DIY -- sourdough whole wheat bread

I bought a copy of George Greenstein's Secrets of a Jewish Baker many years ago. He hints at how to make your own sourdough starter. It's a simple method; it takes four days to get a rye flour starter bubbling, and a week for white flour.

The thing is, George has lots of sourdough recipes in his book -- but not for 100% wheat bread. Half-whole wheat French bread yes, but not whole whole wheat bread like the one he has that doesn't use sourdough.

The reason may be obvious to some of you. Whole wheat flour has the bran in it, which sort of drowns out the gluten; it's harder to get whole wheat bread to rise than white wheat. When you make sourdough bread you're already handicapped in the department of the bread actually rising.

The solution is, take your time. George's sourdough recipes have 8 hour build times. If you keep starter going, and it's good and healthy, do this. Mix up your first build Wednesday night. Let it work for 12 hours.  Start your second build and put in half the  honey (2 tablespoons) and let that work 12 hours.

Before you go to bed, start the last build. Friday morning, put in the other two tablespoons of honey, the oil and salt, an optional packet of yeast, one cup of warm water, a cup of whole wheat flour, and that's your sponge. Let it work half an hour.

Now put in the rest of your whole wheat flour, rise an hour, punch down, and shape your loaf.  Also pull off about 1/3 of it, and shape into six balls. Sprinkle corn meal on a flat pan and put the balls in. Flatten them a little.

Put a towel over each pan and set in a warm place. After 30 minutes, put the rolls in your oven and set the temperature to 325. They'll be done in 20 minutes. Turn the oven off so you don't waste energy, and leave the door open to keep the loaf warm so it will rise.

The loaf rises one hour and then you bake at 325 25-30 minutes. If it doesn't seem done, turn off the oven, close the door, and let it absorb the heat until it's done.

Another method is this, and it worked beautifully when I added multi-grain cereal for an extra kick of fiber. Mix your starter and 3 cups whole wheat flour with 1/2 to 1 cup warm water. Cover with plastic and let it mature for 24 hours. Now add your honey, salt, 2 TBSP oil, 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour. Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of boiling water over 1/3 cup of the cereal and stir it a couple of times. When it stops steaming, add it to your dough. Mix and knead about 100 strokes, and don't add too much more flour; you want this dough a little moist. Rise 4 hours. Lightly oil your loaf pan, put in your loaf, and proof at least 2 hours. Bake as usual.

Don't forget that the end of a loaf of bread is terrific for toast, especially French toast, which was originally invented so as not to waste the end of a loaf of bread.