Sourdough Miche

My friend Lena, who lives in New York, told me about the sourdough Miche bread that she bought at her local bakery. She noted how delicious it was, and was curious if it’s easy enough to bake it at home.

I’ve never heard about this type bread before, but of course it was a new challenge for me and I was very excited to take it on.

I found the recipe and baked it the following day.

Bread came out so flavorful, rich, earthy and soft.

Here is one tip: for the best flavor use freshly milled whole wheat flour or stoneground whole grain whole wheat flour.

Ingredients

Whole wheat sourdough starter

• 10g ripe sourdough starter
• 80g water
• 80g whole wheat whole grain flour

Main dough 

• 150g whole wheat sourdough starter
• 70g rye flour 
• 220g all purpose flour 
• 160g whole wheat whole grain flour
• 9g salt 
• 330g water (+20g more if needed)

Directions 

Day 1

Starter

• 10 pm add starter to the water and whisk together, add flour, mix well, cover loosely, let it sit at room temperature 74-78F until in about 8-10 hours starter reaches its peak (doubles or triples in volume). You can learn how to make starter from scratch here.

Day 2

Main dough

• 8 am mix all water and flour (save 20g water for later, if needed), let autolyse for 1 hour
• 9 am Add starter (150g) and salt, knead by hand or in mixer until we’ll dissolved. Cover, let rest for 15 min.
• 9.15 am stretch and fold, cover, let rest 30 min
• 9.45 am coil fold, cover, let ferment 1 hour.
• 10.45 am am coil fold cover, let ferment 1 hour
• 11.45 am cover, let ferment 1 hour.
• 12.45 pm dough should increase in volume significantly. (About 50% )

Note: if dough didn’t puffy enough, perform another fold and let it ferment for 30 more min. 

Shaping

• 12.45 pm generously sprinkle counter top with whole wheat flour.
• Dump the dough on the counter.
• Shape as desired. I prefer a round shaped loaf. Pull all edges to the center, flip it over, try to round the dough with your hands.
• Transfer the shaped loaf into proofing basket.
• Let it proof for 1 hour and 30 min. The dough should get bigger.
• Meanwhile preheat your oven to 500 F, place a cast iron pan with the lid or a baking stone inside for 45 minutes – 1 hour.

• 2.15 pm flip the dough over on a parchment paper. You can score the Miche or bake it scoreless. 
• Transfer the dough on to the hot cast iron pan, cover with the lid (to create steam for a beautiful and crusty crumb).
• Bake at 500F for 10 minutes with the lid on.
• Remove the lid, lower the temperature to 450F and bake for 25 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Sourdough Miche (Rustic Country Bread)

1861kcal

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Prep 30 minutes mins

Cook 35 minutes mins

Overnight Whole Wheat Starter Build 8 hours hrs

Total 16 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

A traditional French miche is a rustic, round country loaf featuring a high percentage of whole wheat and dark rye flours. Naturally leavened with a whole wheat sourdough starter, this rich and earthy bread boasts a tender crumb and a dark, caramelized crust.

Servings 1 Large Loaf

Cuisine French Artisan Bread

Ingredients

1x2x3x

Whole Wheat Sourdough Starter (Night 1)

• ▢ 10 g Ripe sourdough starter
• ▢ 80 g Water
• ▢ 80 g Whole wheat whole grain flour

Main Dough (Day 2)

• ▢ 150 g Active whole wheat starter from stage above
• ▢ 220 g All-purpose flour
• ▢ 160 g Whole wheat whole grain flour
• ▢ 70 g Dark rye flour
• ▢ 330 g Water plus +20 g reserved for bassinage if needed
• ▢ 9 g Salt

Equipment

• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Large Mixing Bowl
• ▢
  Proofing Basket (Banneton)
• ▢
  Cast Iron Dutch Oven / Combo Cooker (or heavy baking stone)
• ▢
  Dough Scraper
• ▢
  Parchment Paper

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

1. Night 1: Build Whole Wheat Starter (10:00 PM)

1. In a small jar, whisk 10 g active sourdough starter into 80 g water until combined.
2. Stir in 80 g whole wheat flour until no dry spots remain.
3. Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) for 8–10 hours until peak (doubles or triples in volume).

