The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Soakers- using seeds

sholmes's picture
sholmes

Soakers- using seeds

While not new to baking, I am a bit of a novice making anything else other than basic white or wheat bread. I ordered several new books and thought I would try my hand at a Five-Grain Bead that calls for a soaker using flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin seeds and rolled oats. I have not been able to find in any of the books or on line if the seeds should be raw or roasted or if it matters. I have been assuming raw but I have learned not to assume anything in bread making ingredients. Also, I have been having a hard time finding fresh yeast in my local stores. If anyone knows how to go about finding some it would be appreciated. Thank you for any input or help with

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

roasted taste better

raw if using those particular seeds on the outside crust

roasted if going into the inside of the loaf

I keep raw and roasted on hand.  Keep seeds is a cool dark place and always taste first before tossing in.  Storing in the refrigerator will also give a longer shelf life.

For fresh yeast, ask the grocer, they should know if they carry it.  Where are you? You can also convert and use instant yeast.  About 1/3 the weight of fresh if I'm not mistaken.

Welcome to TFL

Mini

sholmes's picture
sholmes

Thank you for the help.

It calls for both inside in the soaker and then rolled before baked so Ill pick up both.

I'm just outside Charlotte NC. I have spoken to all my local grocers and they do not have it. I do have a bakery and small micro brew I was going to check next.

And thanks for the welcome. I'm looking forward to many new baking adventures.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

chia seeds for example can soak up many times their weight in water and it is better to really douse them before they steal all the water out of your bread

sholmes's picture
sholmes

The recipe I am using is from the book The Fundamental Techniques of Classis Bread Baking and it calls for using a soaker as a pre-fermentation combining the flax sesame sunflower pumpkin and oats (1 1/3 oz each) in 4 1/2 oz water for 12 hours. I have never made a bread with this soaker type method.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Make sure you use the ones without the hulls.  Not sure if you want accidental fibre in the dough.  A particular pumpkin grows with seeds that are without the tough outer shell and green.  Soaking helps prevent burning when baking.  

Soakers are fun, and they make the rest of the family ask questions.  My husband bought a lot of snack seeds and they are all roasted and salted.  For bread, I just rinse the salt and sugar off, let them stand in a sieve and toss them into the dough.  If they are very dry, I might soak them overnight before using.  

hanseata's picture
hanseata

No matter whether a recipe calls for it or not, I always roast seeds or nuts, before I add them to the dough. As Mimi said - they taste better.

Toasting them yourself is very easy, you don't have to buy them roasted. Just put them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stir and keep an eye at them so that they don't get too dark.

Happy baking,

Karin