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

2478kcal

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Prep 30 minutes mins

Cook 50 minutes mins

Total 21 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

A traditional French miche is a large, rustic country loaf meant to feed a family for a full week. Made with a high percentage of stone-ground whole wheat and rye flours, this bread features an exceptionally rich, earthy flavor and a thick, dark crust that locks in moisture, allowing the soft interior to stay fresh for days.

Servings 1 loaf

Cuisine French

Ingredients

1x2x3x

The Liquid Sourdough Levain (Night Before)

• ▢ 10 g Sourdough starter culture
• ▢ 50 g Water
• ▢ 50 g Whole wheat flour

The Hearty Main Grain Dough

• ▢ 400 g High-extraction flour (or a mix of 300g bread flour and 100g whole wheat)
• ▢ 200 g Stone-ground whole wheat flour
• ▢ 50 g Dark rye flour
• ▢ 490 g Water (75% – Lukewarm, around 78°F/25°C)
• ▢ 100 g Active liquid levain (From the stage above)
• ▢ 13 g Fine sea salt

Equipment

• ▢
  Large Mixing Bowl
• ▢
  Large Proofing Basket (Banneton) (Designed for a 1kg–1.5kg loaf, or a large bowl lined with a floured linen towel)
• ▢
  Dough Scraper & Bench Knife
• ▢
  Large Dutch Oven or heavy baking stone with a steaming setup
• ▢
  Sharp Bread Lame or razor blade
• ▢
  Parchment Paper
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Night Before – Liquid Levain Ignition

1. 10:00 PM: In a clean glass jar, dissolve your 10g of starter culture into 50g of water. Stir in 50g of whole wheat flour. Mix thoroughly, cover loosely, and let ferment at room temperature 74–78°F (23–26°C) overnight for 8 to 10 hours until it becomes incredibly bubbly, liquidy, and active.

Day 2 – The Autolyse & Rhythmic Bulk Folding

1. 8:00 AM – The Autolyse: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 400g of high-extraction flour, 200g of whole wheat flour, and 50g of dark rye flour. Pour in 460g of the water (reserve 30g for later). Stir with your hands until a rough, shaggy mass forms with no dry spots. Cover and let autolyse undisturbed for 45 minutes to break down the bran layers.
2. 8:45 AM: Pour all 100g of your active liquid levain over the rested dough. Use your fingers to dimple and fold the levain into the dough until fully integrated. Let rest for 20 minutes.
3. Add the 13g of fine sea salt along with the remaining 30g of reserved water. Pinch and squeeze the dough firmly between your fingers for 3 to 5 minutes until the salt dissolves completely and the dough gathers into a smooth, wet mass.
4. Cover the bowl and let bulk ferment for 4 hours at a warm 78–82°F (25–28°C).
5. During the first 2 hours of bulk fermentation, perform 4 separate rounds of structural stretch-and-folds every 30 minutes. Wet your hands, lift the edges of the heavy dough up high, and fold them across the center to build a strong gluten web. Let the dough rest completely undisturbed for the final 2 hours of the bulk proof until it feels airy and expands by roughly 50%.

Shaping, Overnight Chill, and Deep Bake

1. 1:00 PM – Shaping the Boule: Lightly dust your workspace with flour and tip the expanded dough out. Gently pull the edges inward toward the center to form a round shape, flip it over so the smooth side faces up, and roll it under your hands to build a tight outer skin.
2. Generously dust a large proofing basket with a mix of rice flour and whole wheat flour. Place the shaped boule seam-side up into the basket. Cover loosely and let sit on your counter for 20 minutes, then move it into the refrigerator for a 5 to 12-hour cold retard.
3. 6:00 PM: Position your heavy Dutch oven on the middle rack of your oven and preheat to 450°F (232°C) for at least 45 minutes.
4. Turn the cold dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper. A classic miche is typically scored with a simple, large cross shape across the crown using a sharp razor blade.
5. Carefully lower the loaf into the roaring hot Dutch oven. Drop the lid on tightly to trap the steam and bake covered at 450°F (232°C) for exactly 30 minutes.
6. Remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature slightly to 425°F (218°C), and continue baking dry for 20 minutes. The crust should turn an incredibly deep, bold chestnut brown.

Nutrition

Calories2478kcalCarbohydrates510gProtein87gFat14gSaturated Fat2gPolyunsaturated Fat6gMonounsaturated Fat1gSodium5080mgPotassium1496mgFiber42gSugar3gVitamin A31IUCalcium176mgIron14mg

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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