Sourdough Sandwich bread filled with spices....it's so nice

Savour the wonderful aroma of fennel and tumeric when you slice it ....

Sourdough Tumeric & Fennel Bread with Sesame Seeds

Baker's percentages: (0.2: 1: 65)

Ingredients:

270g White Bread Flour (60%)

180 g Whole Wheat bread flour (40%)

90g Sourdough Starter (20%)

290g Water (65%)

9g salt (or more or less as required)

*Method:

1. Mix the starter and water by stirring with a fork and then adding the flours to come to a shaggy dough. Rest for 30 mins. [No Autolyse in this method.]

2. Mix in the salt with a little water by hand. Mix well for 5-10 mins. Round off the dough in the bowl and rest 30 mins.

BULK FERMENTATION

3. Leave to bulk ferment in a warm place for 2-3 hours or overnight e.g. in the oven with the light on during winter.

4. After bulk fermentation, the dough should be billowy and jiggly if you shake it.

COIL FOLDS

5. Do coil folds – 3x or more if your dough is spreading.

LAMINATION

6. Pour the dough onto a floured surface. Wet your hands to prevent sticking. Divide the dough into two pieces. Stretch out one piece of dough by pulling the four corners outwards and add the tumeric power and fennel seeds. Then stack this piece on top of the other dough which had been stretch out too. Fold one edge of the combined dough on the East side inwards toward the centre, then West, followed by North and then roll the South side upwards into a tight roll.

[Tip: Wet your hands to prevent sticking of dough. Use your scraper to help.]

7. Pinch the sides of the roll and the seams at the top of dough. Sieve some flour on top to prevent sticking. Lift and flip the dough onto your banneton which has been floured beforehand.

COLD RETARD

8. Cover with a piece of cloth and put in the fridge overnight for 12-16 hours. (this is called ‘Cold Retard’ – no rise in dough is expected; it develops the flavour overnight)

9. After the cold retard, the dough looks billowy and is ready for baking.

10. Place in a loaf tin which has been preheated. Decorate with black sesame seeds.

11. Bake in 250C covered with foil for 25 mins and uncovered for 15 mins at 230C.

12. After baking, you should get a great crust with soft inside. Cool for at least 1 hour before slicing into the bread to prevent a gummy inside. Patience! The bread is still cooking inside when freshly baked.

13. After slicing, enjoy them fresh or freeze them in freezer bags as necessary and enjoy as toasts on another day.

* This method is quick and flexible without a tight schedule, suitable for people who have time constraints.