Fig/Date & Walnut near-disaster

September 6, 2019 - 9:58am

Rhody_Rye

Fig/Date & Walnut near-disaster

This was inspired by Rushuyama's beautiful Fig & Walnut multigrain posted a few years ago here. I scaled the ingredients to 70% of the original to make one larger loaf. I didn't have any spelt on hand (we love spelt and it disappears) so subbed in some Kamut, used freshly and finely ground durum instead of semolina, and I added chopped date along with the chopped figs, since I didn't have enough of the latter. The durum, Kamut, and Red Fife were all freshly ground.

This is my second attempt at this loaf; first version (a boule) came out flattened on top owing to a mishap when flipping the dough from banneton to parchment lined peel. I flipped it without first removing the shower-cap cover on the banneton. D'ough! Had to then unflip it, then remove the cap, and re-flip it. The top of the dough stuck to the plastic. [This was a new mistake for me; hopefully I won't make it again!]. The bread was tasty, however.

This time I remembered to remove the plastic cover. BUT....when I opened the oven to remove the pre-heated oblong clay baker, gobs of smoke *billowed* out, choking me and setting off the smoke alarms. My husband had made pizza earlier that evening and been a little too enthusiastic with the sauce and cheese, which had overflowed onto the racks and bottom of the oven. There was *no* way I could bake with the oven in that condition. Unfortunately, I had already flipped the dough onto parchment and scored it. Again, there was unflipping and reflipping of the dough back into, then out of, then back into the banneton as I pondered my options. Much swearing and cursing ensued, in my head anyway. It all seemed to be a disaster, one comprised of high quality, freshly ground ingredients.

Long story short, my husband, a nurse, recognized my distress, sprang into action, scraped off the smoking gunk, reheated the oven and baker, and 20 minutes later I was able to bake the loaf. The results are excellent.

Note: I proofed the loaf on the counter for 45 minutes, then put it into the fridge for another 5 or so hours. I then baked it at 475 F in a pre-heated, covered clay baker for 30 mins, and at 450 degrees for 12 mins w/cover off.

Ingredients	(in grams)
Levain:	40	ripe starter
	25	WW flour
	25	bread flour
	50	water

Final Dough:	131	bread flour	25%
	131	AP	25%
	105	durum	20%
	78	red fife	15%
	53	kamut	10%
	26	rye	5%
	380	water	73%
	11	salt	2%
	95	levain	18%
	1009
w/add-ins	65	figs/dates	30%
	90	toasted walnuts
Total weight	1164


Steps:
Day 1 (evening)
9:30 PM	Mix levain, let sit on counter until next AM. I used slightly less starter than
	the original calls for, hoping to slow things down a bit.
Day 2
8:25 AM	mix flours, 340 g water (I held back 40 g to mix in levain & salt). Autolyse 1 hr.
9:30 AM	Add levain, mix & let sit 20 mins. Use held-back H2O
9:50 AM	add salt w/held-back H2O, mix 5-6 mins
9:56 AM	fold in nuts and figs/dates
10:00 AM	bulk 4 hours, w/3 stretch and folds
10:30 AM	S&F 1
11:00 AM	S&F 2
11:30 AM	S&F 3
2:00 PM	Preshape and bench rest 30 mins
2:30 PM	Shape and proof on counter for 45 mins
3:15 PM	Place in banneton, cover, and into refrigerator
8:10 PM	Preheat clay baker in oven
8:40 PM	take dough out of fridge, remove plastic (!), flip onto parchment lined peel, score
8:41 PM	Discover oven is billowing smoke. Panic.
8:43 PM	Potentially damage gluten structure and scoring by flipping dough back into banneton.
	Panic, change mind, and reflip dough out of and back into banneton. Return to fridge.
8:44 PM	Despair. Open doors and windows to clear smoke and quiet alarms.
8:45 PM	Communicate dire situation to husband despite mute panic.
8:47 PM	Husband jumps into action and somehow fixes the situation in less than 20 minutes.
9:15 PM	Flip dough onto parchment. Re-score gently. Move to clay baker, bake @ 30 mins at 475
9:45 PM	Remove top, lower heat to 450 F.
9:57 PM	Remove loaf from oven, check temp, and leave to cool on rack overnight.