The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Multi-grain Sourdough with Figs, Walnuts, Whey and 4 Seeds

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Multi-grain Sourdough with Figs, Walnuts, Whey and 4 Seeds

We took last week's more tame bake and decided to gussie it up some.  There is just no way to hold my apprentice back when it comes to gussieness.  She decided to add some walnuts and re-hydrated black mission figs (one of our favorite combinations for fruit and nuts in bread) and some pumpkin and sunflowers seeds

 

These new additions went along with last week’s ground sesame and flax seeds, Toadies, red and white malts and VWG.  We cut back on some of the whey and white whole wheat flour and replaced them with more water and our special mix of 75% extraction home ground flour consisting of 25% rye, 25% spelt and 25% Kamut and 25% farro.

  

Since we again used the 25% sifted out bran portion to feed a smaller levain, we ended up with 85% whole grain bread instead of 100% like last week.  With all the fruit, nut and seed additions, I didn’t honk that Lucy would notice that some of the whole grain was missing.  We need some sifted bran and middlings for the next batch of Toadies.

 

Even though the 85% hydration was the same as last week’s bake the dough felt more wet and sticky.  This was probably due to some of the whole gain missing and that the re-hydrated figs may have carried some extra water with them.  In any even the dough was more slack for sure and hopefully this will open the crumb some more and still provide proper lift.

  

We followed a similar method to last week with one exception. We built the levain on Tuesday instead of Wednesday so that it could sit in the fridge for 48 hours to get more sour.  Since all of the whole grain bits were in the levain we autolysed the dough flours for 3 hours while the levain was warming up and finishing in final doubling.  The levain was refrigerated when it showed a 25% volume increase after the 3rd feeding.

  

We did 12 minutes of slap and folds since the dough felt slacker.  We incorporated the ground sesame and flax seeds, along with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, during the first set of (3) S&F’s that were performed 20 minutes apart.  The figs and the walnuts went in on the 2nd set and by the end of the 3rd set everything was well distributed.

 

After a short 15 minute rest the dough was pre-shaped and then shaped into a short squat batard to fit our oval basket and then it was placed into a used trash can liner and immediately retarded in the fridge for 20 1/2 hours.  It wasn’t quite were we wanted it when it came out of the fridge so we let it warm upon the counter an hour.

 

The dough was then un-molded on the parchment covered mini broiler top, slashed and  placed into the 500 F preheated mini oven that was steaming with 2 of Sylvia’s steaming cups and a ¼ cup of water thrown into the bottom of the mini oven as the door was closed.  Three minutes later we turned the oven own to 475 F.

 

We let the bread steam for 16 minutes before removing Sylvia’s steam generators and turning the oven down to 425 F, convection.   We rotated the bread every 5 minutes and in 25 minutes the bread tested 203 F when it was removed to a cooling rack.  So, this time the total bake was 41 minutes.

 

The bread bloomed OK but didn’t spring that much.  It might have been over proofed a little bit. It must have been that extra half and hour in the cold.  It browned well and had the crust that the mini oven puts on bread nearly every time but without the blisters.  The kitchen smelled like bake day for sure even without any aromatic seeds in the mix  - I knew my apprentice forgot something!

This bread is one that you won't forget.  Earthy, nutty, seedy, with a hint of sweet figs.... just plain tasty.  The crust is boldly baked, thick and it stayed crunchy too.  the crumb is soft moist and fairly open for a near whole grain bread with lots of stuff in it.  If you are all alone on a deserted island, this is the bread you want to have in your knapsack.  It made one of the tastiest grilled chicken sandwiches with the typical fruits and veggies, some pickled veg from the sausages last night and a slice of brie - Yummy!

Formula

Brunch with this bread the next morning.  Delicious!

 

Build 1

Build 2

 Build 3

Total

%

Multigrain SD Starter

10

0

0

10

2.27%

25% Extracted Bran

20

30

32

82

18.59%

Water

20

30

32

82

18.59%

Total

50

60

64

174

39.46%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Multigrain SD Levain

 

%

 

 

 

Flour

87

19.73%

 

 

 

Water

87

19.73%

 

 

 

Hydration

100.00%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Levain % of Total

16.14%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dough Flour

 

%

 

 

 

75% Extraction Multigrain

254

57.60%

 

 

 

White Whole Wheat

100

22.68%

 

 

 

Dough Flour

354

80.27%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salt

8

1.81%

 

 

 

Whey 135

327

74.15%

 

 

 

Dough Hydration

92.37%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Flour

441

100.00%

 

 

 

Whey 135 & Water

414

93.88%

 

 

 

T. Dough Hydration

93.88%

 

 

 

 

% Whole Grain Flour

85.41%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hydration w/ Adds

86.07%

 

 

 

 

Total Weight

1,078

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add - Ins

 

%

 

 

 

Red Malt

5

1.13%

 

 

 

White Malt

5

1.13%

 

 

 

Toadies

15

3.40%

 

 

 

Ground Flax & Sesame Seeds

25

5.67%

 

 

 

Re-hydrated Figs

75

17.01%

 

 

 

Walnuts

25

5.67%

 

 

 

Pumpkin 25 & Sunflower Seeds

50

11.34%

 

 

 

VW Gluten

15

3.40%

 

 

 

Total

215

48.75%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

75% extraction multi-grain is: 25% kamut,

 

 

 

 25% Farro, 25%, spelt & 25% rye

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

bruneski's picture
bruneski

... looking bread, mon cher! Very interesting recipe!

I wonder how good it tastes!

Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

shots up after you posted.  After lunch i had to go back a eat a slice..... just plain.... pure heaven. Like eating a good steak - meaty, earthy, a tinge of sweetness when you hit a fig, and nutty too.  A whole meal in a bite.  You would like this one,

Happy baking,

evonlim's picture
evonlim

indeed, i love this kind of bread. fresh figs in season now. just had one big grilled fig with balsamic on a toasted sourdough bread with blue cheese and walnuts. satisfying.

happy baking

evon

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

ingredient that my apprentice has never used in bread and it would go well with figs and walnuts....nothing like another natural bacteria to throw in the pool....next time!

This bread is very healthy and I cant wait to have it for brunch today.  Satisfying is the perfect word for this bread - it hits all the buttons,

Glad you like the bread Evon - Happy baking

bakingbadly's picture
bakingbadly

Goodness, that looks delicious and nutritious! I can almost smell its deep, roasty aroma, too. Definitely my kind of bread.

As usual, very nice baking.

Zita

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

ribs bread for sure.  It is what we look for in a bread that is a meal in itself - this one might be 2 meals:-)  It was a fun bake where you get to do lots of different techniques.  A good bread to build bread skills and test out bread theories .

Thanks Zita and happy baking.

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I love this one DA.  That crumb looks heavenly, moist and chock-full of hearty goodness.  Put another notch in the belt for this bake!

Great bake.

Ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

another hole in the belt to let it out some :-) This bread has it all.  The crumb went chewy today but it was crunchy thick yesterday, the crumb just the way we like it with that earthy a deep SD taste.  Can't get enough of it,  i kept going back for another piece just to eat plain on its own.  Very healthy too.  Lucy says hi to Max and is very jealous that she doesn't get to go to the beach for fun in the sun :-)  Glad you like the bread Ian  and

Happy baking

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Max says "Woof" "Woof" to Lucy and wishes she could come play with him on the beach.  Max says you have plenty of sand by you....just no oceans....but plenty of places to poop in the sand anyway :).

Working on some kind of rye..have not decided yet exactly what I will do but the rye starter is ready to go....

Regards,
Ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Mini Oven's 100% whole grain rye at 104% hydration and then bake it pumpernickel style after doing a 12 retard on it.  Lucy doesn' like sand or water at all really but she does want to keep up with baking apprentices everywhere like Max who had sand on his nose.

Wingnut's picture
Wingnut

Now that is a bold bake! 

Cheers,

Wingnut

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

baking in the mini oven with 'Sylvia's Mega Steaming Cups' puts a crust on bread like no other oven - except WFO's.  The mini's heating elements are so close to the bread surface top and bottom that no stone is needed to get a very bold bake on  both sides.  The MagnaWare Magnalite Turkey Roaster with bottom insert for added water is the other way to get killer crust but it won't in the mini by a long shot,

Happy baking Wing!

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

Chock full of goodness. I am making my kefir cheese all the time now and have quarts of whey so it is going in almost everything. I find it is a delicious addition. Your photos are pure pleasure. c

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

freeze it or,better yet, make ricotta with it too.  Nothing like getting 2 cheeses from the same liquid.  I put it in everything too.....mash potatoes with whey are very nice too - no need for sour cream.  Great in creamed corn too.  Whey is very versatile but there sure seems to be plenty of it :-)

We love this bread.  Very tasty and sour!  Glad you like the photos.  I was reading a piece on AOL that people who take pictures of their food are mentally ill and need to see a shrink immediately.  Well,  I think people are insane and there is no shrink who is ever going to fix that:-)

Happy Baking trailrunner - glad to see your home baking business off the ground

gmabaking's picture
gmabaking

With the figs there looks like just enough sweetness to fill out the meal in a slice, or maybe one for the meal and one for the dessert. What a grand bread this one is! Glad to hear that the photo takers of their food are communally mentally ill. Kind of reassuring to be part of such a nice group! Diane posted pictures of my first (albeit timid) attempt at blending flours. They are added onto the coiled challah experiment from last week.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

take pictures of their food eat way better than most, are great to visit because the food is good and the company they keep is worth the effort.   Your bread came out so well....glad it was tasty.  Just think, only another million ingredient combinations to try out and nearly half of them are just as tasty :-)  Once the experimentation bug bite the next thing you know you are looking for ingredients in auto part stores like Ian.  I have to admit that I actually found some at Checkers not long ago and was waiting to spring them on him when he least expects it!

Glad you liked the bread Barbra, it is tasty..... and Happy baking 

Skibum's picture
Skibum

. . . magnificent and complex dabrownman creation!!!  I can sense another multigrain boule with walnuts and sunflower seeds coming up.  Your wicker baskets really produce a pretty result and I wish I could find some here. As usual a complex formula, lots of patience, beautiful bread and great photography.  

My current project is Floyd's blueberry cream cheese bread but with a sourdough starter and I have strawberries, cherries and blueberries for filler.  Next stop an the SD bus to flavour town will be SD cinnamon buns . . .

Happy baking and thanks for getting me going on the road to sourdough baking.  I am loving the journey!

Best regards and happy baking!  Brian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

attention on TFL was Floyd's Blueberry CC Braid.   So I made some puff paste instead and subbed blackberries and raspberries for the blue berries and it turned out very well - so I was hooked.  Still haven't made it to his formula though bit my apprentice has a hard time with the English language and following even the simplest directions of any kind,:-)

I get the baskets at Goodwill on half price Thursdays they cost no more than 75 cents.  If they have a thrift store near you, you can find incredible bargains for baking equipment there.

You would like this bread Ski.  Now that you are hooked on SD we will get you excited about YW too.  I use it for cinnamon rolls since tang isn't needed with all the sweet inside.  YW makes a fine addition for heavy breads when you want to open the crumb.  Nothing like another starter to take care of :-)

Glad you like the bread,  In is 5 minutes of work and hours of waiting, over and over again!

Happy baking Ski

evonlim's picture
evonlim

great tip!! thank u 

evon