Back to the usual weekly sourdough experiments, Up this week, another bread on the sweet side: a Maple Cinnamon Sourdough Breakfast Bread, with Raisins and Pecans. I know that raisins can be a controversial baking subject, so the nice thing is that you can just omit them, with no harm done. Delicious bread, great toasted with a bit of melty butter.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup (120 grams) active sourdough starter
1 cup water, between 100-115F
For the filling
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
In a large work bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, or large measuring cup, combine sourdough starter, maple syrup and water. Combine until all the flour is incorporated, and turn onto a floured bench, to knead into a cohesive dough. Place in a bowl to rise for 20 minutes. Then
flatten slightly, place pecans in the middle and using the stretch and fold technique, fold the nuts in. Let rest 30 minutes, then repeat the folding technique, 4 more times, for a total of 2 hours. Then, cover the bowl tightly and place in the refrigerator overnight.
On the following day, up to 24 hours later, remove the dough from the fridge and let come to temperature, about 2 hours.
Place the large dutch oven, with lid inside the oven and preheat to 450F. Mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, maple extract, cinnamon and salt.
While the oven is preheating, shape your bread. Lightly sprinkle a working surface with flour. Using a spatula, gently scrape the bread dough out onto your floured surface. Flour your hands and gently shape the dough into a rectangle — no need to use a rolling pin; you should be able to push it to a rectangle.
Smear on the maple-cinnamon-butter over most of the surface, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle on the raisins and pecans. Tuck in the sides, roll to a loose log and pinch together the seam.
Once you’ve shaped the dough, set it into a well-floured proofing basket (banneton) and cover loosely with a clean dishtowel. Just before baking, invert the formed bread onto a piece of parchment paper. Once the oven and the dutch oven are heated, carefully remove the dutch oven from the oven, carefully remove the
lid (it will be screaming hot!) and using the parchment paper, lift the bread into the dutch oven. Score the bread with a sharp knife or lame. Place lid on pot, place pot in oven.
Bake your bread for 40 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 15 minutes with the lid off, until the top is quite browned. The internal temperature of the bread should be 200F.
Remove the bread from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.
