Sesame Sourdough Bread

Standard / by / November 26, 2019 / No Comments

I've been making sourdough bread for nearly three years now. I still can't believe I've kept the starter alive! I play around with the recipe - and baking methods - often. But as of late, I seem to have found the sweet spot for the recipe because it's the only way I've been baking it for the past few months. The two new elements are teff flour and sesame seeds. There's a gentle sweetness to the flavor that makes it perfect for both savory and sweet uses.

In the recipe, I provide two different methods for baking this bread but the truth is I use either a straight-up breadmaker process from beginning to end, as written in the recipe, because we mostly use the bread for sandwiches. But when I want a round, beautiful boule, I start with the breadmaker for the kneading and first rise. Then, after the stretch and fold step, I transfer the dough to a round proofing basket for the final rise (in a bread proofer).  I then transfer the dough from the proofing basket to a cast iron dutch oven to bake.

 

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Sesame Sourdough Bread

Makes a 2-pound loaf
©JLFields JL Fields

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sourdough starter
  • 1 cup unbleached AP flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup teff flour
  • 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon rapid rise yeast
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup water (more or less based on the hydration of your starter)
  • 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons sesame seeds divided

Instructions

  1. Combine sourdough starter, flours, vital wheat gluten sugar, salt, yeast, and oil in a bread maker. Use the 1:28 NO HEAT cycle to mix, knead, rest and rise. Add water during initial mixing to the point that the dough is tacky to the touch (the amount of water varies by the hydration of your starter; I usually need about 1/4 cup).
  2. The bread maker will beep when it’s time for add-ins (nuts, seeds, berries, etc.). Add 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds at this point.

  3. Once the 1:28 cycle is over, turn the dough out of the pan and onto a floured surface. Stretch and fold. Remove the paddles from the pan. Return the dough to the pan and add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds by lightly patting them onto the dough (it’s okay if they roll off; they will bake into the sides and bottom of the bread, too). Allow for a second rise: you can do this in the bread machine for 2 to 4 hours or do so in a bread proofer set to 84°F for 1 to 2 hours.

  4. Once the second rise is complete, return to the bread maker. Choose the 1-hour bake-only cycle (adjust the crust style to light, medium, or dark).

  5. Once baking is complete, gently flip the pan over to release the bread onto a baking/cooling rack. Allow the bread to cool for at least an hour.

Recipe Notes

If you don't have a bread machine

Knead the bread using your favorite method (stand mixer, food processor, by hand). Allow the bread to rise (it should double in size).

Once risen, turn the dough out of the pan and onto a floured surface. Stretch and fold. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds to the bowl or proofing basket that you will use for the second rise. Transfer the dough to the bowl or proofing basket. Allow for a second rise. Cover the bowl with a tea towel on a counter or place for 2 to 4 hours or in a bread proofer set to 84°F for 1 to 2 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 500°F - one hour before baking - with a cast iron dutch oven in the oven. 

Transfer the bread to the dutch oven. Score, mist with water, cover and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the cover, reduce the heat to 475°F, and bake for 10 minutes longer. Check the internal temp (you want 190° to 200°F). Continue baking until the desired internal temperature is achieved (checking every 5 minutes). 

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