Whole Grain Bread with Sunflower Seeds

My family's favorite bread so far and super easy to make. A whole grain bread with sunflower seeds, made in a baking pan. Proofing times are relatively short and since it's made in a pan it requires no "special" equipment like a proofing basket.

Sourdough

• 160g (5 5/8 oz) whole grain rye flour
• 160ml (2/3 cup) water
• 16g (1/2 oz) rye sourdough starter

 Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. Since all ingredients get eventually combined and the rye sourdough is pretty sticky and relatively difficult to move the mixing bowl is always my first choice for this. Cover and let rest at room temperature for 16 hours.

1st Soaker

• 100g (3 1/2 oz) sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 100ml (1/3 cup) hot water

 Roast sunflower seeds in a pan without fat on medium heat until you smell a nice aroma. Transfer into a bowl or glass with a lid, add the salt and water and stir well. Cover and let rest for 16 hours.

2nd Soaker

• 232g (8 1/8 oz) whole grain rye flower
• 1 tsp salt
• 232ml (1 cup) hot water

Mix flour and salt in a bowl or glass with a lid, pour over hot water and give it a stir. Cover and let rest for 16 hours as well.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• 1st soaker
• 2nd soaker
• 165g (5 3/4 oz) whole grain wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 3/4 tsp of sugar and 40ml (1 1/3oz) of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes (or 10g fresh yeast)
• 1 tsp barley malt powder (optional, helps the bread rise)
• Sunflower seeds to sprinkle on top

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead with the dough hook for 7 minutes. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes. Leave in the mixing bowl if possible for the next kneading round.

Grease 10" rectangular baking pan with butter and sprinkle in sun flowers.

Knead dough again for about 5 minutes then transfer into baking pan, smooth out the surface and sprinkle sunflower seeds on top. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 75 minutes at 86-90°F  (30-32°C) until it reaches the top of the pan. You can get to that temperature using your oven by just turning on the oven light.

Preheat oven to 485°F (250°C).

Place baking pan on the second level from the bottom of the oven and spray some water in (I use a regular spray bottle for that). Bake for 15 minutes, then open the oven door and let the remaining steam out.

Reduce temperature to 360°F (180°C) and bake with falling temperature for another 45 minutes.

Then take the bread out of the baking pan and put it back into to oven for 20 minutes to get a nice crust; use convenction if you have or leave oven door a little bit open.

Let cool on cooling rack.

 

Original recipe (German language) on ketex.de.