Fig & Fennel Sourdough recipe

Fig & Fennel Sourdough

Malvern, United Kingdom
Perfect sourdough

Mixture

20%
18%
62%
Liquid Flour Other
Fig & Fennel Sourdough

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Since 2014

I spent some time with a friend who was baking her own bread. It wasn't sourdough but it was delightful. I was fascinated about making my own sourdough though because we often bought good (and expensive) artisan sourdough but couldn't afford it regularly. I got online and began researching and was quickly bitten by the bug!

Characteristics

This bread is a wonderful mix of sweet and savoury with a lovely pungent aroma, a thina nd crisp crust and a moist open crumb. The fennel adds more aroma than flavour and this bread makes a wonderful accompaniment to antipasti platters of cured meats and cheeses

Taste & flavour

Fig & Fennel Sourdough top shot
Fig & Fennel Sourdough jar shot
Fig & Fennel Sourdough front shot
Fig & Fennel Sourdough rising shot

Recipe

Starting ingredients

  • 33% Starter blend
  • 33% Malvern spring water
  • 33% Malvern spring water
  • 85% Strong white
  • 15% Whole wheat
  • 75% Malvern spring water
  • 15% Preferment
  • 100% Dough
  • 2% Maldon sea salt
  • .4% Crushed toasted fennel seed
  • 20% Finely chopped dried figs
  • 100% Dough
  • 100% Dough
  • 100% Dough

Feeding ingredients

  • 25% Light rye
  • 25% Ap
  • 50% Malvern spring water
1
My starter is 100% hydration, half light rye and half all purpose flour. I discard 2/3 at each feeding (or use for pancake sponge or banana bread), add 1/3 water. stir to incorporate, then 1/3 of my 50/50 blend.
25% Light rye 25% Ap 50% Malvern spring water

Working method

1
Mix Preferment The night before I want to make bread I set out some starter in a bowl, add water and incorporate, then add my starter flour blend and incorporate again. I then cover with a tea towel overnight.
33% Starter blend 33% Malvern spring water 33% Malvern spring water
2
Autolyse 1.5-2 hours before I want to start bulk fermentation I mix my flour and water until all the flour is moist and there are no lumps in the dough. I then cover and rest to allow the dough to absorb the water fully. This helps with gluten development.
85% Strong white 15% Whole wheat 75% Malvern spring water
3
Mix I now add my preferment to my dough, mix to fully incorporate and rest for 30 minutes before adding salt.
15% Preferment 100% Dough 2% Maldon sea salt
4
Bulk fermentation I do a series of straetch and folds (usually 4-5) during bulk fermentation, every 20 minutes for the first 3 then every 30 minutes and once it has expanded by 25% I let it rest for another 1-1.5 hours before shaping. After the first 2 stretch and folds I add the chopped dried figs and crushed toasted fennel seed.
.4% Crushed toasted fennel seed 20% Finely chopped dried figs
5
Shape After bulk ferment I turn the dough out onto my work surface and divide into individual loaves. I then form into a loose ball by rotating them and dragging against the work surface each quarter turn to build surface tension. I then allow to rest covered for 30 minutes before final shaping.
100% Dough
6
Final shape I lightly flour the top of each loaf, flip with bench knife and then fold like an envelope, bottom up, left in, right in, then top down before rolling to create a seam at the bottom. After a couple minutes rest to seal the seam I place in floured brotform or banneton for final fermentation of 12-16 hours in the fridge.
100% Dough
7
Bake I use the dutch oven method if I am baking only one loaf or baking stones with steam tray and spritzer for multiple loaves. I preheat the oven to 250C and bake under steam (covered in preheated DO) for 20 minutes then at 230C uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
100% Dough

Result

Bread, pancakes, yorkshire pudding, quick breads

Mostly long fermented hearth bread but also overnight sourdough oancakes, yorkshire pudding and quick breads like banana
Fig & Fennel Sourdough Bread, pancakes, yorkshire pudding, quick breads first overview
Fig & Fennel Sourdough Bread, pancakes, yorkshire pudding, quick breads second overview
Fig & Fennel Sourdough Bread, pancakes, yorkshire pudding, quick breads first slice
Fig & Fennel Sourdough Bread, pancakes, yorkshire pudding, quick breads second slice

Preserve your sourdough for the future

Create your own Explore sourdough library