Maple-Wheat Hearth Bread

Recipe by Sarah Owens, author of Sourdough

This delicious, crusty hearth loaf has an intriguing flavor profile. The light but distinct presence of maple syrup balances a wholegrain sourdough leaven and 40% whole wheat bread flour in the dough. The baked loaf is a wonderful bread for morning toast or for serving with a cheese and pickle board.

Freshly milled stone-ground whole grain flours will provide the best flavor and fermentation activity in this bread but will also have some variability in performance depending upon where the grain was grown and milled. Using store-bought roller-milled bread flour will offer some predictability when using it in combination with whole-grain flour. Or, for increased flavor and nutrition, use sifted stone-ground bread flour (also known as high-extraction bread flour) instead. If using the latter, you may need to increase the dough's hydration slightly to accommodate the increased presence of bran and germ. Please see the recipe for queues and instructions.

The flour used to build the leaven can be either whole wheat or whole rye, depending upon your preference and pantry. Rye will offer a stronger sourdough flavor, darker color, and increased moisture in the crumb of the baked bread. Whole wheat leaven will offer a less complex flavor profile but a more pronounced maple presence. It will also produce a slightly more relaxed dough, making it important to gain tension on the final shaping.

This recipe is scaled for using two 8 to 9-inch oblong proofing baskets but can also be shaped into 8 to 9-inch round boules. Although it is not necessary to line the baskets with linen, it may be best to do so if you live in a humid environment.

Maple-Wheat Hearth Bread Recipe

Makes

2 loaves

Ingredients

Leaven:

Dough:

Equipment

Instructions

1. Set up the Proofer.
Set the proofer to 70°F (21°C) and put the water tray in the middle of the warming plate. Pour water into the tray and place the lid on top.

2. Prepare the leaven 8 hours in advance of mixing the dough.
In a small bowl, stir together the starter and water. Add the flour and stir to create a thick paste. Put the bowl in the proofer and place the lid on top. Ferment the leaven for about 8 hours, or until it is puffy and expanded.

3. Mix and autolyze the dough.
Remove the leaven from the proofer, cover, and set aside. In a large bowl, place the dough water, sifted bread flour, and whole wheat flour. Using your hands, mix until the flours are fully hydrated, and no dry lumps remain. Make sure there is still water in the proofer water tray, adding more if necessary. Place the bowl in the proofer, set to 80°F (27°C), and autolyze (rest) the dough for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Add the leaven and salt to the dough.
Remove the bowl from the proofer. Transfer the ripe leaven to the dough, sprinkle in the salt, and pour the maple syrup over top. Using your hands, mix the leaven, salt, and maple syrup into the dough until no streaks remain. If the dough feels stiff or difficult to mix, sprinkle 20g of water into the dough while you mix. This may be necessary if you are using stone-ground sifted bread flour as opposed to store-bought, roller-milled bread flour. When done mixing, the dough should appear shaggy and slack but not slick, and all the salt should be dissolved into the dough.

7. Final shape the loaves.
On a lightly floured surface, use a bench knife to turn one piece over so the seam side is facing up. To gain more tension in the loaf, pull the sides to the center in an overlapping fashion, starting from the top of the loaf and working your way to the bottom. Roll from the top down, tucking with more tension as you work. Generously flour the top of the loaf and place it into an 8 to 9-inch proofing basket with the seam side facing up. Pinch the ends closed and repeat with the second loaf.

8. Retard the loaves overnight in the refrigerator. 
Cover the proofing baskets with dry towels and slip them inside reusable plastic bags. Refrigerate them for at least 8 or up to 16 hours.

9. Final proof the loaves. 
Remove the loaves from the refrigerator and slip them from the plastic bags. Remove the towels and place the baskets in the proofer. Set the temperature to 80°F (27°C), and proof for about 1 hour, or until the loaves are puffy and almost cresting the top of the basket. Place one loaf back in the refrigerator to prevent over-proofing.

10. Preheat the baking steel. 
Place the baking steel on the middle rack inside your oven. Preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C). The steel is ready to use at this time. Turn the room-temperature loaf out onto a piece of parchment paper and score the dough. Using the parchment paper as a sling, carefully lower the loaf onto the preheated steel and cover it with the Baking Shell. Bake with the Baking Shell on for 20 minutes. Remove the Baking Shell and lower the oven temperature to 450°F (232°C). Remove the second loaf from the refrigerator and set it aside. Continue baking the first loaf for an additional 20 to 25 minutes with the Baking Shell off. The internal temperature should register 210°F (99°C) when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the center of the loaf. Repeat with the second loaf.

11. Cool, serve, and store. 
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. Store wrapped for up to 5 days at room temperature, toasting as necessary.