Sunflower Bread

Recipe

Sunflower Bread

In this recipe, sunflower seeds can be used either raw (which we much prefer) or roasted.  To roast place them in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning occasionally to prevent scorching.

  • Serving SizeOne 1.5 pound loaf

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup sourdough culture
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
    • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
    • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

    Baking

    1

    Dough Proof

     

    Pour the culture into a mixing bowl.  Melt the butter and add the milk and water to warm.  Stir in the salt, honey, and sunflower seeds and add this mixture to the culture;  mix well.  Add the whole wheat flour, then add the all-purpose flour a cup at a time until the dough becomes too stiff to mix by hand.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead in the remaining flour until the dough is smooth and satiny.

     

    Or mix and knead all of the ingredients for a maximum of 25 minutes in a bread machine or other mixer.

     

    Proof the dough overnight (8 to 12 hours) at room temperature, about 70 degrees, in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap (or leave in the machine pan, removed from the machine, securing the plastic wrap with a rubber band).  During this time, the dough should double in size in the covered bowl, or rise to the top of the machine pan.  After the proof, use a spatula to gently ease the dough out onto a floured board.  Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes.  If marked flattening occurs during this time knead in additional flour before shaping.

    2

    Loaf Proof

     

    After the 30 minute rest, shape the dough.  Flatten it slightly, then lift a portion from the periphery and pull it toward the center,  Continue this around the dough mass to form a rough ball, then pat and pull into the loaf shape you desire.  

     

    Place the shaped loaf on a baking sheet or in a bread pan and proof for 2 to 4 hours, until it doubles in bulk or rises nearly to the top of the pan.  Proof for the first hour at room temperature and then at 85-90 degrees in a proofing box.

    3

    Baking

     

    Place the pan with its shaped, proofed load in a cool oven, then turn the temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 70 minutes.  Or transfer the loaf to a pre-heated baking stone in a 450 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes.  When the loaf is baked, remove it from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

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