Fruit and Nut Sourdough Toast for Breakfast : makes 1 Loaf

This week I bring to you a fruity, hearty, and nourishing sourdough fruit loaf perfect for Sunday morning breakfast. Sourdough is a slow-fermented bread that is beneficial to our gut biome, and doesn't need commercial yeast to rise. It's made with a live fermented culture, a sourdough starter, which acts as a natural rising agent. Once you have a sourdough starter in your refrigerator, "the mother"  you can start baking sourdough bread. 

There's no need to go to a coffee shop or a bakery to experience a delicious slice of raisin toast, you can make the equivalent yourself, only better, baked from scratch.  Chewy sweet apricots and nutty sunflower seeds combined with your own selection of dried fruits are a powerhouse lineup. You can use bits and pieces of whatever dried fruits and nuts you have for this recipe, so it's both economical and fun at the same time. I always have half full packets of dried fruit and nuts in my refrigerator, as they can go mouldy during our Summer, so this a perfect way to use them up. You can enjoy a thick, toasted buttered slice of fruit and nut loaf with a cappuccino on the side, in the comfort of your own home.

Baking with sourdough isn't a quick fix, but it's well worth it, for superior flavours, great crumb, the health benefits of sourdough yeast, and the self satisfaction of having achieved a great result. The moisture in the dried fruit will keep the loaf fresh for 3-4 days and there's no need to add extra sugar to the recipe. Store wrapped in a tea towel or alfoil in a bread bin. However if it is hot and humid where you live, I suggest you keep the loaf covered in the refrigerator.

The fruit should be chopped into small pieces as it will plump up when soaked. I always think that Sunday morning breakfast is special, so I like to prepare this loaf the night before, and bake it Sunday morning in time for breakfast, which can be a little late on a Sunday, don't you think? Your home will smell like the bakery up the road, delightful. Let's start baking, I'm in the mood, how about you?

 Ingredients:

The Dough:

A few days before you need to start baking, feed your sourdough starter until bubbly and active.  (Although mine is often bubbling after 2 days. Store at room temperature until ready to use.)

65 g (1/3 cup ) bubbly, active sourdough starter

325 g (1 1/3 cups plus 1 tsp) warm water

500 g (4 cups plus 2 tbsp) bread flour

9 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt

Fruit and Nut Filling:

100 g (about 1 cup) mixed dried fruit which can include raisins, cherries, blueberries, and cranberries. All roughly chopped.

50 g (about 6 whole) dried apricots, diced

50 g (1/3 cup) sunflower or pumpkin seeds

10 g (2 tsp) pure vanilla extract

24 g ( 2 tbsp) sugar

1 g (1/2 tsp cinnamon)

Butter for coating the loaf tin

An egg for some egg wash

Preparing your dough:

Add the bubbly sourdough starter and the water to a large bowl and whisk together with a fork. Gradually add the flour and the salt and mix to combine with the sourdough. Using your hand, just form a dough which is still a bit dry, and a bit rough. It will look a bit shaggy. This is all you need at this stage. Smooth dough will come later. Cover the dough with a damp tea towel and let it rest for 45 minutes to an hour. Even two will be ok, depending on your commitments.

At this stage you might wish to feed your remaining starter with fresh flour and water for use with another baking project such as a loaf of bread, and store it in a warm place.

Chop up your dried fruit, and place the sunflower seeds and the fruit in a bowl and add just enough warm water to cover the mix. Add the cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla essence and stir to combine. You will need to drain this well before adding to the dough.

Adding the fruit and seeds:

After 45 minutes of the dough resting, add the drained fruit and seeds to the dough mixture in the bowl. Gently knead the dough in the bowl, until the fruit and seeds are incorporated.  This will only take a couple of minutes, if that.

Overnight bulk rise:

I use a plastic shower cap to cover the dough in the bowl however using a damp tea towel will be fine. Find a warm spot and let the dough rise at room temperature until doubled in size, this will take about 8 - 10 hours. That's why it's good to let the dough rise over night, while you are sleeping. Suggested temperatures for rising are 70 deg. F or 21 deg C. However don't lose any sleep over these temperatures being correct, just a warmish spot will be fine. 

Shape the dough:

In the morning, tip the dough onto a slightly floured bench. Using your finger tips, gently dimple the surface of the dough which will release some of the air. Roll the dough into a log, and tuck the ends underneath. Let this rest for 5 - 10 minutes.

Select a loaf pan, 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 inch). Prepare your loaf pan by lightly coating it with butter. 

Using your lightly floured hands, tighten the shape of the dough by patting it between your hands and pulling it toward you until it will fit in the tin.

Now for the Second Rising!

This should only take 1 to 2 hours, not long at all.  Cover the dough in the loaf tin again with the shower cap. Let it rise to about 2.5 cm (1 inch) above the rim of the tin. 

Preheat your oven to 230 deg. C (450 deg. F)

Time to Bake:

Add some egg wash with a pastry brush to the top of the loaf to create a shiny, brown crust. Egg wash is a simple mixture of egg and a little milk. Place the loaf tin on the centre rack of your oven and reduce the heat to 200 deg. C (400 deg F). Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. 

Check the loaf halfway through baking, and use alfoil to cover the loaf like a tent if the fruit is starting to brown too quickly. 

Cool the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and finish cooling the loaf before cutting into slices and spread with fresh butter.

Credit for the original recipe goes to Emilie Raffa from her book Artisan Sourdough Made Simple, for the inspiration to make a delicious fruit loaf. This is a lead up to my Easter baking. Why don't you give it a try?

Happy baking

Warm wishes

Pauline

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