Sesame Bread

Finally a bread where sesame seeds are the star. I've made several recipes with sesame seeds, but they were usually either only decoration or in a soaker with a bunch of other seeds and grains. This one is a rye sourdough bread (60/40 rye and wheat flour) with sesame seeds as the only grain. OK, I cheated a little bit, the original recipe was a sesame seed/poopy seed bread, but since I don't like poppy seeds that much, I just replaced them all with sesame seeds. The result was awesome, a new family favorite.

Sourdough

• 120g (4 1/4 oz) whole grain rye flour
• 120ml (4 oz) water
• 12g (3/8 oz) rye sourdough starter

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Cover and let prove for 12-14 hours at room temperature.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• 180g (6 3/8 oz) light rye flour
• 150g (5 1/4 oz) all purpose wheat flour
• 50g (1 3/4 oz) medium ground wheat flour or whole grain wheat flour
• 60g (2 1/8 oz) sesame seeds
• 7.5g (1/4 oz) fresh wet yeast or 1 tsp Active Dry Yeast, 1/2 tsp of sugar and 26ml (7/8 oz) of water, mixed and let stand for about 10 minutes
• 10g (1 1/2 tsp) salt
• 200ml (6 3/4 oz) water
• 1 tsp barley malt powder (optional, helps the yeast rise)
• sesame seeds for decoration

Dissolve yeast in water and add with all the other ingredients to the sourdough. Knead with a dough hook on low speed for 15 minutes and for 3 minutes on higher speed (level 2 on my Kitchen Aid Mixer). Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let rest for 40 minutes at room temperature.

Form into ball shape and brush with cold water. Then roll in sesame seeds and transfer to baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover with linen towel and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Fill rectangular baking pan with 300ml (10 1/8 oz) of water and place on bottom rack of the oven. Preheat oven to 235°C (455 °F).

Transfer bread onto middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then open the oven door to let out steam and close it again. Reduce temperature to 215°C (420°F) and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool on cooling rack.

Based on a recipe by Peter Kapp in "Mein Brot", published by HEEL Verlag. I reduced the amount to half since the recipe was meant to make two breads and replaced the poppy seeds with sesame seeds as mentioned above. I also simplified the process a little to avoid moving the dough around as much.