Kefir-Sunflower-Seed Bread

Recently I found a few recipes using buttermilk either partially or as the only liquid in the dough. When I came across a recipe that even goes one step further and uses kefir instead I had to try it. Kefir is also a milk drink but its consistency is more somewhere between buttermilk and yoghurt. In fact it's so much towards a solid I measured it by weight instead of volume, which I usually do with liquids. You can replace the kefir by buttermilk but for me the kefir was what got me interested.

Sourdough

• 85g (3oz) light rye flour
• 85g (3oz) kefir or buttermilk at room temperature
• 9g (1/4oz) rye sourdough starter

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. As mentioned above the kefir isn't very liquid so it requires a little more stirring until it is all mixed up. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let proof at room temperature for 16-18 hours.

Soaker

• 135g sunflower seeds
• 135ml lukewarm water
• 14g (2 tsp) salt

Roast sunflower seed in a pan without oil over medium heat until they give off a nice aroma. Transfer into a glass bowl, add salt and pour water over. Stir well and cover with a lid. Let rest for 16-18 hours also.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• Soaker
• 130g (4 1/2oz) whole grain rye flour
• 325g (11 3/8oz) medium stone ground wheat flour, high gluten flour or bread flour
• 250g (8 3/4oz) kefir (or buttermilk)
• 14g (1/2oz) fresh yeast or 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 1 tsp of sugar and 52ml (1 3/4oz) of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes
• 1 tsp diastatic malt powder

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead with a dough hook on low speed for 7 minutes. Let rest for 25 minutes.

Put dough onto a well floured surface and knead first into a ball and then into oval shape and place in a rectangular banneton with the seam up. The dough is very dense at this time, but don't worry, the bread won't be. Cover banneton tightly with plastic wrap and let proof for 75 minutes at a temperature around 90°F/32°C. As always, I put the dough into my oven with just the oven light on, which should be an equivalent temperature. Let proof for 75 minutes.

Preheat oven to 485°F (250°C).

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and turn dough over on it (seam is now down). Use a sharp knife and cut 1.5cm (3/4") along the long side of the dough. Place on the middle rack of your oven, spray a lot of water in and bake for 15 minutes. Shortly open the oven door to let the steam out, reduce temperature to 355°F (180°C) and bake with falling temperature for another 45 minutes.

Let cool on a cooling rack.

Original recipe (German language) on ketex.de.