Flaxseed Meal Sourdough Bread

This healthy slow-fermented flaxseed meal & whole wheat sourdough bread recipe is perfect for beginner and experienced bakers alike.

The dough handles extremely easy and when you get to shaping it holds nice and firm. The rise is even and it has a lovely bloom in the oven.

It makes delicious sandwiches when toasted and topped with cured salmon gravlax and guacamole or simply with some mushroom garlic butter.

Jump to:

• Useful equipment
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Tips for success
• Serving suggestions
• Variations
• Storing instructions
• Related recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

This recipe uses a combination of flours to give it its own unique texture and flavour.

Flaxseed meal has a great water retention quality and it also helps stabilise the lattice structuring the bread otherwise just held together by the gluten.

Of all the sourdoughs I've made this recipe is one of my all-time favourites.

The smell is beautifully earthy, the crumb light as a cloud and crust ever so slightly chewy while also being crunchy. All the good qualities one could expect from a great sourdough bread.

Useful equipment

Ingredients

• White bread flour - Use a good unbleached brand with a protein content of 10% or higher.
• Flaxseed meal - Easily bought from most supermarkets or health food shops. You could also grind up some whole flaxseeds.
• Whole wheat Flour - Most brands will do. Just make sure it's not too coarsely ground.
• Sourdough starter - Rye starter works great and is what I use in this recipe. Here is my rye starter recipe I use for making regular sourdough and sourdough baguttes. You could also use a regular wheat flour starter.

Instructions

If you're new to sourdough baking I suggest you read my sourdough starter and beginner sourdough recipe posts first before starting on this one.

Making the dough:

1. Mix together 280 grams of water with the starter and dissolve. Mix the white bread flour, wholemeal flour and flaxseed meal. Add the two mixes together and mix until all the water is absorbed.
2. Cover and let autolyse for an hour(this is to ensure the flours get hydrated properly). In the meantime, mix 25 grams of boiling water with 8 grams of salt. Let this cool down as we will add it in the next step.
3. Once the hour is up, add the salted cooled down water and mix through the dough well. Give the dough its first stretch and fold. (If you do not know how this works then go and read my sourdough tutorial on this site. Repeat this process 4 times resting covered 30 minutes between each one. When the last 30 minute resting time is up, it's time for shaping and overnight slow proof in the fridge.
4. Shape the loaf as described in this sourdough bread tutorial. Flour a banneton or proving vessel generously. Pop the bread in, cover it with a shower cap or plastic bag and let it proof overnight or up to 24 hours. 
5. The next day or when the time is up, remove the bread from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 45 min. 
6. As soon as you remove the bread from the fridge, Turn your oven to 250°C or 482°F with an oven-safe bowl filled with boiling water. This will get everything ready for the all-important baking step. Make sure to put your baking tray or skillet in the oven so that everything is piping hot. We are trying to imitate a baker's oven so make sure you don't skip this step.

Baking the bread:

1. With the tray(skillet) and oven hot, sprinkle some semolina onto the tray or skillet. Flip your bread carefully onto the hot surface and slash it with a lame or sharp knife. If you are a beginner keep the cutting simple. Slash at a 45 degree angle and 2 centimetres or 0.8 inches deep.
2. Once the loaf is slashed put it into the oven and turn the temperature down to 220°C or 428°F. Make sure you still have water in the oven to keep it nice and steamy.
3. Bake for 30 minutes then flip the bread upside down and bake 5 minutes more. Remove the bread from the oven and cool down on a wire rack.
4. When completely cooled down cut and slap some butter on it or dip in olive oil. Enjoy!

Tips for success

Serving suggestions

My absolute favourite is fresh still slightly warm with butter, sea salt and a bit of freshly cracked black pepper. Below are a few other bright ideas:

• Breakfast - Great for breakfast with some cured salmon, baked eggs. Toast and top with ricotta and these oven-dried cherry tomatoes for a simple yet delicious bruschetta.
• Soups and stews - Freshly baked bread with soups and stews are a must. Amazing with this Ukrainian beetroot soup, Potato and leek soup or this Viking sausage stew.
• BBQ - No barbecue complete without some great freshly baked bread. Make this crispy pork belly and put in onto this bread with creamy tahini coleslaw.
• Alternatives - Don't waste a single crumb. Make these croutons using leftover bread a few days old for using in Caesar salad.

Variations

• Flaxseed meal - Substitute for chia seeds.
• Flour - Easily change the wholemeal flour for rye, buckwheat or spelt flour.
• Add ins - Add a touch of turmeric, blue pea flower, matcha, or 100% cocoa powder to this recipe to give your bread extra special character, colour and flavour.

Storing instructions

Once cooled it will last for up to 4 days sealed airtight at room temperature.

It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

It's best to slice it, seal it airtight in smaller portions of two slices and then freeze for ease of use.

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