2. Day 2: Mixing & Bulk Fermentation

1. Autolyse (8:00 AM): In a large bowl, whisk together 220 g all-purpose flour, 160 g whole wheat flour, and 70 g dark rye flour. Pour in 330 g water (reserve 20 g for later if needed) and mix until a shaggy mass forms. Cover and let autolyse for 1 hour.
2. Add Starter & Salt (9:00 AM): Add 150 g active whole wheat starter and 9 g salt (along with extra 20 g water if dough feels dry). Knead by hand or in a mixer until fully integrated. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
3. Stretch & Fold (9:15 AM): Perform 1 set of stretch-and-folds across the dough bowl. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
4. Coil Folds (9:45 AM & 10:45 AM): Perform 2 sets of coil folds spaced 1 hour apart (at 9:45 AM and 10:45 AM).
5. Bulk Fermentation (11:45 AM): Cover and let ferment undisturbed for another 1 hour until dough expands by roughly 50% and feels light and airy.

3. Shaping, Final Proof & Baking

1. Shaping (12:45 PM): Generously sprinkle workspace with whole wheat flour. Turn dough out and shape into a round boule by pulling all edges toward the center, flipping over, and rounding with your hands to build surface tension.
2. Final Proof: Transfer shaped boule seam-side up into a floured proofing basket. Cover loosely and let proof at room temperature for 1 hour 30 minutes.
3. Preheat Oven (1:30 PM): Place your Dutch oven or baking stone in the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for 45–60 minutes.
4. Bake (2:15 PM): Turn dough onto parchment paper. Score the top with a cross or bake scoreless. Lower carefully into hot Dutch oven and cover with lid.
5. Bake Schedule: Bake at 500°F (260°C) for 10 minutes covered with the lid on. Remove lid, lower oven temperature to 450°F (232°C), and bake uncovered for 25 more minutes until dark golden-brown.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Nutrition

Calories1861kcalCarbohydrates393gProtein62gFat9gSaturated Fat2gPolyunsaturated Fat4gMonounsaturated Fat1gSodium3519mgPotassium1369mgFiber40gSugar2gVitamin A22IUCalcium146mgIron21mg

Notes

• The Mandatory 12-Hour Curing Window: Because a miche is a massive loaf packed with heavy whole wheat and rye flours, the interior crumb retains a huge amount of steam right out of the oven. If you cut into the bread too early, the interior will feel gummy and wet. Resist the urge to slice it right away—let the loaf sit undisturbed on a wire rack for a full 12 to 24 hours. This allows the moisture to distribute evenly, setting the crumb and fully locking in its deep, complex flavors.
• Why High-Extraction and Rye Flour Matter: Traditional French miches rely on high-extraction flour (often called Type 85 or T85), which is a flour that has had only a portion of its coarse bran removed. Blending standard bread flour with rustic whole grains perfectly mimics this style. The small touch of dark rye flour plays a vital role by injecting natural sugars that feed the wild yeast, giving you a tender crumb and a beautiful molasses-tinted crust.
• Managing a Large Open Crumb: Whole grain flecks act like tiny razor blades that naturally slice through developing gluten chains, which often yields a tighter bread texture. Performing your 4 structural stretch-and-folds early and precisely during step 6 ensures that the high-hydration dough can still trap expanding gases, giving you an open and airy country-style crumb.
• Long-Term Counter Shelf Life: One of the greatest characteristics of a miche is its exceptional shelf life. Thanks to the high acidity of the overnight liquid levain and the thick, protective caramelized crust, this loaf does not need to be frozen. Wrapped cleanly in a cotton kitchen towel on your counter, it will stay moist, soft, and delicious for up to 5 to 7 days.

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