This recipe was based on the ingredients and techniques that would have been available to the Nordic people in the middle ages, as no written recipes exist. I did it for an event held by a local medieval reenactment group. This is also when I made the butter. Check out my Magic of Bread and Leavening post if you don’t have a sourdough starter ready.
It was a hearty bread with strong flavor, but not really identifiable as a sourdough. I had someone tell me they were very picky when it comes to bread, and they loved this.
Multigrain Sourdough Bread
Utilizes a small-medium Dutch Oven, roughly 8-10″ wide.
Plan for 11-19 hours before actual baking (which is another hour), not including the soaker’s overnight.
Soaker
- 1 Tbsp each millet, rye, wheat bran, barley, buckwheat
- 3 Tbsp rolled oats (not quick)
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed
- 2 Tbsp hempseed
- 3 Tbsp chopped hazelnuts
- ¾ cup (155g) boiling hot distilled water
Mix together and soak overnight. (If you are in a hurry you can microwave it for a minute or two, then cool completely.)
Dough
- ¼ cup (50g) sourdough starter, previously fed, bubbly and active
- 1 ⅓ cup (300g) warm distilled water
- 2 ½ Tbsp (50g) raw honey, gently warmed and dissolved into the water
- 3 cups (400g) whole wheat bread flour (I accidentally used a stone ground whole wheat flour, not a bread flour, and it worked fine)
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
Preparation
- In the early evening, mix the starter, honey and water in a large bowl.
- Add the flour and salt. It will be shaggy at first. Fold and mix until fully incorporated, may seem dry. I used a strong spatula at this stage rather than my hands.
- Keep working the dough 3-4 minutes.
- Cover with a damp towel for 30 minutes. Keep near 70-80°F conditions.
- Mix in the soaker, folding and kneading for 2 minutes to incorperate.
- Cover with damp towel and rest 30 minutes.
- First Folding: Grab portions of the dough, stretch and fold over, multiple times. It is still a fairly moist dough at this point.
- Cover with damp towel and rest 30-45 minutes.
- Second Folding: Grab portions of the dough, stretch and fold over, multiple times. It is still a fairly moist dough at this point.
- Cover with damp towel and rest 30-45 minutes.
- Third Folding: Again, grab portions of the dough, stretch and fold over, multiple times. It is still a fairly moist dough at this point.
- Bulk Fermentation: Cover with a damp towel and rise overnight at 70-80°F for 8-14 hours. Time depends on temperature of kitchen.
- It is ready when it appears dense, it jiggles when the bowl is moved, and it has doubled in size.
- On a floured surface, shape into a round, using a dough scraper, seam side down. Let rest for 10 minutes
- Line an 8-inch bowl of banneton with floured cloth.
- Make a taut surface as you shape into a round boule. Transfer quickly into the bowl, seam side up.
- Cover with a damp towel and rest 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 500°F.
- Prepare cooking pot or dutch oven by cutting a few parchment paper circles to fit the bottom. Multiple layers help prevent extra browning. A thin layer of rough grain beneath the bottom parchment can also help give some space between the dough and the pot.
- When the dough is ready, turn out into the cooking pot seam side down. Score with sharp knife.
- Place, lidded, into oven on center rack, and immediately reduce temperature down to 450°F.
- Bake lidded for 20 minutes.
- Remove lid and bake additional 30-35 minutes. (or 15-20 if split into two small loaves in separate pots)
- Bread is done when internal temperature reaches 190-205°F
- Transfer to wire rack.
- Cool 1 full hour before serving, as the inside is still cooking until then.