Espresso Flavored Smoked Onion Sourdough Bread

This bread is an adaptation of my Coffee flavored Rye bread I made a little while ago.  This time I tried to get a stronger coffee flavor so at the suggestion of my fellow "Mad Scientist" bread baker DA Brownman, I added espresso powder to the recipe.  I also increased the amount of onion since I wanted a more pronounced onion flavor in the final product.  If you are not a big onion fan, feel free to lessen the amount or leave it out.  I also added some Durum Semolina flour just to make it interesting.

The final result was a nice chewy, bread with a pretty strong onion flavor and a pronounced coffee flavor.

For a time I was worried that the bread would end up a disaster since my refrigerator is not working properly.  The dough almost blew the lid off of my dough rising bucket due to the higher temperature in the refrigerator, but instead of letting it sit out for 2 hours before forming it into loaves I skipped that step and the end results were excellent.

Ingredients

15.5 ounces 65% Hydration Starter Refreshed (I use a AP flour starter.  I refreshed the night before, left it out at 70 degrees room temperature for 8-9 hours and then put in refrigerator)

15 oz. Water  90 degrees F.

9 ounces Bread Flour (KAF)

4 ounces Pumpernickel Flour

4 ounces Durum Flour

2 ounces Whole Wheat Flour

1.5 ounces  Barley Flakes

1 ounce Wheat Germ

4 ounces Smoked Onions (I smoked a whole onion on my barbecue and cut it into 1/2" pieces when it cooled)

2 1/2 Teaspoons Espresso Powder

2 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon Pistachio Oil

Directions

Using your stand mixer or by hand, mix the water with the starter to break up the starter.

Add the flours, and oil and mix on the lowest speed for 2 minutes.  Let rest for 15 minutes

Now add the salt and onions and mix for 4 minutes more on medium speed, adding more flour if necessary to produce a slightly sticky ball of dough.

Remove dough to your lightly floured work surface and do a stretch and fold and then  form a ball.

Leave uncovered for 15 minutes.

Do a stretch and fold and form into a ball again and cover with a clean moist cloth or oiled plastic wrap.

After another 10- 15 minutes do another stretch and fold and put into a lightly oiled bowl that has enough room so the dough can double overnight.

Leave the covered dough in your bowl at room temperature for 1.5 to 2 hours and then put it in your refrigerator overnight or up to 3 days.

When ready to bake the bread, take the bowl out of your refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.  After 2 hours shape the dough as desired being careful not to handle the dough too roughly so you don't de-gas it.  Place it in your bowl, banneton or shape into baguettes.

Let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours covered with oiled plastic wrap or a wet cloth.

Pre-heat oven with baking stone (I use one on bottom and one on top shelf of my oven), to 500 degrees F.

Slash loaves as desired and place empty pan in bottom shelf of oven.

Pour 1 cup of very hot water into pan and place loaves into oven.

Lower oven to 450 Degrees and bake for 25 - 35 minutes until bread is golden brown and internal temperature reaches 200 degrees.

Let cool on cooling rack and enjoy!

Feel free to visit my other blog at www.mookielovesbread.wordpress.com for some of my older posts.