During the lockdown, I’ve made this recipe twice. The first time, I got 2 small loaves out of it which were devoured within 2 days by my partner and I. The second time I made it, I doubled the amounts to create 2 big loaves to last us a bit longer. Well, it only lasted 1 day longer. The bread has a dense structure and ton of flavour due to the long fermentation process. It takes about 6-8 hours on baking day! If you don’t have that much time, you can add a bit of yeast. More information can be found on the bottom of the recipe.
Ingredients
Levain
* 20 grams of sourdough started, 100% hydration
* 80 grams of water, 20-25 °C
* 80 grams of wheat flour
Bread Dough
* The levain
* 315 grams of water, 20-25 °C
* 450 grams wheat flour
* 30 grams wholemeal (spelt)flour
* 30 grams rye flour
* 20 grams linseed (whole or broken)
* 20 grams sesame seeds
* 20 grams sunflower seeds
* 11 grams salt
Olive/Sunflower/Canola/Grapeseed oil to grease your hands and kitchen counter.
Instructions
Day prior to baking: Mix the levain with the flour and water. Leave it covered on room temperature between 10-24 hours.
Day of Baking
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl except salt.
Kneed it to a rough dough:
– StandMixer: ± 3 minutes
– By hand: ± 5 minutes – till well combined
Leave the dough for ± 20 minutes covered on room temperature
Add salt and knead till you have a coherent dough – you don’t need to do the window pane proof:
– Standmixer: ± 5 minutes
– By hand: ± 10-15 minutes
First Proof
Shape a ball out of the dough and leave it in a lightly greased bowl, covered with (greased) cling foil on room temperature for about ±45 minutes.
Fold the dough in the bowl by stretching out the top and fold it over the itself. Repeat with all sides, including the bottom. Turn the dough so all the seams are on the bottom and leave proofing for another 45 minutes. Confused? Check out this video for more information.
Fold the bread again and leave the bread to proof between 1.5-3 hours, depending on the room temperature.
The proof has finished when you press lightly the dough with a (wet) finger and the imprint stays visible.
Shape your bread
Pour your dough onto a greased kitchen counter or workspace and press out the air. Divide it into 2 equal parts and round them up, cover them and leave them for another ± 20 minutes.
You can then shape your doughs into either boule, batard or a rectangular bread.
If you’ve got a banneton, proof the dough in here, with the seams facing up.
You can also proof the dough on a baking tray with the seams facing down.
Always cover you dough with cling foil to avoid it from drying out.
Second Proof
Proof the dough for another ± 2-3.5 hours on room temperature. The proof is done when you press it with lightly with a (wet) finger and it slowly bounces back.
Preheat the oven 30-15 minutes prior to baking on 230 °C /210 °C (convection/fan forced) Bake a roasting pan with it and baking tray.
Final Bake
Turn the dough out of the banneton onto the hot baking tray, lined with baking paper. Score your dough quickly and put it into the oven. Pour ± 1.5 dl boiling water in the roasting pan and immediately close the oven door to trap the moisture.
Bake the bread for ±20 minutes. Remove the baking paper and the roasting pan if there’s any water left in it.
Lower the temperature with 20 °C if the crust is turning very brown.
Bake for another ±20 minutes and remove from the oven.
Transfer them directly onto a cooling rack and let them cool down completely before slicing a piece of heaven.
Instructions with yeast
Mix all ingredients in a bowl except salt and yeast. Knead for ± 3 minutes till a rough dough forms. Cover the bowl for ± 20 minutes. Add salt and 2.5 grams dried yeast. Knead ± 8-15 minutes (standmixer-hand) till a smooth dough comes to life and you pass the window pane test. 1st proof: ± 75 minutes. No folding necessary. 2nd proof ± 60 minutes. Bake as above.