Next, knead the dough for a few minutes using either the slap and fold technique or folds in the bowl. WeightĪdd the about half the water, salt, and levain to the top of the dough that was just in autolyse. I mixed and strengthened this dough by hand using the slap and fold technique, but you could also use a KitchenAid stand mixer or a large spiral mixer. Mix the following ingredients in a large bowl until incorporated. This recipe calls for a short autolyse to help shorten the necessary hand-mixing time. Mix the following ingredients in a container and leave them covered at a warm temperature, 74-76☏ (23-24☌), to ripen overnight. Note that this water will be drained before adding the apricots during bulk fermentation. If your dried apricots are very dry, place them in a small bowl with 50 grams of water, cover the bowl, and let soak overnight while the levain ripens. Prepare the apricots and levain – 9:00 p.m., the night before mixing Whole wheat flour (Central Milling Hi-Pro Whole Wheat)įresh thyme, finely chopped (about ½ tablespoon)Īpricot and thyme sourdough bread method 1. White flour (about 11.5% protein Central Milling Artisan Baker’s Craft) Apricot and thyme sourdough bread formula Vitals Total dough weightĭesired dough temperature: 78☏ (25☌) (see my post on the importance of dough temperature). See my guide on baking bread in the winter for tips on how to keep your dough warm and the fermentation on schedule. In the winter, my dough typically requires the full 3-hour final proof if done on the counter. to bake it the same day it’s mixed), leave the dough out to proof on the counter for 2 to 3 hours until it passes the poke test (a finger poke springs slowly back). The cold overnight proof gives the dough ample time to ferment, thus increasing the final fermentation flavors and making for a more manageable dough to score before baking. This apricot and thyme sourdough bread takes two days to make (not including the levain). The unsulfered, dried apricots I use for this recipe are always rather plump and moist, but if yours tend to be on the drier side, be sure to soak them in some of the dough mixing water overnight while your levain ripens (see the note in Step 1 of the recipe). The Rosaceae-family fruit pairs so well with thyme it’s as if they were made to be matched-perhaps this is why you often see them together in foods across cultures (especially around Christmas time in stuffing). This recipe was inspired by the apricot and thyme preserves I make just about every late summer in an attempt to put to good use the bushels of ultra-ripe fruit from our family tree (if you have an apricot tree, you know what a mad rush it is to use them in just about everything). The earthy whole wheat is a wonderful backdrop for the sweet-sour flavor of dried apricots, which somehow reminds me of a slightly under-ripe summer peach. I wanted this bread to have an assertive wheaty flavor, so half of the total flour is whole wheat. Apricot and thyme sourdough bread in the sunshine. This delicious apricot and thyme sourdough bread will no doubt carry me through the next few months of harsh snows, gray days, and early nights-and I hope it’ll bring a little sunshine to your kitchen, too. After baking, it is a welcome affront to the senses as it whips you straight to spring with its fresh and earthy aroma that invites memories of garden strolls among buzzing bees, rich soil, and flowering herbs. This bread has a beautiful bouquet from piquant herbs and bright lemon zest. These ingredients make for a hearty apricot and thyme sourdough bread that’ll warm up any cold, winter day. And lately, this creativity has involved a combination of dried apricots, winter-friendly fresh thyme, and lemon zest-all paired with a hefty percentage of whole wheat. The lack of fresh, juicy produce might be seen as a limitation by some, but for me, it’s a chance to get creative, to push the boundaries in my cooking and baking, and to see what surprises lie in wait. Wintertime is when I rely on my larder just as much as the local market.
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