Recipe: Apple Levain

This loaf is made exclusively with hard red wheat. It pairs wonderfully with the cinnamon-­scented apple puree, which I add for warm, subtle spicing as well as moisture, lending the bread impressive staying power. Robust varieties such as Red Fife or Turkey Red that have an intense wheaty flavor are best. These are the kinds of flours that require a high level of hydration, which the apple puree takes care of. The apple also adds a source of sugar, helping the loaf brown very nicely. If you’re trying to convince people who are not too keen on the flavor and texture that bran imparts to 100 percent whole wheat breads, this is a great place to start. I like to use a loaf pan here, which makes the bread easy to shape, bake, and keep.

This is not a sweet bread. It’s a sourdough loaf with subtle undertones of roasted apple that can be enjoyed just like any other sourdough. A toasted slice with a bit of apple butter makes a perfect breakfast, and it makes the best grilled cheese, such as the Apple and Roquefort Grilled Cheese Sandwich (see below).

Apple Levain

Makes 1 pan loaf

Equipment: instant-­read thermometer, 8½-­by-­4½-­inch (22 by 11 cm) loaf pan, roasting pan for steam bath, bread lame

To feed the starter

1 tablespoon (13 g) sourdough starter (see page 240) (See below)

7 tablespoons (50 g) whole-­grain hard red wheat flour, such as Turkey Red or Red Fife

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 ml) room-­temperature (68–­77°F/20–­25°C) water

For the apple puree

1 small apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-­inch (1.25 cm) cubes

½ cup (120 ml) water

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the dough

4 cups (520 g) whole-­grain hard red wheat flour, plus extra for dusting

1½ cups (360 ml) lukewarm (98–­105°F/37–­41°C) water

2 teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt

Prep Day

1. The day before you’d like to bake the bread, feed the starter by combining it with the flour and the water in a clean glass jar. Cover and let it ferment at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours, until it has increased in volume and formed bubbles on the surface.
2. Put the apple pieces in a small saucepan and add the water and cinnamon stick. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the apple is fork-­tender. Remove the cinnamon stick and transfer the apple mixture to a blender. Add the ground cinnamon while the apple is still warm and puree. You should end up with ⅓ cup (75 g) apple puree.
3. When the starter is ready, hydrate (autolyse) the flour: In a medium bowl, combine the flour for the dough with the lukewarm water and apple puree. Cover and let rest for 1 hour. (This resting phase, in which the flour is allowed to hydrate, is known as the autolyse. Autolysing the flour promotes elasticity as well as enzymatic activity, contributing to gluten development in the dough.)
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the autolysed flour with the fed sourdough starter on medium speed for 2 minutes. If necessary, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to promote even mixing. Add the salt and mix for another 2 minutes at medium speed. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Moisten your hands with water and dig under the front end of the dough, stretch it out, and fold it back on top of the dough. Dig under the back end of the dough and repeat the same stretch-­and-­fold motion. Do the same on each of the sides. Finally, turn the dough over and tuck it into a ball. This process is known as stretching and folding and helps strengthen the dough. After each series of stretching and folding, the dough should feel significantly stronger. Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
6. Stretch and fold a second time, just as you did before. Let it rest for another 30 minutes, then stretch and fold one last time, for a total of three times. Cover the dough and let it ferment for 1½ hours more, for a total of 3 hours from mixing to shaping.
7. Lightly coat an 8½-­by-­4½-­inch (22 by 11 cm) loaf pan with nonstick spray. To shape the dough into a pan loaf, transfer the dough to a floured surface. Gently flatten the dough into a rough rectangle and roll into a cylinder (as you would a jelly roll). Place the cylinder seam side down in the prepared pan. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.

Baking Day

1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to baking and let it sit at room temperature. At this point, the loaf should be proofed all the way. It will be noticeably puffy and larger in size. It will also jiggle a bit if you shake it gently, and bounce back slowly if you press it with a moistened index finger. If the loaf still seems tight after the 1-­hour rest, you can let it sit out for another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Place an empty roasting pan at the bottom of the oven. Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
3. Use a lame or a sharp paring knife to cut a slit about ½-­inch (1.25 cm) deep along the length of the loaf. Right before baking, carefully pour 2 cups water into the hot roasting pan in the oven to generate steam. Immediately put the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Avoid opening the oven at this stage to prevent the steam from dissipating. Then rotate the pan and bake for another 20 minutes or until the top of the loaf is a rich golden brown and an instant-­read thermometer inserted in the center reaches between 200° and 208°F (93° and 98°C).
4. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let it sit for at least 1 hour before unmolding and enjoying it. The bread will keep in a paper bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or wrap it with plastic and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Freshen the thawed loaf by reheating in a 350°F (175°C) oven for a few minutes. 

Apple and Roquefort Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Make the ultimate grilled cheese with crunchy apple and crumbled Roquefort. Spread two slices of apple levain with apple butter, then fill with sliced Comté and crumbled Roquefort (or your preferred blue cheese) and thin slices of apple. Melt a bit of butter in a sauté pan and pan-­fry the sandwich on both sides until the cheese is melty. Cut in half on a diagonal and serve immediately.

Excerpted from Morning Baker: Recipes and Rituals for Breakfast and Beyond. Copyright ©2026 by Roxana Jullapat. Used with permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Photographs by Kristin Teig.