The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

A Heart as Black as Night

Anne-Marie B's picture
Anne-Marie B

A Heart as Black as Night

This sourdough loaf owes its colour to activated charcoal. I discovered this bread and heaps of information on the use of charcoal on Bake-Street.com and could not resist. My dough did not look dark enough to me. I thought it resembled window putty so I added 1/2 gram extra charcoal. I still thought it was too light but resisted the temptation to add black food colouring. It turned quite dark during baking, so I need not have worried. It is a tasty loaf with a good crust and soft as a cloud inside.

To decorate my loaf I cut a stencil with hearts from baking paper both because I love baking and, while preparing it, the radio played Melanie Gardot singing: Your Heart is as Black as Night. An appropriate title for this post. Don't leave out the black sesame. It really complements the taste of this bread. 

Recipe here:  https://bake-street.com/en/sourdough-charcoal-bread/

Comments

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

I remember seeing another black bread a few years ago and loved it. Yours is just beautiful.

Does the charcoal provide any flavour at all? 

Anne-Marie B's picture
Anne-Marie B

Thank you. The amount of charcoa in the recipe is so small, in my case 3 grams, that it does not provide any flavour.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Now Lucy wants to start making her own charcoal.  Oh My!

Well done and Happy baking

Anne-Marie B's picture
Anne-Marie B

I have all the faith in the world that she will be successful. I doubt that there is any bread that she cannot make although I can understand if she avoids hot dog rolls.

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

in virtual Metaverse 2.0

nmygarden's picture
nmygarden

Really spectacular, and the hearts truly seem to shine from the darkness. Thank you for sharing, and inspiring Lucy. She'll have to be watched closely for a while, especially around the woodpile.

 

bread1965's picture
bread1965

There's something oddly enticing about this loaf.. how does it taste?

Next time I'd consider skulls and hearts for the stencil.!! :)

 

Anne-Marie B's picture
Anne-Marie B

A very tasty loaf. We had to apply self-discipline to avoid eating it in one sitting. But now you have got me thinking, black loaf + skulls = halloween.