Sonnenblumenbrot – German Sunflower Seed Bread

Since fall is in full swing and turning my place into a sauna is starting to make sense, we continue with more bread baking. Our most recent exploit had the oven cranked up at maximum temperature but today’s featured recipe bakes at a balmy 460ºF with steam. Lots of steam. So much steam that I had to keep a safe distance from the oven lest nether regions get soft-boiled.

The result is a crusty boule that crackles audibly when pulled from the oven. Bespeckled with toasted sunflower seeds and coarse rye grains, nutty flavors thoroughly permeate the loaf and give it its distinctive character.

Jeffrey Hamelman suggests pairing sonnenblumenbrot with hard cheeses, peanut butter, jams, or butter. My pick? None of the above. A lightly toasted slice is enough to satisfy my simple tastes.

recipe adapted from Jeffrey Hamelman’s Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes
Yeastspotting at Wild Yeast Blog

Sonnenblumenbrot
German Sunflower Seed Bread

makes one boule weighing approximately 1 1/4 pounds  / 567 grams

Cracked rye and raw sunflower seeds.

For the Pâte Fermentée (Pre-fermented Dough):

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
bread flour, unbleached         1/2 cup           2.13          60
water, at room temperature        3 tbsp          1.4           40
instant yeast                 pinch
kosher salt                   pinch                .33           1

Pâte Fermentée (Pre-fermented Dough) Instructions:

Mix the pâte fermentée ingredients until a shaggy ball of dough is formed. Knead the pâte fermentée for about 2 minutes, or until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Place the pâte fermentée in a bowl and cover. Leave at room temperature for 12 to 16 hours.

For the Soaker:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
rye chops                       1/2 cup           2.13          60
water, at room temperature      1/3 cup           2.67          76

Notes:

• I used cracked rye instead of rye chops. Cracked rye absorbs water at a slower rate than rye chops, so use boiling instead of room temperature water to fully soften the grains.

Soaker Instructions:

Mix the soaker ingredients until evenly hydrated. Cover and leave at room temperature for about 4 hours.

Final Dough Formula:

Ingredients                  Volume          Ounces          Grams
all of the soaker
bread flour, unbleached           2 cups          8.5          242
water, at room temperature      1/2 cup           4.5          127
kosher salt                       2 tsp            .2            6
instant yeast                     2 tsp
malt syrup or honey               1 tsp
sunflower seeds, toasted        1/2 cup           2.13          60
all of the pâte fermentée, cut into small pieces

sunflower seeds, raw, for topping

Final Dough Instructions:

Mix             Mix all of the ingredients, except the pâte fermentée
                pieces, until a shaggy dough is formed. Add the pâte
                fermentée pieces and continue mixing until evenly
                incorporated.

Knead           6 to 8 minutes

Rest            5 minutes

Knead           1 minute to further strengthen the gluten. The dough
                will still be a bit sticky.

Ferment #1      1 hour at room temperature

Stretch and Fold

Ferment #1      1 hour at room temperature

Preshape        loose rounds

Rest            15 to 20 minutes

Shape and Top   shape into a tight boule and top with raw sunflower
                seeds

Preheat Oven    460ºF/238ºC

Final Proof     60 to 90 minutes at room temperature, seeded side up

Proofed sunflower seed bread dough.

Score           Try to keep as much of the sunflower seeds intact.

A surgeon I am not.

Steam           2 cups of boiling water poured into a heavy steam
                pan, preferably cast iron

Bake            Bake at 460ºF/238ºC for about 40 minutes, rotating
                the pan halfway through baking to brown the loaves
                evenly and let the steam escape.

Cool            At least 1 hour

The crust crackles as it cools.

How do you slice without scattering sunflower seeds all over?

Links about Jeffrey Hamelman’s Sunflower Seed Bread:

• The Bread Chronicle
  
• Chili und Ciabatta (German)
  

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