Five-grain sourdough bread

Five-grain sourdough bread is a rye sourdough loaf enriched with five different grains and seeds, based on a recipe by master baker Jeffrey Hamelman. Although it contains as much as 75% white bread flour, its flavour is reminiscent of a hearty wholemeal seeded loaf. The soaked grains make up around 33% of the dough, giving the crumb a slightly denser texture than a classic country loaf while keeping it pleasantly light to eat. Thanks to the soaked grains, the bread stays moist and fresh for several days. Highly recommended!

Makes: 3 loaves

Ingredients for the sourdough starter:

• 225 g wholemeal rye flour
• 190 g water
• 12 g active rye sourdough starter

Mix all the ingredients together, cover with cling film and leave to ferment at room temperature for 14–16 hours.

Ingredients for the grain soaker:

• 80 g cracked rye
• 80 g linseeds (flaxseeds)
• 70 g sunflower seeds
• 70 g rolled oats
• 375 g boiling water
• 20 g salt

Place all the grains and the salt in a bowl. Pour over the boiling water, cover with cling film and leave at room temperature for 14–16 hours.

Ingredients for the final dough:

• 680 g strong white bread flour
• 300 g water
• 5 g dried yeast or 10 g fresh yeast
• 15 g honey
• the prepared grain soaker
• the prepared sourdough starter

Place all the ingredients for the final dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix for about 10 minutes, until a smooth dough forms (if using fresh yeast, dissolve it in the water first). If the dough feels too firm, add a little extra water (I needed an additional 2–3 tablespoons). Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. No folds are required during the bulk fermentation.

Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Shape into either round or oval loaves. Place the loaves seam-side up into well-floured proofing baskets (a 1:1 mixture of potato starch and plain flour works well). Cover well (for example, place the baskets inside a large plastic bag and seal it to prevent the dough from drying out) and leave to prove in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Bake in a preheated Dutch oven or on a baking stone at 240°C with steam for about 40 minutes, reducing the temperature to 220°C after the first 15 minutes. Lower the temperature further if the crust browns too quickly. If baking in a Dutch oven, bake for the first half of the baking time with the lid on and the second half with the lid removed.

Transfer the bread to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before slicing.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: Bread by Jeffrey Hamelman.