The Fresh Loaf

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This week's baking 2-16-16: 5-grain Levain & Fig-Hazelnut Levain

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

This week's baking 2-16-16: 5-grain Levain & Fig-Hazelnut Levain

Hamelman's 5-Grain Levain is always a delight with a crunchy crust and moist crumb full of seedy goodness. Highly recommended. Specifically, take the no-added-yeast/cold retard overnight option. It truly does make an enormous difference in flavor - for the better.

The exuberant oven spring and bloom is characteristic of this bread.

 

The Dried Fig-Toasted Hazelnut Levain is a bread I made during the San Francisco Baking Institute Artisan II (Sourdough baking) workshop. Well, that was a Raisin-Walnut bread, but every combination of a dried fruit and a toasted nut I have tried so far has made a delicious bread. Here's the formula and procedures:  

Total Formula

Baker's%

Wt. (g)

AP Flour (11.7% protein)

71.57

383

Whole Wheat Flour

19.77

106

Rye Flour (Medium rye)

8.66

46

Water

67.62

362

Yeast (Instant)

0.08

1

Hazelnuts (toasted, peeled & chopped)

15.81

85

Dried Calmyrna figs (diced and rinsed)

19.77

106

Salt

2.13

11

Total

205.41

1100

 

Firm Levain

Baker's%

Wt. (g)

AP Flour (11.7% protein)

95

77

Rye Flour (Medium rye)

5

4

Water

50

40

Active firm starter

60

48

Total

210

169

  1. Dissolve the firm starter in the water.

  2. Add the flours and mix and knead until there is no visible dry flour.

  3. Shape into a ball. Place in a clean bowl. Cover tightly.

  4. Allow to ferment overnight (12 hours at room temperature).

  5. Toast hazelnuts, at 300ºF Convection (or 325ºF bake) for 16 minutes. Allow to cool then peel and place in a jar or bowl and cover.

  

Final Dough

Wt. (g)

AP Flour (11.7% protein)

275

Whole Wheat Flour

106

Rye Flour (Medium rye)

42

Water

305

Yeast (Instant)

1

Hazelnuts (toasted)

85

Dried Calmyrna figs (diced)

106

Salt

11

Firm Levain

169

Total

1100

Procedures

  1. Pour the water into the bowl of a stand mixer.

  2. Add the flours and mix with the paddle attachment at slow speed until a shaggy mass is formed. The dough should be medium soft.

  3. Remove the paddle. Scrape the dough together. Cover the mixer bowl and let it rest for 20-60 minutes.

  4. Cut the hard stems off the dried figs. Cut the figs into medium dice (about the size of raisins). Place the diced figs in a fine sieve and run water over them, mixing them with your fingers and separating the pieces stuck together. Place the sieve over a bowl to drain until ready to mix the figs into the dough.

  5. Sprinkle the salt and the yeast over the dough. Add the firm levain in several pieces. Mix with the hook attachment at slow speed for 1 or 2 minutes, then increase the speed to Speed 2 and mix for 5-8 minutes. D.D.T. is 78-80ºF.

  6. When moderate gluten development has been achieved, scrape down the dough. Add the figs and nuts to the mixer bowl and mix with the hook at slow speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

  7. Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead it for a couple minutes to better distribute the nuts and figs. Then transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl and cover.

  8. Ferment for 2 hours at 76ºF with a stretch and fold at 60 minutes.

  9. Divide into two equal pieces and pre-shape as boules. Cover and let the gluten relax for 20-30 minutes.

  10. Shape as bâtards and place, seam-side up, in floured brotformen or onto a linen couche.

  11. Cover and proof for 90 to 120 minutes at 80ºF.

  12. Pre-heat oven to 500ºF with baking stone and steaming apparatus in place for 45-60 minutes before baking.

  13. Transfer loaves to a peel. Turn down oven to 460ºF. Score the loaves as desired. Steam the oven. Load the loaves onto the stone.

  14. After12 minutes, remove the steam source. If you have a convection oven, switch on the fan and reduce the temperature to 435ºF. Bake for 12-14 minutes more. The loaves are done when nicely browned, they sound hollow when thumped on the bottom and the internal temperature is over 205ºF.

  15. Optionally, leave the loaves on the baking stone with the oven turned off and the door ajar for another 8-10 minutes to further dry the crust.

  16. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before slicing.

Happy baking!

David 

Comments

pmccool's picture
pmccool

Beautiful to behold and a delight for the mouth.  Well done, David. 

Paul

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Nice new avatar!

David

pmccool's picture
pmccool

I got tired of seeing the old mug so I replaced with an even older (although more recent) mug.

Paul

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

Those are very nice! I am bookmarking your recipe. 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

If you make it, let us know how it turns out for you.

David

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

and I'm with you on the dried fruit and nut breads - seem they all satisfying and taste wonderful.  Would love to see the crumb on the 5 grain too!  You and Lucy are on the same page - she has a sprouted, 3 grain fig and pistachio bread in the works this week. Well done as usual and 

Happy baking David 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Ooooo ... Fig and Pistachio! Thank Lucy for me. I must make such a bread!

David

AlanG's picture
AlanG

I generally use Bob's Red Mill Dark Rye in my baking but see that they also have a 'Light Rye'  what did you use in baking this bread?  Thanks,

Alan

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

The medium rye I have now is from King Arthur Flour.

Rye flour terminology in the US is non-standardized. "Dark Rye" often means the rye equivalent of "First Clear" wheat flour. BRM Dark Rye is stone ground though. It is probably whole grain. I don't know what their "Light Rye" is. Is it the same as "White Rye?"

David

AlanG's picture
AlanG

@David, thanks for the clarification on which Rye flour you used.  Here is the link to the Bob's Red Mill variety that I mentioned:  http://www.bobsredmill.com/light-rye-flour.html  I don't know whether this clarifies or confuses the matter.

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

From the package description, it looks to be white rye flour.

David

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Both breads look beautiful David. 

Regards,

Ian

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

David