Ingredients
Levain
- 60 grams White Whole Wheat Flour
- 60 grams Water, around 90°F
- 60 grams Ripe (fed) Sourdough Starter
Dough
- 705 grams Whole Wheat Flour
- 400 grams Bread Flour
- 60 grams Rye Flour
- 935 grams Water, around 90°F
- 135 grams California Dried Figs Diced
- 68 grams Sunflower Seeds
- 5 grams Dry Instant Yeast
- 24 grams Table Salt
- All of the prepared levain
- 20 grams Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats for topping (optional)
Directions
If your sourdough starter isn’t regularly fed, take it out of the fridge and feed it twice (morning and night) before using it. Ensure it’s active and doubles in size.
The night before making the bread, mix the levain ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and let it rest at room temperature (~75°F) overnight for 10 to 12 hours.
When you are ready to prepare the dough, combine all the dough ingredients, except for salt and levain, in a mixing bowl with a dough hook. Mix for 1 minute. Cover and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature.
Add salt and levain to the dough. Mix on speed 1 for 2 minutes, then on speed 2 for 4 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a thick-walled bowl or tub, cover it, and let it rise for 1½ hours at room temperature.
After 1½ hours, perform a stretch-and-fold. Wait 30 minutes and repeat. Perform a total of three stretch-and-folds, resting for 30 minutes between each. Cover and let rest for 1 more hour.
Turn the dough onto a lightly greased or floured surface. Divide in half and shape each half into a round. Let rest uncovered for 25 minutes.
Lightly grease two, 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.
Shape each dough piece into a 9-inch log. Place the logs into the prepared pans. Spritz with warm water and sprinkle rolled oats on top.
Cover pans loosely with greased plastic wrap. Let the loaves rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until they reach the rim of the pan.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a cast iron pan in the bottom of the oven to create steam.
Spritz the loaves with warm water. Place the bread in the oven and add 1½ cups of boiling water to the cast iron pan for steam.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 400°F. Bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and have an internal temperature of at least 200°F.
Remove the loaves from the oven and turn them out onto a rack. Cool for 1 to 2 hours before slicing.
Store bread at room temperature, wrapped well, for several days, or freeze for longer storage.