Cranberry, raisin, pecan and cinnamon sourdough
I took my inspiration for this loaf here. I changed it slightly and used my usual way of making bread but I was not aware that cinnamon impeded the yeast action! My bulk rise took 9 hours at cool room temperature! I never did get the dough to double but it rose to about half again the original volume. After shaping and putting it in bannetons, I let the loaves rise for an hour on the counter before putting them in the fridge for the night. The next day, I let them rise more on the counter for another couple of hours. The loaves are a bit flat but boy, are they delicious. Next time, I will greatly increase the amount of preferment flour and see if that makes a difference. I will also put the dough in the oven with the light on instead of using the counter. Hubby was making ribs so the oven was not available for my usual proofing box.
Here is the recipe:
1. Soak 250 g of dried cranberries, 150 g of raisins, 60 g of butter in 240 g of hot water. Let cool.
2. Autolyse all of the above with 500 g water, 650 g unbleached flour, 302 g fresh milled Selkirk wheat, 8 g cinnamon, and 200 g of pecan halves.
3. Mix in 16 salt, 266 g of 80% levain and 50 g water.
4. Do four sets of folds a half hour apart and let bulk ferment. I like it let it go till it is doubled but 9 hours later, the best I got was 1.5 the original volume.
5. Preshape, let rest a few minutes and do final shape. Put into baskets and let rise on the counter for an hour before retarding them in the fridge overnight. The next morning, let rise for another couple of hours on the counter before baking in preheated dutch ovens. I like to bake them till fairly dark and an internal temperature of at least 205 F.
I will redo these and hopefully, I get a better oven spring next time.
Comments
My understanding is that cinnamon inhibits fermentation, but all those solids may have had a bigger impact on oven spring. All those little alveoli in the crumb imply good fermentation.
I've not made a sourdough cinnamon bread. How was the flavor?
David
I have devoured a quarter of the loaf all by myself. I tried one slice with butter and to be honest, I prefer it "nature". The butter muted the flavours.
I did wonder about the weight of the ingredients since the recipe called for way more add-ins than what I usually put in. I might reduce those a bit as well.
Wow, another awesome application of cranberries which I have to try. I have never used cinnamon in my sourdough breads so far so following your recipe will be my first try. I will be testing this after return from holidays.
Well done Danni and happy baking!
Joze
I have used Peter Reinhart's recipe for years and have yet to find one better. Suggest you try it.
Seriously, this one looks so loaded with goodies that I would have to agree with you that adding butter or any other topping would just detract from it. Definitely one to be savoured as is!
So nice to see that you got a bit of time to enjoy some baking - and especially that you got to play with some recipes that were on your "list". You might consider using either the microwave with a cup of steaming hot water, or a cooler with a hot-water bottle, or heating pad, or cup of hot water as an alternative to your oven-with-light when you let your hubby steal your fermenting time! It wouldn't be feasible when you're doing one of your multi-loaf bakes, but the microwave works great for just one or two...
Now - must note that cinnamon means "takes much, much longer"...
Nice job!
The bread looks so tasty! I made a similar loaf for years that I called "Breakfast Bread". We ate it every day but the trend finally faded. The only major difference was that instead of cinnamon, I used cardamom and coriander and the nuts were walnuts.
My SD culture is not sour so it did not impart any sourness. I also found that red wheat contributed greatly to the flavor profile, esp. when it was home-milled. White WW just didn't taste right.
As for technique, I always used a preferment (1 c flour,1 c water,2-4 tbsp. active starter matured for 3-6 hours) and I often made the complete dough up after our evening meal, put it into an oiled container overnight and into the refrigerator. It was usually almost or completely fermented by the next AM and if not, finished on the counter. I use this method for most of my WW doughs so they hydrate well.
Enjoy delicious bread!
I had the same experience making Cinnamon Raisin Bread with only a modest amount of add-ins. Like salt, cinnamon is an anti-fungal, but I love the flavor of cinnamon throughout the loaf! I might try extra yeast next time.
Looks chock-full of goodies to me! With all those tasty treats packed inside I think you got just the right amount of lift.
Happy Baking!
Ian
I can see why you would devour half of that one; it looks delicious! So much goodness in one loaf. :)
I make a couple of breads with fruit, nuts and spices, and I know one is supposed to develop the dough first before adding cinnamon and fruit/nuts, but that's just a pain, isn't it? I guess it's a tradeoff between lighter texture / better gluten / better rise and the ease of adding everything right at the beginning. But this loaf looks very edible and lovely so no need for the grief of trying to fold fruit and nuts into mostly-finished dough.
I am mid-S and F with your posted formula...a few changes only. Will definitely look forward to the taste. I left out the cinnamon completely. As noted above it is best I guess to do it as a flavored swirl rolled up in the bread. I like to mix brown sugar,cinnamon and butter and spread it on the flattened bread and roll tightly.
As to your other bread with the orange flower water. I started using that when I got Bernard Clayton's book. He has a Pogne de Roman recipe that is simply outstanding. I have posted it on TFL many years ago so the pictures are still there I believe. It is a very rich brioche type dough with a very pronounced orange flower water flavor. Most folks either love it or despise it LOL ! We happen to love it and when toasted it is a remarkable flavor. So glad to see your posts after my long absence from TFL while traveling. Look for to scrolling backwards on TFL to see what I have missed. c