
Poolish is a highly fluid yeast-cultured dough. It’s a type of pre-ferment traditionally used in the production of French bakery products. Poolish is a preferment where you mix one part flour and one part water with a very small amount of yeast, resulting in a fairly wet sponge that is left to ferment for 6 to 16 hours. The fermentation time depends on how much yeast you are adding, and the temperature.
The benefits about baking with Poolish method:
- Due to its long fermentation and natural maturation, a Poolish provides an excellent aroma and flavor profile that imparts uniqueness to the finished product.
Vegan Wholewheat Bread-(Poolish method)

Ingredients:
- For WHOLE WHEAT POOLISH:
- 250 grams, whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 270 ml lukewarm water
- For Main DOUGH:
- 300 grams, whole-wheat flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 TBSP Sugar
- 5 TBSP coconut or grape- seed oil
- 200 ml Lukewarm water
Directions:
- The night before making bread, make the Poolish:
- Mix together the whole-wheat flour and yeast, then stir in water to make a thick paste. Stir only until the flour is hydrated, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours. Then refrigerate overnight otherwise it will be little sour.If you like that, no need to refrigerate the poolish.
- The next day remove Poolish from refrigerate one hour before making the dough.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the main Dough ingredients
- Combine Poolish and dough together and knead until the dough forms a ball,
- Lightly oil a large bowl, roll the dough to coat, cover with cloth.
- Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until double.
- Lightly oil bread pan and place loaf in pan. Mist tops with oil spray and loosely cover with plastic wrap.Proof again at room temperature for about 90 mins.
- Preheat oven to 400⁰F. Just before baking, you may garnish the loaves by misting the tops with water and sprinkling on poppy or sesame seeds.
- Bake for about 40 – 45 minutes. Bread should sound hollow if you tap from top with spoon
- Remove immediately from the pans and cool on a rack for 1 hour before serving.
- Tip: If you want your top more dark brown color turn your broiler on on hi for 8-10m