Whole Wheat- Walnut Sour Dough Bread

This bread, adapted from a recipe in Amy's Bread, is a chewy whole wheat bread,

filled with walnuts and cracked wheat with a hint of maple. 

Choreography: 

This sour dough bread requires a ready, ripe, medium stiff sour dough starter (rye , white or a combination).  The bread ingredients are mixed,  can be hand stretched & folded, covered, and left to enjoy a slow cool rise  (8-10 hours).  The nuts and cracked wheat are kneaded in after the first proofing period. The second proof should be carried out in a warm draft-free location (a less than 100 degree oven or proofing box is perfect) for about 90 minutes. Bake in a very hot oven, preferably on a baking stone, with steam. 

Ingredients:

2 oz warm water mixed with 3/4 tsp instant yeast 

9 oz whole wheat flour

4.5 oz bread flour 

1 oz corn meal

1 scant Tbsp kosher salt 

8 oz cool water

8 oz sour dough starter  (see: Sour Dough Starter ) 

2 Tbsp maple syrup (dark is best)

6 oz chopped walnut pieces (toasting is optional)

5 oz cooked and  cooled cracked wheat (4 oz boiling water mixed with 3 oz cracked wheat)

2 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil for greasing the bowl 

Additional all purpose flour to dust the kneading surface and to dust proofing basket (if one is used) 

Procedure:

• Combine and stir 1/4c water and yeast. 
• Combine flours, corn meal, salt in another bowl 
• Add the 8 oz water and maple syrup to the yeast mixture and then mix in the dry ingredients
• Mix to form shaggy dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface 
• Stretch and fold to form an organized dough that is stretchy. The dough will be slightly tacky. (About 5-8 minutes)  or knead in a stand mixer for 3-4 minutes until a smooth stretchy dough is formed 
• Grease the mixing bowl, place the smooth dough into the bowl, turn so that all sides are greasy and cover with plastic wrap  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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• Place in fridge and allow to proof for 8-10 hours 
• IN THE MEANTIME, chop the nuts and prepare the cracked wheat , set aside 
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•  Fold the walnuts and cracked wheat into the dough. Deflate and stretch & fold several times to evenly distribute the ingredients. 

•  Divide the dough into two roughly equal pieces. Roll into a round shape
• Flour a lined proofing basket and place the dough seam up. Place in warm draft free space and allow to rise for 90- 120 minutes, until the dough is approximately doubled in bulk 

• When the dough has been proofing for about an hour preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you have a baking stone, heat it in the oven.  Place a pan of water, or fill the oven steam pan with water 
• When the oven is hot, turn the proofed dough onto a sheet of parchment paper and slip onto the hot baking stone.
  

  
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• Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 400 degrees and bake an additional 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely before slicing.
  
  This bread stores well at room temperature for 2-3 days. Re-heat for a few minutes to re-crisp the crust.  As the picture shows, this bread slices beautifully. 
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Other sour dough recipes on Bread and Babka include Sour Dough Oatmeal Loaf  and Sourdough Honey Challah