Fragments of Sulpicia (III): Follow-up: Imitation Prophet Bread

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Follow-up: Imitation Prophet Bread

Sourdough, crumb

I mentioned the other day that I tried to make a bread from one of my favorite coffee shops. In order to do this, I tried two different tactics. In one, I stayed close to the recipe from Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day that seemed most similar to the bread I had. In the other, I made a sourdough version with a couple of key modifications. First, when I at the bread at the coffee shop, I thought that it was only sweetened by milk and not by honey, sugar, or some other sweetness. Although the version from the coffee shop was clearly not sourdough, it tasted much more like the sourdough version because it did not have a sweetener and had more milk (yielding a creamier taste and texture). I will post the sourdough recipe soon.

Ingredients for the Baker's Yeast Bread (makes 1 loaf)

316 g bread flour
42.5 g whole wheat flour
14 g sesame seeds
14 g poppy (the recipe omits this but rather doubles the sesame seeds)
14 g flax seeds (I lightly toasted these, even though the recipe does not)
14 g sunflower seeds (lightly toasted)
14 g hulled millet (this is not in the recipe, I added it)
14 g toasted pumpkin seeds
8.5 g salt
7 g dry active yeast
170 g water, warm (approximately 95 degrees F)
85 g nonfat milk, warm (approximately 95 degrees F)
28.5 g honey (1.5 tablespoons)
Extra millet, poppy seeds and sunflower seeds for sprinkling over the top.

Method

Day 1

Measure all the ingredients into a the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix with the paddle attachment until the dough comes together. It should be slightly sticky.
Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
Use the bread hook and mix for 4 minutes.
Remove the dough from the bowl and fold a few times for good measure. Then put in the refrigerator.

Day 2

Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Just over two hours before baking.
Turn it on to a floured surface
Shape it:

Separate the dough into three equal pieces
Roll these pieces between the hands into ropes about 15 inches long.
Braid the loaf from the middle to the exterior.
Turn the braid onto its side and bring the two ends together. Pinch them together.
Fold the braided ring such that the pinched-together portion is on the bottom. Place it in an oiled loaf pan (mine was oiled and then floured, but i don't think the flouring was necessary).

Sourdough, just placed in the baking pan

Let is rest for 1.5 to 2 hours at room temperature (about 75 degrees F) or until the dough feels light and puffy to the touch.

Baker's Yeast, during the second rise

Baker's yeast at the end of the second rise

Bake at 350 degrees F (325 degrees F convection) for 50 minutes. I baked mine at 300 degrees F convection per the instructions, but I had to extend the baking time immensely and so I think baking them at a higher temperature is better.