The Fresh Loaf

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Sourdough Date Bread w/Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Sourdough Date Bread w/Chocolate Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

  One of my favorite breads is my Sourdough Date Bread which was inspired by my good friend Khalid.  Since I recently picked up some fresh dates from the supermarket the other day I figured it was time to try it again but with some slight modifications.

I didn't buy enough dates so I had to reduce the amount used slightly which didn't seem to make that much of a difference.  I also used a higher percentage of French Style flour which I recently purchased from KAF.  I really love working with this flour so I wanted to use a higher amount than before while also removing the Spelt and Durum flour but keeping the freshly ground whole wheat.

The final change was to add some chocolate raspberry balsamic vinegar to bump up the flavors a little.  I thought this would add a little more sweetness to the bread and compliment the dates well.

The final bread came out excellent with a nice dark crust from the sugars in the dates and wonderful sweet and tangy flavor which goes well with just about anything.  The crumb was nice and moist as well.

Please note:  the dates are simmered in part of the water used for the main dough and instead of chopping them up  I just mushed them a little in the bowl which worked out fine.

CLOSEUP1

Sour Dough Date Bread Act 2.2 (%)

Sour Dough Date Bread Act 2.2 (weights)

Download BreadStorm .bun file here.

CLOSUP2

Levain Directions

Step 1

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.

Step 2

Mix the flour and water with all of the levain from step 1 and let it sit at room temperature again until it is doubled.  At this point you can either use it right away or put it in the refrigerator and use it the next 1 to 2 days.

Date Preparation

Make sure there are no pits in the dates and do not trust the package like I did which claimed they were pitted dates.  Simmer the dates in 226 grams of water until they are soft.  After you remove them from the heat, add 100 grams of cold water and let the dates sit until they come back down to room temperature.

 Main Dough Procedure

Mix the flours with the remainder of the water for about 1 minute.  Let the rough dough sit for about 20 minutes to an hour.  Next add the dates, butter and salt and mix on low for 2 minutes and speed #2 for another 2 minutes or by hand for about 6 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.  I made 1 large Miche for this bake.

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 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 450 degrees.  Bake for 35-50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 degrees.  (Note: since I made one large bread I needed to lower the oven further to 425 F. for about half of the baking time to prevent the crust from burning).

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.

CRUMB

CRUMBCLOSEUP

 

Comments

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

on this bread.  It has to be very tasty.  That crumb looks like a perfect sandwich bread too.  i would be tempted to grill it and make several different kinds of bruschetta for a snack or appetizer.  I usually don't put vinegar in bread but I do hve some wild berry balsamic from Napa Valley and a can of Blackberry Steel beer that might pair well with it in some kind of bread - Lucy will have to start working on a recipe.

Well done Ian

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks DA. I was very happy with this one. Look foward to seeing your version.
Happy Baking!

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

Looks wonderful! After a week of toasted date-walnut rye for breakfast (gotta keep it simple at the office), I'm hooked! The dates make for a sweet surprise and the crust baked up BOLD (my bad, neglected to reduce the oven temp and caught it just in time), Will definitely be exploring the combination again.

Nice bake - Enjoy!

PS - Also appears that T-Rex was on slashing duty at your house this week, too!  ;)

Cathy

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks Cathy. I love the sweetness the dates add to the bread and the addition of the balsamic added a nice flavor component.

Wasn't trying for the T-Rex look, as sometimes it just happens :)
Happy Baking

Mebake's picture
Mebake

 Mouth watering crust, and crumb. Very bold of you to aim for that shade of color, Ian. 

Very inspiring. Haven't tried dates in sourdough before. As always, outstanding bread, my friend.

Khalid

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thanks Khalid...hope you can try this soon.  I think you will enjoy it.

Hope your bakery project is moving ahead as planned.

Regards,

Ian

emkay's picture
emkay

Hi Ian, Your bread has a beautiful color to it. Both inside and out. Can you taste the vinegar? Or does it just add a slight tang to the bread? 

Mary

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Thank so much Mary.  

You can taste the added sweetness from the balsamic even with the dates.

Regards,

Ian

Kiseger's picture
Kiseger

Idea to add the balsamic, sounds fantastic.  Beautiful crust, wow this makes me really hungry!  Love the slashing too!  What a great success, as usual - am impressed!

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Appreciate your kind words.  Hope you can try this yourself one day.  It's worth it.

Regards

Ian