World Bread Day : Walnut and Date Sourdough Loaf

 I'm glad Zorra and the World Bread Day 2013 are finally awakening me from my blogging sleep. I hope you will forgive the ugly pictures and the short post but I  woke up just now !!!

Lately I'm baking mostly sourdough bread with some goodies into it. 

In this case I added apples, oats as asked in the recipe but also raisins, dates and hazelnuts...the more the better !

My preferred bread lately is bourke street bakery and this bread comes from it.
In the sourdough section there are four basic recipes followed by a group of derivative ones, I tried many of them and they are all very delicious !

RECIPE

 Millers Loaf (follow the green suggestions to make the Walnut and Date bread)

from Bourke Street Bakery

(makes 1,5 kg so if you only want to bake the apple and oat loaf above , halve the recipe)

390g sourdough starter
440g organic plain flour
145g organic wholemeal flour
145g organic rye flour
360ml water
20g sea salt

140 gr toasted walnuts

200 gr chopped dates
In the bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached, add the plain flour, wholemeal flour, rye flour and the water. Mix on low speed for about 7 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the salt over the dough and mix on low speed for about 6 minutes, or until a smooth elastic dough forms, and you reach the windowpane test.

Mix the walnuts and the dates in the dough for a few minutes

Lightly grease a container with oil spray and put the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to prove.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press out into a rectangle, about 2.5cm thick. Fold one-third back onto itself, then repeat with the remaining third. Turn the dough 90 degrees and fold it over again into thirds. Place the dough back into the oiled container and prove again for another hour. 
Divide the dough into three even-sized portions, weighing about 500g each. Working with one protion of dough at a time, shape the loaves into rounds.

Line a large baking sheet with baking paper and place the dough rounds, evenly-spaced, on it. Place in the refrigerator loosely covered with a plastic bag for 8-12 hours. The cold and long fermentation in the fridge is for flavour development and volume.

Remove the loaves from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature - this can take anywhere between 1 and 4 hours - until each loaf has grown in size by two-thirds.

Preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Spray the oven with water and bake the loaves for 20 minutes, then turn the loaves and bake for a further 10 minutes, watching carefully to make sure that the loaves do not burn. Baking shouldn't take any longer than 40 minutes. If the oven temperature is too fierce, turn the heat down a bit.  

GRAZIE ZORRA !!!