The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Kamut Pecan French Buttermilk Bread

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Kamut Pecan French Buttermilk Bread

       Following on the path of my West Coast baking friends DA and Lucy, I was inspired to make a mostly white bread with a few twists.  I had not used Kamut for a while, so in went some fresh milled and sifted once with a #40 sieve into the mix along with a high percent of pecans and a healthy dose of buttermilk.

The dough was very hydrated coming in at just under 85% hydration but was still very manageable to shape.  I decided to follow the resident baguette expert at TFL Mr. Donnie Bags and shape part of the dough into the aforementioned shape.

Download the BreadStorm File Here.

The dough baked up nicely with a nice golden brown crust and yellow open and chock full of nuts crumb.  A great bread for some cheese or brushed with  fresh olive oil and grilled.

Levain Directions

Mix all the Levain ingredients together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled.  I usually do this the night before.  Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours,  and the buttermilk together in your mixer or by hand until it just starts to come together, maybe about 1 minute.  Let it rest in your work bowl covered for 60 minutes or longer.    Next add the salt, starter (cut into about 7-8 pieces), and the water, and mix on low for 5 minutes.  Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds.  Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold.  Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold.  After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours.  (If you have a proofer you can set it to 78 degrees and follow above steps but you should be finished in 1 hour to 1.5 hours).

When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Remove the dough and shape as desired.   Place your dough into your proofing basket(s) and cover with a moist tea towel or plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.  The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature.  Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.

Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees F. and prepare it for steam.  I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf.  I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.

Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.

After 1 minute lower the temperature to 465 degrees.  Bake for 25-35 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 210 degrees.

Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.

Now for something completely different for those of you who are interested!  Some late spring garden photos for your viewing pleasure.

Comments

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

The romantic "French Buttermilk" in the name for your bread, and generous handfuls of pecans (don't they look so cool in cross section?) drew me in, but it was your clematis and hostas that sealed the deal! I had to comment. Your garden is lovely, as it is each year, thank you so much for sharing with us!

You come up with delightful combinations in your breads, and inspire us. Grilled, and with cheese and fruit, and a glass of wine, will be perfect! Enjoy every bite and all the compliments you'll surely receive.

Tillie and Daisy send their best to your menagerie!

Cathy

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Always appreciate your comments. Glad you like the garden photos.  I'm so far behind this year with the gardening as the weather has been dreadful this spring.

I was very happy with how this bread turned out.

Max, Lexi and the kitty cats give their regards to Tillie and Daisy too!

Happy Baking and Gardening.

Ian

Elsie_iu's picture
Elsie_iu

The pecans look like flowers when you cut the bread that way! So beautiful. I might have to try adding them to my future bakes merely for how nice they look in bread :)

Your garden is screaming summer! The way the purple pink blends with the white on the edges of the flowers makes them really eye-catching. And leaves with that kind of shape and pattern only appear in artwork! 

I'm sure the bread is soft and moist with the addition of buttermilk. Fantastic bake indeed!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Glad you like the post.  That is a cool description of the pecans....I love it :).

The garden is finally starting to come together.  I have a lot more to do to catch up.  Hopefully if the rain holds off today I can get my veggies planted and get some more perennials in the ground.

The bread is very tasty and the buttermilk definitely adds a nice softness and extra tang.

Happy Baking!

Ian

Yippee's picture
Yippee

I love the photos of your garden, Ian.  They bring so much life to your post. Your bread looks delicious, and I want to try the zig-zac scoring some day.  Thanks for sharing!

Yippee.

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Always nice to hear from you.  Glad you enjoy my garden photos.  It is a pleasure to share them with people who appreciate it :).  Hope to see some posts from you soon too!

Happy Baking!

Ian

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

and the bread looks lovely, the crumb soft.  Do you leave the pecan’s whole? I usually chop them first, so am intrigued by their appearance in the dough.

Happy baking Ian

Leslie

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Glad you like the bake.  I actually used my hands to break the pecans into pieces which is why they are a little big.  Usually I would use a hand chopper but decided to do it this way and it came out great.

Thanks for your comments.


Regards,
Ian

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

it is already beautiful.  The bread is killer though  Love that Donald J Baggs loaf the best but the scoring on the other one is very nice too.  They have to both taste great.  You do love the pecans!

Lucy says Hi to the 2 black ones and the 5 feline fur balls.  Happy baking Ian

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Just spent most of today getting raised beds in shape and planted the tomatoes, peppers and peas and carrots.  Cucumbers later in the week.  As I get older the gardening gets harder and harder :).  With all the rain we have had I'm still behind getting all the plants we bought planted as well as several other projects.  Still have to clean the deck and put up the screen house and clean the patio furniture...ugh.

Anyway, glad you like the bread.  I was very happy with the way the baggie came out and the taste was spot on.

Hope you had a nice weekend.

Happy Baking!

Ian

 

Ru007's picture
Ru007

I love the look of the pecans in the crumb, with the little purple tinge around the edges. 

It's funny how a lot of people like the idea of a mostly white bread but just can't resist adding a little twist (myself included).

I'm sure the bread was very delicious.

Well done Ian :)

Happy baking

Ru

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Glad you like the bake.  The pecans do add a nice pretty look to the bread and this one did taste great.

Happy Baking to you too!

Regards,
Ian

pul's picture
pul

Great bread and lush gardens! Congratulations

 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Glad you like them both ?.

Regards,

Ian

 

Cedarmountain's picture
Cedarmountain

Hi Ian,

First of all, I really enjoyed your opening photograph, not sure exactly what it is  but the whole thing just really appealed to me, it's beautiful!  Second, your bread is outstanding, as always, and with the pecans it must be delicious. I too am finishing up getting our garden in order and notice, like you, it seems a little harder to do each year!  Oh well, like bread baking, it's good for the soul and helps to keep things from seizing up.  Great bake Ian, well done...happy gardening, happy baking!

P.S. A couple of photos from the garden for your viewing pleasure....

 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I'm glad you like the photos and the bread.  Your garden photos are beautiful as well.  Love the last one with the big bee!  The peonies are blooming now and soon my favorite Echinacea.

Happy Baking and gardening to you too!

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

please post a photo!  I planted my first ones this last summer and now as we head into winter I will have to give them an ice side dressing as it is a bit warm here.  Hopefully next summer they will bloom. 

love the garden shots from both of you. 

happy baking

Leslie