Bread & Spread: Overnight Seeded Sourdough & Fig Spread

The method for this bread is derived from Joanne Chang's recipes in Flour.  The fig spread is an invention I came up with this weekend that came out perfectly.  I have never been so pleased with a first attempt that I am refusing to "refine" the recipe.  I used the left overs (after the bread was all eaten) to fill homemade fig bars, which we promptly ate as well.

Seeded Overnight Sourdough

 

Starter Sponge:

1/2 cup warm water

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp active dry yeast (not instant)

Mix water, flour, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Cover loosely and let sit at least 8 hours; it is best if it sits 12.  (I cover mine with my bread baking flour towel, as natural yeast lives in it.)

Seeded Sourdough:

3/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup millet flour

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons group flax seeds

3 tablespoons agave, honey, or rice syrup 

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup flax seeds

1/4 cup millet

Place mixer bowl containing sponge on the mixer stand.  Add warm water, whole wheat and millet flours, and 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour.  Using dough hook, mix until it just comes together and is "shaggy" in consistency.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  After it stands, mix in agave/honey/rice syrup and knead for 2 minutes.  After two minutes, stop mixer and feel the dough.  If it is sticky, add up to 1/4 cup of all purpose flour in 1 tablespoon increments, stopping to feel dough between additions.  When dough is damp but not sticky, knead for 3 more minutes.  Add salt, millet, and flax seeds and knead until fully incorporated.  Move to an oiled bowl to rise and cover.  Allow it to rise for 2 to 3 hours, until the dough is puffy.  (This dough does not double, due to the low yeast content.)

After the rise, remove the dough from the bowl to a work surface.  Do not knead, as the dough is already stiff.  Split the dough into two equal portions and shape into 2 small baguette loaves.  Move the loaves onto a greased and floured cookie sheet, and cover to allow it to rise.  Dough will need to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it looks puffy.  (It will not double.)  When dough is risen, adjust one oven rack to the center and one to the lower third of the oven, and heat to 500 degrees.  With the tip of a very sharp knife or a razor blade, make three diagonal slits in the top of each loaf to allow dough to expand in oven.  Slide a clean baking pan or jelly roll pan containing 2 cups of water onto the lower rack.  Slide the pan with the bread onto the middle oven rack and close oven.  (Do this as quickly as possible to keep oven temperature from dropping.)  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until the loaves are browned.  Remove loaves to wire rack to cool.

These loaves will be crusty on the outside and evenly seeded and soft on the inside.  Delicious.

Note: If you are making this recipe with a hand mixer, be aware the final dough is very heavy and will need to be kneaded by hand after the seeds are added. It may be too much to move prior to this step, so please feel free to use your discretion on when to work the dough by hand.

Fig Spread

Ingredients

8 oz dried figs, stems removed and cut into quarters

1 bottle (750 ml) sweet white wine, such as Gewurztraminer, Liebfraumilch, or Muscato

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground cardamon

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup dry roasted (unsalted) almonds

pinch of salt

In a small sauce pan, bring figs and wine to a simmer on a medium heat.  When the mixture is simmering, lower the heat and allow it to reduce.  When the wine has reduced by 75%, add the cloves, cardamon, and cinnamon, and allow it to reduce until wine is almost fully evaporated.  Remove from the pan from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

In a food processor bowl, process almonds until chopped.  Add fig reduction, and process until an even, smooth texture is achieved.  Add salt and pulse to incorporate.  Scrape fig mixture into a serving bowl and allow to cool to room temperature for serving.  If you have left overs, cover and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

There you have it.  The bread is delicious with savory things as well.  (I made tapenade, but it didn't photograph as being appetizing.)  If you don't eat all of the bread in one day, an uncut loaf can be wrapped in foil and cut bread in plastic wrap to hold.  The fig spread is best at room temperature, but it can be eaten cold as well.  When I can perfect the fig bars, I will share the recipe.  I wasn't pleased with the appearance of the finished product, so that will wait for another day.