Semolina Cranberries and Fennel Seed Bread

Johnny's picture
Johnny

My take on converting this very tasty bread based on Susan’s Wild Yeast recipe. I went for 47% preferment in the final dough because it is so cold in my kitchen at present and I was not sure how well the starter would do. 

I also chose to use a mix of Pepitas, Pine Nuts and Sunflower kernels for my seed mix, mainly because that is what I had in the cupboard.

I mixed up this dough in the morning with the cranberries, fennel and mixed seeds and covered the bowl with a plastic bag and threw it in the fridge till I got home from work that night.  

I pulled the dough out to warm up. I folded it every hour for 4 hours and let it rest on the kitchen bench covered with a plastic bag in-between folds. The loaf was then shaped and let rest in a cane banneton for another hour before being popped back in the fridge overnight, ready for baking in the morning.

Here is the formula I used:

1st Preferment Build                Starter               13g  50.00%Flour                 26g  100.00%Water                14g  55.00%Total 1st build   54g       2nd Preferment Build    Starter 1st build    54g  65.06%Flour                    83g 100.00%Water                   83g 100.00%Total 2nd Build   220g       Dough Formula      Semolina Flour             230g              White unbleached PF    233g              Total Flour    463g 100.00%Water                          245g    53.00%Salt                               11g     2.30%Preferment 2nd Build   218g    47.00%Olive Oil                        22g     4.60%Cranberrys                  110g    23.75%Seed Mix                       70g   14.70% (Pine Nuts, Pepitas and Sunflower) Fennel Seeds                   7g      1.50%Diastatic Malt 10              7g      1.50%(This is Malt blended with Bread Flour at 1g Malt to 10g flour.) The result: This bread had that fantastic fennel smell as it was cooking. I love fennel but I was really surprised at how well the sweet cranberries went with the fennel and nice crunch from the pine nuts and other seeds. I sprinkled the top with a little polenta before baking and found it gave the crust an extra little crunch that added even more to this bread.  I am so glad I have tried converting recipes, it has taken my bread to a whole new level of taste and textures. So I certainly would recommend making this one as another great bread to add to the repertoire!  cheers, johnny 
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Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 19
I used the same formula but used some wonderful sweet seedless dried grapes and a higher hydration (72%) and left out the fennel seeds.
DAY 1 EVENING
1st Preferment Build
   
Starter   13g 50.00%
Flour   26g 100.00%
Water   18g 70.00%
Total 1st build   58g
 
DAY 2 MORNING
     
2nd Preferment Build    
Starter 1st build   58g 60.98%
Flour   95g 100.00%
Water   66g 70.00%
Total 2nd Build   219g
 
DAY 2 EVENING -Mix dough
     
Dough Formula      
Flour   548g 100.00%
Water   395g 72.00%
Salt   11g 2.00%
Preferment 2nd Build   219g 40.00%
Diastatic Malt 10   5g 1.00%
Sultanas   121g 22.00%
Mixed seeds & Grains   101g 18.50%
Total   1400g

For the flour I used a mix of 148g Whole Meal, 100g 00 Soft Flour, 300g Bakers FlourFor sultanas I used dried seedless thompson grapes.For mixed seeds I had 55g mix of pine nuts, pepitas and sunflower seedsFor mixed grains I had 46g of Farmers Mix grainsI mixed up the starter and water then added in everything else and mixed a while longer to develop the gluten. The dough was then covered in a plastic bag, sealed and put in the fridge overnight. 
DAY 3 MORNINGThe next morning I pulled it out and folded once and returned to the fridge during the day.
DAY 3 EVENINGWhen I got home from work I pulled the dough out and gently stretched and folded it once. I let it rest and fold once every hour for 4-5 hours, before shaping. I made 2 small loaves which I put back in the fridge for baking in the morning.Just before putting them into the oven I topped with chia seed gel just because I like them :)
This produced some very handsome bread that is also very tasty. I might keep this as my favourite fruit loaf.

rossnroller 2009 July 19
Terrific looking bread, Johnny! Especially love the look of the crumb in the bottom pic.

Do you use a particular type of starter when you do the first and second build, or will any active starter be OK? (I currently have two 100% hydration liquid starters, one a rye/white flour mix, the other whole grain spelt/white flour).

Cheers!
Ross




Johnny's picture
Johnny 2009 July 19
I normally just use any active starter that has been fed on the same or similar flour to those used in the final dough. I actually keep 2 starters very similar to yours. One fed on white/wholemeal and one fed on rye/white. I have not baked with spelt flour so I'm not sure if it has radical different properties to normal BF but for this formula I would probably opt to use the spelt/white mix starter if it is nice and active. Unless of course you want to add some rye into the flour mix of your dough.
Sil 2020 August 4

Can someone help I've never made sour dough bread. I have a starter that's like dough.

How do I combine all this into the recipe how do I start this is it from stage 2 or 3.

 

Thank you 

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