Oatmeal Currant Bread

9 ingredients
11 steps

Ingredients

  • 150 grams stiff levain (sourdough starter that has a ratio of 2:1 of flour:water)
  • 200 grams bread flour
  • 50 grams whole rye flour
  • 100 grams high-gluten flour
  • 150 grams rolled oats (I prefer thick rolled oats, not quick-cooking)
  • 350 grams room temperature water
  • 15 grams salt (I use kosher, non-iodized)
  • 80 grams zante currants
  • 80 grams whole shelled hazelnuts, toasted

Directions

  1. 1
    This bread will have 600g flour and 400g water altogether -- a 66% bread. 50g of water comes from the levain; the other 350g is what you've added. Similarly, the flours are made up of 100g that the levain contributes, and 500g that you've added on top of that.
  2. 2
    Dissolve the starter in the water; you should get a milky, slightly viscous liquid.
  3. 3
    Add bread flour, rye flour, high-gluten flour, rolled oats, and salt. Stir until it is a shaggy ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit for 30 minutes. (This is the autolyze.)
  4. 4
    Knead the dough either by hand until it is well kneaded; or in a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 6 minutes on 3-speed.
  5. 5
    When the dough has come together, add the currants and hazelnuts. Either knead them in by hand, or in the stand mixer on slow speed for about a minute.
  6. 6
    Let the dough rise for its first fermentation in a dough bucket or a covered bowl. I let it rise at room temperature for up to 12 hours, allowing the flavors to develop. You can speed it up with a light-bulb warmed oven or placing the dough bowl in a larger bowl of warm water.
  7. 7
    When the dough has at least doubled in volume (I've gotten it to triple), remove it from the bucket and form it into a loaf. Typically I use a boule shape, which is essentially a round loaf about the size of a soccer ball, and bake it directly on a stone. If you prefer to use a bread pan, that would work as well.
  8. 8
    Let the bread rise for its final fermentation for around 2 hours.
  9. 9
    Bake the bread in an oven preheated to 450F. If you have no baking stone but still want a free-form bread, you can use a preheated baking sheet.
  10. 10
    After 35 minutes check the bread. An instant-read thermometer should tell you it is at 195-200F. If it's not, let the bread bake for another 5-10 minutes.
  11. 11
    Let it cool. Then hide it where only you can find it. Else it will disappear miraculously.

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