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Sourdough Flaxseed Bread

Updated: Sep 25, 2023



Introducing our Sourdough Flaxseed Bread – a wholesome delight that combines the rich flavors of sourdough with the goodness of flaxseeds. Each slice offers a harmonious blend of tangy notes from the sourdough starter and the subtle nuttiness of flaxseeds. The crust of our Sourdough Flaxseed Bread is rustic and inviting, while the inside boasts a soft and airy crumb punctuated by the nutty flaxseed goodness. Savor the simple pleasure of our Sourdough Flaxseed Bread – where traditional flavors meet wholesome simplicity, one slice at a time.


Ingredients:

Levain:

  • 15g active sourdough starter

  • 25g bread flour

  • 5g whole grain flour

  • 30g water

Main Dough:

  • 300 g strong bread flour (90%)

  • 30g whole wheat flour (10%)

  • 66g levain (20%)

  • 6.6g sea salt (2%)

  • 257g water (78%)

Inclusions:

  • 1 small to medium size onion

  • 8-10 cloves of garlic

  • 1 Tsp olive oil

  • 1 tbsp rosemary herbs

Soaker:

  • 40 g flaxseed

  • 40 g water


Step-by-step instructions:


Step 1:

Toast the flaxseeds on low flame and then pour water over it. Then cover it and let it rest overnight.

Step 2: Prepare Levain-- Mix the ingredients for the levain 4-5 hours before making the main dough. Cover the mixture and let it rise in a warm spot until it doubles or triples in size and becomes bubbly. This can be done in the morning around 7 am.

Step 3:

Autolyse (Main Dough)-- In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and water to form a shaggy dough. Cover the bowl and let it rest (autolyse) for 1-2 hours. This resting period helps develop the gluten in the dough. You can start making the main dough around 10 am.

Step 4:

Mix the Levain-- Add the levain to the autolysed dough and mix well until fully combined. This should take a few minutes. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Step 5:

Mix in the Salt-- Add the sea salt to the dough and mix thoroughly until it becomes smooth. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 45 minutes.

Step 6:

Bulk Fermentation-- Perform coil folds: (Lamination) We will continue to develop gluten and strength to the dough by performing stretches and folds. Perform the first fold. Wet your hands and slide both hands under the dough and slowly lift it up letting the dough fold underneath itself. Repeat on all four sides, cover and rest for 45 mins. If you have any confusions regarding bulk fermentation, please visit the 'Bulk Fermentation-- Step by Step' page under 'Sourdough Basics.'

Step 7:

Lamination-- Spray your surface with water. Then with wet hands gently transfer the dough and stretch it to perform lamination. Lamination is the process of stretching the dough as thin as possible without tearing it. Then spread the flaxseeds all over the dough and then fold from all the sides. Then cover it and let it rest for 45 minutes. Repeat the coil folds three more times. After every coil fold, rest the dough for 45 minutes-1 hour. The total proof time will be 5-6 hrs. By the end the dough should become lighter and should see some bubbles on the surface

Step 8:

Shaping and Cold Proof-- Sprinkle flour on a banneton (bread proofing basket).

Clear a clean, flat work surface and lightly flour it to prevent the dough from sticking.


Pre-shape This step is essential to build tension in the dough and help it hold its shape.

  1. Gently turn your fermented sourdough dough out onto the floured surface.

  2. Fold the dough over itself, like a letter (top third down, bottom third up), to create a rough rectangle or oval shape.

  3. Let the dough rest for about 15-30 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap.

Final shaping

  1. Once the dough has rested, gently flatten it into a rectangle or oval shape again.

  2. Take one edge of the dough and fold it into the center.

  3. Take the opposite edge and fold it over the first fold, creating a cylinder shape.

  4. Gently roll the dough away from you, tucking and sealing the seam as you go. This rolling action will create surface tension on the dough.

  5. If you're using a banneton or proofing basket, dust it with flour and place the shaped dough inside, seam side up.

  6. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it undergo its final proofing. Cover it and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, then place it in the fridge for an overnight cold proof (10-15 hours). If you have any confusions regarding the shaping, please visit the 'Shaping-- Step by Step' post under 'Sourdough Basics.'

Step 9:

Bake- The next morning, preheat your oven with a Dutch oven or bread pan inside at 500°F/260°C for 1 hour. Take the bread out of the fridge and place it on parchment paper. Score the surface with a lame or a razor blade at a slight angle to allow for proper expansion during baking.


Carefully remove the preheated Dutch oven or bread pan from the oven, place the bread inside seam-side up, and cover with the lid. Bake for 20 minutes to trap steam. After 20 minutes, remove the lid, reduce the heat to 450°F/232°C, and bake for another 15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.


Step 10:

Cool and Enjoy- Transfer the freshly baked sourdough bread to a cooling rack and let it cool for at least an hour before slicing and savoring.


Notes: Keep in mind that specific timings and temperatures, as well as humidity, may vary depending

on the recipe, flour used, and your environment. These steps, however, form the basic process of making

sourdough bread. Happy baking!

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