Grain Gourmet

There are more gains in this spelt sourdough bread than there is flour, in fact twice as much. Besides sunflower seeds, the grains are cracked wheat, cracked rye as well as spelt flakes which soaked for 16 hours. Originally 100% spelt flour, I changed the recipe to be 50/50 spelt/rye flour.

Sourdough

• 100g (3 1/2 oz) whole grain spelt flour
• 80ml (1/3 cup) water
• 10g (3/8 oz) spelt or wheat sourdough starter

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until smooth. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let prove at room temperature for 16-18 hours. I used my proofer at 26°C and left it in for 14 hours.

Soaker

• 125g (4 3/8 oz) cracked wheat
• 125g (4 3/8 oz) spelt flakes
• 50g (1 3/4 oz) rye meal
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) sunflower seeds
• 300ml (10 1/8 oz) boiling water
• 9g (1 1/4 tsp) salt

Roast sunflower seeds in a pan without oil over medium heat until they give off a nice aroma. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or jar, pour the hot water over and give it a good stir. Cover with lid and let rest for 14-16 hours at room temperature.

Main Dough

• Sourdough
• Soaker
• 100g (3 1/2 oz) whole grain rye flour
• 7g (1/4 oz) fresh wet yeast, or 1 tsp of Active Dry Yeast, 1/2 tsp of sugar and 25ml (7/8 oz) water, mixed and let stand for 10 minutes.
• 75ml (2 1/2 oz) water
• 1 tsp diastatic malt powder (optional, feeds the yeast)
• Sunflower seeds (for decoration)
• Sesame seeds (for decoration)

Combine all ingredients except for the yeast in a mixing bowl and knead with the dough hook on low speed for 10 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Add yeast and knead again with dough hook on low speed for 15 minutes. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Grease a rectangular baking pan with butter. Gently fold dough into rectangular shape and brush surface with cold water. Roll in a 1:1 mix of sunflower and sesame seeds and place in the baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let prove at room temperature for 45 minutes (30 minutes at 27°C).

Place shallow rectangular baking pan on bottom of the oven and fill with ~ 300ml (10 oz) of water. Preheat oven to 230°C.

Place bread on middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then briefly open the open door to let out steam and reduce temperature to 215°C. Bake for another 30 minutes.

Let cool on a cooling rack.

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