The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Mixed fruits, nuts & seeds, and caraways sourdough

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Mixed fruits, nuts & seeds, and caraways sourdough

My herbal garden has been neglected since I started baking sourdough.  Occasionally I asked my son or my daughter to give the plants a drink. I have seen the bush turkeys in my yard a few times and was wondering what they were up to.  Yesterday morning I finally went and had a good look at my herbs.  My parsleys and mint are surviving but my rocket and cherry tomatoes are non-existent.  The bush turkeys!   I found my red-color garden tray covered in cob webs.  I brought it up to the kitchen for a clean.  Perhaps it will stay in my kitchen for a while now.

 

     

     Mixed fruits, nuts & seeds, and caraways sourdough

                                                                                                           

 

     

 

                                  

 

What I have learnt from this levain bread are these:

(1) David (or Anis Bouabsa)'s 21-hour (or at least 18-hours) retarding is well worth it.  To do a retarding of 7 - 8 hour is just not the same in crumb flavor achieved.  And toward that end, (a) slightly under-proofing the dough before going into the refrigerator is a good idea; and (b) the starter must be in tip top condition.

(2) Also, it's a good idea not to be tempted to using instant yeast when long retarding is involved.  As long as the starter is healthy, there is no need to use instant yeast simply because the dough is fully loaded with fruits and nuts, and seeds.  Unless we are very careful with the instant yeast quantity used, in the long retardation, the dough tends to rise then collapse. 

(c) As our tastes are more developed, the complex flavors from herbs and seeds (coriander seeds, caraways, etc) will be acceptable to our palate when mixed into the traditional combinations of breads as seen in this levain bread.

   

Shiao-Ping

Comments

ehanner's picture
ehanner

It looks beautiful Shiao-Ping. How is it eating it? It looks hearty and sweet at the same time.

Eric

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

No, it's not sweet, and yes, it is very hearty.  I soaked a good quantity of flax seeds and alfalfa seeds in hot water 15 - 20 minutes before adding them in.  I love the roasted hazelnuts.  You can't see it but there were one and a half medium size mangos mashed up in there too.  Mangos just get lost in there, sort of not worth it; just a try.

JoeVa's picture
JoeVa

Really impressive bread! So rich and fruity!
Giovanni

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Every year around this time I love to make stollen, but this year I decided to make sourdough version of it and I think this is healthier than stollen (not that it matters to me).

Salome's picture
Salome

Do you remember the fruit-seeds-flour ratio? It looks stuffed! =) If I wouldn't just have had big breakfast I'd probably sobber over my laptop.

Salome

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

Stiff starter (50% hydration) = 100% final dough flour

Dried fruits and nuts = 100% flour

Mashed fresh mangos = 55% flour

Seeds = maybe 15% flour

overal hydration approx. 75% (with 65% of mangos counted toward hydration)

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

plain and another with butter and honey! Yum!

And the mango didn't come out... sorry for that.  Seems like a good fit flavor wise.  What about chopped green mango?  Rolled in a little sugar and dried a little bit.  

The crumb looks so inviting!  The outside reminds me of the market a few days ago.  I was staring at a large bag of pine nuts rolling the bag in my hands dreaming of breads to be. 

The more I look at the pics, the more I can see a tropical Christmas with ice tea and cold cider served up with your lovely bread.  Or with cold chicken, picnic style! (With mango pickles!)

Mini

Shiao-Ping's picture
Shiao-Ping

... my next dream is with mangos... but not with tea, but a thick frothy Australian flat white (coffee)!

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Yummm, very savory looking.. well done... and very healthy there Shiao-Ping..