Walnut & cranberry loaf
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Makes 2 loaves
Making your starter (Levain) – 6 days process
Day 1- mix together – preferably with a fork at every feeding as listed below:
50 g rye flour
60 g lukewarm water
Note: Cover and place in a warm place for 24 hours (26°C to 30°C)
Day 2- mix together:
All mixture from day 1
25 g rye flour
25 g bread flour
60 g lukewarm water
Note: Cover and place in a warm place for 24 hours (26°C to 30°C)
Day 3 - mix together:
½ mixture from day 2
20 g rye flour
40 g bread flour
60 g lukewarm water
Note: Cover and place in a warm place for 24 hours (26°C to 30°C)
Day 4- mix together:
½ mixture from day 3
20 grLight rye flour
40 g bread flour
50 g lukewarm water
Note: Cover and place in a warm place for 24 hours (26°C to 30°C)
Day 5 and 6- mix together:
½ mixture from the day before
20 grLight rye flour
40 g bread flour
50 g lukewarm water
Note: Cover and place in a warm place for 24 hours (26°C to 30°C)
Making your bread - STEP 1 - base dough
Day 1 – 3-4pm start
600 g bread flour
120 g whole wheat flour
520 g warm water
15 g fine sea salt
1. Place all the ingredients in a stand-up mixer, and using the hook attachment, start mixing on low speed for a slow absorption of the water into the flour and to prevent the “flour cloud” it would create on higher speed!
2. When the water is absorbed and everything looks wet and sticky, increase to medium speed.
3. Mix until it pull away for the side and comes into a soft ball (or about 10-15 minutes) and that the dough is stretchy and has developed.
4. Remove from the machine and, with (wet) hands, shape a rough ball and place back into the same vessel (bowl of the stand-up mixer) but slightly on one side of the bowl so there is space to accommodate the starter (levain) mix from step 2 below.
STEP 2 – The Levain mix
220 g starter/levain
25 g walnut oil
40 g warm water
1. Mix the levain with the walnut oil first, then add the water. Mix well and place in the same bowl beside the base dough from step one, side by side, covered with a tea towel for about an hour,
2. After an hour, the levain mix should have risen by at least ½. Now, you can mix together with the base dough, using the hook again of the stand mixer.
3. Mix until it comes into a ball and work it on low speed for about 8-10 minutes for the dough to become stretchy and elastic and pull away from the side of the bowl. The dough may still be a little sticky so handle it with wet hands.
4. Transfer the dough into a large bowl (slightly wet with water as well) and cover, at room temperature, for about 3o mns or until the dough start rising.
5. Using wet hands, punch down the dough, fold in half, punch down again and fold in half again, reshape in round and cover again for another 30 mns.
6. Repeat this process two more times for a total of three punch-downs.
NOTE: The next set of punches will be to add the walnut & cranberry.
Step 3 - Adding the walnuts and cranberries to the dough
150 g walnut pieces
100 g dried cranberries
1. In a small bowl, mix the walnuts and cranberries together.
2. Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a slightly wet (water) table.
3. Punch the dough down and sprinkle with one quarter of the nut mix then fold and ¼ turn the down couple of time to seal the nut mix pieces.
4. Repeat the process 3 more time to add the remaining nut mix evenly for a total of 4 punches.
5. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover and place in the fridge (12-14 hours) for an overnight cold fermentation.
Day 2 – The shaping & the cooking
1. After 12-14 hours of cold fermentation, remove the dough from the fridge and place it on a floured surface (Bread flour only).
2. Using a bench scrapper, cut the dough in half and shape each halve by punching & folding, then rolling by hands to a desire rectangle shape.
3. Start to preheat your oven to 425F about an hour before baking time Place a baking stone (if available) or place a baking sheet (big enough to hold both loaves) in the oven to preheat as well.
Place a pot or a frying pan filled with hot water at the bottom of the oven to create the wet environment needed for the crust development.
4. Transfer each piece into a prepared Banneton basket (floured).
5. Cover each basket with a cloth of tea towel and allow the dough to come at room temperature. Keep covered until the dough has almost doubled in size; this may take up to 3 hours.
6. Gently flip each Banneton over a piece of parchment paper, removing the banneton slowly to keep each loaves’ shape and design.
7. Slash the dough, 2 -3 slashed across. Let stand for 10 minutes only. The dough is now ready to be baked.
8. Slide the dough with parchment paper on the hot stones or baking sheets and close the oven immediately.
DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN FOR AT LEAST 40 MNS.
9. After 40 minutes, the bread should be nicely colored and big but may (most likely) still feel a little heavy. Turn the oven down to 365F, rotate the loaves in the oven, check the color on the bottom and cook for another 20-30 mns or until it sound light & hollow when you tap on the bottom of the loaf.
11. Remove the bread and transfer to a cookie rack to cool. Do not cover. Allow to cool & rest for at least 4-6 hours before eating it.