The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Spelt Whole Wheat Rice Ricotta Bread

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Spelt Whole Wheat Rice Ricotta Bread

Since I started my new job in the big city I have not had a lot of time to bake.  Last weekend I found enough time to whip this one together.  I used mostly freshed milled and sifted flours for this bake and added a little KAF Bread flour for some extra strength.  I have grown to love adding cooked rice to the bread.  You don't taste the actual rice but it adds a great texture to the crumb and helps promote softness as well.  The ricotta cheese also helps create a soft and moist crumb which this one certainly had.

This one makes a perfect sandwich, grilled bread or simply some toast with cheese or butter.  The nutty flavor of the Spelt goes great with the whole wheat and makes a flavorful bread.

I used black smoked sesame seeds for the top to give it a little extra flavor.

Here are the Zip files for the above BreadStorm files

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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 used my proofer set at 83 degrees and it took about 4 hours.   You can use it immediately in the final dough or let it sit in your refrigerator overnight.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours  and the water for about 1 minute.  Let the rough dough sit for about 20 minutes to an hour.  Next add the levain, Ricotta Cheese, rice and salt and mix on low for 5 minutes.  You should end up with a cohesive dough that is slightly tacky but very manageable.  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.  (Since I used my proofer I only let the dough sit out for 1.5 hours before refrigerating).

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.

The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature and will only rise about 1/3 it's size at most.  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 540 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.

Lower the temperature to 450 degrees.  Bake for 35-50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 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.

 

Comments

DesigningWoman's picture
DesigningWoman

You may have less time to bake, but when you do, you continue to turn out beautiful loaves. 

Sounds yummy, looks lovely. 

I took a page out of your book today and added a couple of handfuls of (over)cooked brown basmati rice to an improvised bake.  

You continue to inspire, so keep on baking. 

Carole 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I'm glad I can inspire you.  That means a lot :).

Let me know how your basmati rice bake turned out.  I hope you enjoy the addition of the rice as much as I do.

Happy Baking!

Ian

DesigningWoman's picture
DesigningWoman

I never got to taste the brown basmati rice loaves (grandson said the texture was "dense but voluptuous") , but here's this weekend's bake with Camargue red rice. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

Keep on baking,

Carole

Truth Serum's picture
Truth Serum

Lovely and creative.

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Glad you like it.  Appreciate your comments.

Happy Baking!

Ian

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I love the black sesame seeds on one of the loaves!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

The smoked sesame seeds are my favorite.  The other loaf had garlic sesame seeds which are also tasty.

Regards,

Ian

Elsie_iu's picture
Elsie_iu

It has a porridge-bread-like crumb :)  I wonder if you can detect any milkiness of the ricotta... Was it there merely for added-moisture? Oh, and smoked black sesame seeds are never a bad idea!

Speaking of porridge bread, it's been so long since I baked it. My next bake has to be a porridge loaf!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

The ricotta definetly make sure the crumb softer and moister.  If yiu haven't tried it yet I hope you do.  This is not quite as moist as a porridge bread but it's certainly tasty enough.

look forward to your next bake.

Regards,

Ian

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Those are banneton sprinkled lovely!   Wow!

 Been zooming in and around the crust.  Can't get enough.

Mini

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Nice to hear from you Mini.  Glad you like the bake.  It is a tasty one.

Regards

Ian

Yippee's picture
Yippee

It looks so delicious! I want to try it! ???

Yippee

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Not this time ?

MontBaybaker's picture
MontBaybaker

Ian, where do you find flavored sesame seeds?  Never heard of any sesame other than white or black.  

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Yiu can probably find them on Amazon too

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Batard, fancy do scoring, sandwich crumb, whole mixed grains cheese and now some rice recently.to replace the porridge.  Has to taste great.  Hope the new job goes well and cohorts like bread!

Freezing cold a few days ago with 47 F highs breaking the old record by 7 degrees and it will be 80 F next Tuesday.  Maybe the tomato plants will start setting tomatoes instead of looking good but doing nothing!

Lucy sends =her best to the Black Pack - she is outside sunning herself.

Happy baking Ian

 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Glad you like the bake.  This was a great sandwich bread.  Would have been a great grilled bread too but I ran out of gas and a big wind storm last week blew my grill and canopy over practically in my neighbors yard!

We are bracing for a snow storm tonight but I don't think it will be too bad.  It's been a pretty mild winter with a few cold spells but mostly above average for NY.  

About to cook some English Muffins.  Had to refrigerate the dough this morning as the wife wanted to get an early start this morning before the storm.

Job going well so far.  Starting to get the lay of the land so it should start getting crazy soon enough.

Glad Lucy is doing better ?.

Happy Baking,

Regards from Max, Lexi and the rest of the gang.