Whole Grain Rye/Wheat

All the flour in this bread is whole grain flour, accompanied by soaked cracked wheat and rye as well as roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Whole grain sourdough is the base for this originally nutty bread. Since I don't love breads with nuts I replaced them with a mix of roasted seeds. First time I tried this and it worked pretty well.

Sourdough

• 100g (3 1/2 oz) whole grain rye flour
• 80ml (1/3 cup) water
• 10g rye sourdough starter

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let prove at room temperature for 14-16 hours.

Soaker

• 100g (3 1/2 oz) cracked wheat
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) cracked rye
• 200ml (6 3/4 oz) warm water
• 1 tsp salt

In a glass or bowl with a lid combine all ingredients and give it a stir. Cover and leave out at room temperature for at least 3 hours or over night.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• Soaker
• 150g (5 1/4 oz) whole grain wheat flour
• 50g (1 3/4 oz) whole grain rye flour
• 25g (7/8 oz) yoghurt or buttermilk
• 50g (1 3/4 oz)  pumpkin seeds
• 50g (1 3/4 oz)  sunflower seeds
• 7g fresh wet yeast or 1 tsp of Active Dry Yeast, 1/2 tsp of sugar and 26ml (7/8 oz) of water, mixed and let stand for 10 minutes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sunflower seeds for decoration
• rye flakes for decoration

Roast pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (separately) in a pan without oil over medium heat until you can smell their aroma. Then transfer into a food processor and coarsely chop. Let cool.

Combine all ingredients - except for the yeast - in a mixing bowl and knead with the dough hook on low speed for 10 minutes. Let rest for 30 minutes, then crumble yeast in and knead again on low speed for 15 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Take the dough out of the bowl and on a floured surface gently fold it. Let rest for 10 minutes and fold again.Then form into elongated shape and brush surface with cold water. Roll in a 50/50 mix of sunflower seeds and rye flakes and place seam up in a rectangular banneton. Cover with plastic wrap and let prove at 27°C (80°F) for 45 minutes. You can place the dough in the oven with just the light on to roughly get to that temperature, or you use a proofer.

Meanwhile place a rectangular baking pan filled with ~300ml (10 oz) water on the bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 230°C (445°F). 

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and turn dough over onto it. Place on middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then briefly open the  oven door to let out excess steam and reduce temperature to 215°C (420°F). Bake for another 30 minutes.

Let cool on cooling rack.

Based on a recipe by Peter Kapp, published in "Mein Brot" by HEEL Verlag.