Weigh the starter and water into a mixing container and stir.
Mix in the whole wheat flour and stir.
Add the bread flour and the salt and mix until the dough is incorporated.
Allow the dough to bulk ferment at room temperature of 70-74F/21-23C.
The dough will take about six hours to bulk ferment.
After the dough has been bulk fermenting two hours, fold the dough. After two additional hours fold again. After one additional hour fold again.
Allow dough to rest and bulk ferment for one more hour before dividing and pre-shaping.
After six hours total(as long as your dough is bubbly, soft, stretchy and filled with bubbles and will pull a nice windowpane, if not allow it to bulk ferment longer) divide the dough into two pieces and do a pre-shape.
After a fifteen minute rest do a final shaping of the dough and place upside down into floured bannetons or lined baskets.
Cover the banneton and dough with a plastic bag and keep in a cool place overnight (around 50F/10C). You will have the dough chilling for about 11-12 hours total. You might try a cold porch, basement or pantry to find a cool place. I even used the trunk of my car once. This formula is good to try in the fall or spring so you can find a cool place.
If you don't have a cool place, use your refrigerator but you might have to add a few hours to the final proofing of the dough once you remove the cold dough from the fridge the next morning.
If you retarded your dough at 50F/10C then your dough will be ready to bake about 11-12 hours later. Check your dough in the morning and if it's nicely risen, start heating your oven/baking stone or Dutch oven to 480F/248C or whatever works for your oven.
Make sure to pre-heat the oven and stone thoroughly, at least for one hour.
For added flavor, sprinkle some sesame seeds on the bottom of the loaf instead of dusting flour before turning your dough out onto the peel.
Place the dough onto a baking parchment paper/peel or on a peel and score the dough. Slide the dough onto your baking stone and mist the dough lightly with water. Place the lid over the dough.
Bake the loaves for 15 minutes with steam and 20+ minutes without steam or until the crust is nicely browned and the internal temperature is above 210F/98C.
Remove the loaves to a cooling rack and allow to cool before slicing.
This formula will produce a soft, lovely crumb and a crisp crust with a lovely light tang because of the cool overnight ferment.
Two beautiful loaves with a hint of whole wheat and sesame.
The sesame seeds on the bottom bake in and are a great flavor enhancement when you bite into a slice. This sesame seed bottom crust idea came from Rochelle Greenway (my daughter).
1683 grams of dough at 71.6% hydration. Enough for two loaves at around 840 grams each.
Start mixing the dough in the late afternoon.
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