker resting time, mix the dough flour (265g wholemeal bread flour) and water (165g) together in a large bowl. Cover and leave for a 1-hour autolyse.
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Step 4.
After the autolyse, add the soaker and pre-ferment to the dough mixture. Mix thoroughly, then knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and stretchy, about 10 minutes. Cover and leave at room temperature for 3 hours.
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Step 5.
Shape the dough into a ball by folding the edges into the center. Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes.
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Step 6.
Reshape the loaf into a tight round. Wet the top slightly and roll it in sunflower seeds to coat. Place the dough seam-side up in a large floured proving basket. Cover and leave to prove for 2 hours.
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Step 7.
About 30 minutes before the end of proving, place a large lidded casserole dish or Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 230°C/210°C fan/450°F/gas 8. Using heatproof cloth or oven gloves, carefully lift the hot pot out onto a heat-safe surface.
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Step 8.
Carefully turn the proved dough seam-side down into the hot pot. Slash the top of the dough with a sharp knife or lame. Place the lid on, return the pot to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes, until the loaf is deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.