Seeded Artisan Bread Dough

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Of course! A seeded artisan bread dough is a wonderful project. This recipe will guide you through creating a beautiful, flavorful loaf with a crisp crust, an open, airy crumb, and a nutty, seeded crunch in every bite.

This recipe uses a simple “add-in” method for the seeds, making it very flexible. We’ll use a preferment (a poolish) for superior flavor and texture.

Seeded Artisan Bread Dough

This recipe yields one magnificent loaf.

Part 1: The Poolish (Preferment)

A poolish is a simple mixture of flour, water, and a tiny bit of yeast that ferments for several hours. It develops complex flavor and improves the bread’s texture and shelf life.

Ingredients:

· 125g (1 cup) Bread Flour
· 125g (½ cup + 1 tsp) Lukewarm Water
· 1/16 tsp (a pinch) Instant Yeast

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and the tiny pinch of yeast together.
  2. Add the water and mix with a spatula or your hand until just combined. It will be a sticky, shaggy batter.
  3. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 12-16 hours (overnight is perfect). It’s ready when it’s bubbly, domed, and has a slightly sweet, fermented aroma.

Part 2: The Main Dough & Seed Soak

Dry Ingredients & Add-ins:

· 250g (2 cups) Bread Flour
· 1 tsp (4g) Instant Yeast
· 1½ tsp (9g) Fine Sea Salt
· The matured Poolish (from above)

Wet Ingredient:

· 145g (⅔ cup) Lukewarm Water

Seed Blend:

· Total: 75-100g (½ – ⅔ cup) mixed seeds.
· Classic Mix: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds.
· Soaking Note: Soak 2 tablespoons of the whole seeds (like sunflower, pumpkin) in hot water for 30-60 minutes before adding. This prevents them from burning and makes them softer. You can leave small seeds like sesame and flax dry.

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the Dough (Autolyse)

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the 250g bread flour and 1 tsp instant yeast.
  2. Add the entire matured poolish and the 145g of lukewarm water.
  3. Mix with a spatula or your hand until no dry flour remains. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. This is normal.
  4. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 30 minutes. This rest period, called the “autolyse,” allows the flour to fully hydrate and makes the dough easier to work with.

Step 2: Add Salt and Knead

  1. Uncover the dough. Sprinkle the 1½ tsp of salt over the top.
  2. Wet your hand slightly to prevent sticking. Grab the dough from the side of the bowl, stretch it up, and fold it over onto itself. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. Do this for about 3-5 minutes until the salt is fully incorporated and the dough starts to smooth out and become more elastic.

Step 3: Incorporate the Seeds

  1. Drain the soaked seeds well and pat them dry with a paper towel. Mix them with your dry seeds.
  2. Sprinkle about one-third of the seed mix over the dough. Use your stretch-and-fold technique to incorporate them. Repeat until all seeds are added. This will take a few minutes, and the dough will be lumpy with seeds.

Step 4: Bulk Fermentation (First Rise)

  1. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise at room temperature for 1 to 1.5 hours.
  2. During this time, perform a set of “coil folds” every 30 minutes (so 2-3 sets total).
    · How to do a Coil Fold: Wet your hands. Slide both hands under the center of the dough. Lift the dough straight up until the bottom end releases from the bowl, then fold it over onto itself. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat. This gently builds strength without traditional kneading.

Step 5: Pre-shape and Bench Rest

  1. Lightly flour a work surface. Gently turn the dough out onto it.
  2. Gently fold the dough into a loose round. Let it rest, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten for final shaping.

Step 6: Final Shaping

  1. Prepare a banneton (proofing basket) by dusting it generously with a mix of rice flour and all-purpose flour (rice flour prevents sticking best). Alternatively, line a bowl with a well-floured kitchen towel.
  2. Flip your dough ball over so the smooth top is now on the counter.
  3. Gently press it into a rectangle. Fold the top third down to the center, then the bottom third up over it (like a letter). Then, starting from the top, roll the dough down tightly into a batard (oval) or boule (round).
  4. Pinch the final seam closed.

Step 7: Final Proof

  1. Place the loaf seam-side up into your prepared banneton.
  2. Cover it with a plastic bag or shower cap and let it proof for 45-90 minutes at room temperature, or until it looks puffy and has risen slightly. Alternatively, for more flavor development, you can proof it in the refrigerator for 8-16 hours (overnight).

Step 8: Preheat and Score

  1. Place a Dutch oven (with its lid) into your oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 45 minutes.
  2. When ready to bake, take your dough out of the fridge (if using). Turn a large piece of parchment paper over the banneton and carefully flip the dough out onto it.
  3. Score the top with a sharp lame or razor blade. A single, deep slash down the center (a “baker’s crack”) works beautifully.

Step 9: Bake!

  1. Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven. Using the parchment as a sling, lower the dough into the pot.
  2. Put the lid on and bake for 25 minutes.
  3. Remove the lid (this allows the crust to crisp and color). Reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).
  4. Bake for another 15-25 minutes until the crust is a deep, golden brown and the internal temperature reads 205-210°F (96-99°C).

Step 10: Cool

  1. Transfer the loaf to a wire cooling rack. It will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
  2. This is the hardest step: Let it cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing. The internal structure is still setting, and cutting it warm will result in a gummy crumb.

Pro Tips & Variations

· Flour Substitution: You can substitute up to 50g of the bread flour with whole wheat or rye flour for a heartier flavor.
· Seeding the Exterior: Before the final proof, you can brush the shaped loaf with water and roll it in a bed of seeds for a fully encrusted exterior.
· No Dutch Oven? Use a baking stone or inverted baking sheet. Preheat it. Place the scored dough (on parchment) onto the hot surface and toss a few ice cubes into the bottom of the oven to create steam for the first 10 minutes of baking.
· Troubleshooting: If your bread is dense, your yeast might be old, or you might have sliced it too soon. If it didn’t spring much, your oven might not have been hot enough, or you may have scored too shallowly.

Enjoy the incredible process and the even more incredible taste of your homemade seeded artisan bread

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