Senfbrot - Mustard Bread

10/7/18 This post has been updated to include a sourdough starter here

Facebook friend and co-baker David Wolfe asked me to help him understand some terms in a German recipe. Google translate (always good for a laugh!) is not too fluent in professional German baking lingo.

The formula, published by a German bakers' association, Bäko Gruppe Nord, seemed quite intriguing, combining rye meal and cracked wheat with mustard and cheese. The amounts, of course, were calculated for a commercial bakery (19 kg/43 lb), as were the instructions.

My curiosity was wakened, especially after I saw David's appetizing photos in his blog "Hearth Baked Tunes" so I downsized the formula for two small loaves.

The original recipe requires 16% of the white flour as preferment, all the remaining flour, including the coarse grinds, is worked into the final dough. The breads are baked "bei Brötchentemperatur" ("at roll temperature") - leaving hapless hobby bakers clueless as to what that might be.

But I don't donate for nothing to Wikipedia, a quick research at the German site showed me the light: the breads were to be baked at 465ºF/240ºC.

Since I'm a friend of long fermentation (also from a physician's point of view,) I re-wrote the procedure from using just a small amount of preferment,  to preferment plus soaker for the coarse ground rye and wheat, as well as an overnight bulk fermentation.

I can honestly say I never noticed a difference between adding the salt with all the other ingredients, or adding it later to the almost finished dough, as the recipe stated. Peter Reinhart (my guru) mixes everything together at the same time, and I do, too.

For the cheese you can choose between Gouda or Tilsiter. I don't care for stinky cheeses, so I went for the Dutch. Though the recipe didn't specify what kind, I was sure that middle aged cheese (18-month) would work better, as I use it for gratins. Young Gouda is too mild, and really old Gouda unnecessary expensive.

I was very pleased with the result, a beautiful red golden bread, covered with seeds, with a pleasant spiciness, but not too much. It tasted great with cold cuts, and was a wonderful surprise when toasted: a bread with in-built grilled cheese!

The crumb has a nice yellow color from the mustard

SENFBROT - MUSTARD BREAD  (2 small loaves)

 Preferment

140 g/5 oz bread flour

  84 g/3 oz water

    1 g/ 1/4 tsp. instant yeast

    2 g/0.12 oz salt

Soaker

104 g/3.7 oz wheat meal, coarse

  70 g/2.5 oz rye meal

130 g/4.4 oz water

    3 g/0.12 oz salt

Final Dough

all preferment

all soaker

556 g/19.6 oz bread flour

  15 g/0.5 oz instant yeast

  16 g/0.6 oz salt

408 g/14.3 oz water

  66 g/2.3 oz mustard

122 g/4.3 oz middle aged Gouda (18 month old), coarsely grated or cut in chunks

 mustard for brushing

sunflower or pumpkin seed for topping (I used pumpkin seed)

After shaping the loaves are brushed with mustard - I used a medium-hot one from Düsseldorf

DAY 1:

In the morning, mix preferment and soaker. Leave at room temperature until using.

In the evening, mix all final dough ingredients at low speed (or by hand) for 1 - 2 minutes, until all flour is hydrated. Let rest for 5 minutes, then knead at medium-low speed (or by hand) for 6 minutes, adjusting with a little more water or flour, if necessary (but beware: dough should be somewhat sticky, clearing only sides of bowl, but stick to bottom!)

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled work surface. With oiled hands, stretch and pat it into a square, first fold top and bottom in thirds, like a business letter, then do the same from both sides.

Gather dough into a ball, place seam side down into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Repeat S & F 3 times, at 10 minute intervals. After last fold, place dough in lightly oiled container with lid and refrigerate overnight. (I divide the dough at this point already in halves, and refrigerate them in two containers.)

DAY 2:

Remove dough from fridge 2 hours before using.

Preheat oven to 465ºF/240ºC, including baking stone and steam pan. Place seeds for topping on a plate.

Shape dough into 2 boules, brush them with mustard, and then roll them in sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Place breads, seam side down, on parchment lined baking sheet, and proof, until they have grown 1 1/2 times their original size.

Bake for 15 minutes, steaming with 1 cup of boiling water. Remove steam pan, and rotate breads 180 degrees.

Reduce temperature to 210ºC/410ºF,  and continue baking for another 25 minutes, or until breads are a deep reddish brown, sound hollow when thumped at the bottom, and register at least 200ºF/93ºC.

Let breads cool on a wire rack.

After brushing the loaves with mustard, they are rolled in pumpkin seeds.

Submitted to YeastSpotting