Wheat berries give this bread a rich whole grain flavor, add texture with a lot of fiber and produce a rustic surface. It is great with your soup or you can toast and spread with cream cheese, preserves or butter for snacks and breakfast. The added honey is the perfect sweetener for its nutty taste and the olive oil gives the bread a soft and moist crumb.
KEY TOOLS/EQUIPMENT:
- Oven-preheat to 450°F
- Baking stone-preheat to 450°F
- Round banneton basket
- Bread lame
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Digital kitchen scale
- Large glass bowl
- Medium glass bowl
- Baking Tray
- Cast iron skillet
- Medium saucepan
RUSTIC WHEAT BERRY BREAD:
- Servings: 3
- Cooking Time: 30M
- Difficulty: Easy
INGREDIENTS: (All measurements are by weight except TBS and tsp.)
WHEAT BERRIES:
- 8 oz uncooked wheat berries
- 32 oz water
POOLISH:
- 4⅛ oz bread flour
- 4 oz cooking water at room temperature
- ¼ tsp instant or rapid-rise yeast
DOUGH:
- 2 oz cooking water at room temperature
- 5½ oz bread flour
- 2½ tsps instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1 TBS Honey
- 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
- 1¼ tsps salt
DIRECTIONS:
STEP 1:
WHEAT BERRIES: Combine water and whole-wheat flour in a saucepan, bring to boil. Simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Drain, reserve 6 oz cooking water. Set aside to cool then roughly chop.
STEP 2:
POOLISH: Combine all ingredients in a medium glass bowl, stir with wooden spoon and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 6 hours or until sponge has risen and begins to collapse.
STEP 3:
DOUGH: Combine all dough ingredients except salt in the stand mixer bowl, stir using wooden spoon. Add poolish and mix using dough hook on low speed until all the ingredients are evenly distributed, about 2 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough relax for 20 minutes.
STEP 4:
Add salt, knead on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 30 minutes.
STEP 5:
Fold dough toward middle 8 times, changing angle to 45° in each fold.. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat folding and rising for 1 to 1 ½ hours. After every 30 minutes, fold dough again, then cover. Let the dough rise until nearly half its size.
STEP 6:
Knead wheat berries into the dough using press and stretch until fully distributed. Form the dough into a ball by folding the edges toward the center then secure the seam.
STEP 7:
Dust banneton basket generously with flour. Transfer the dough into it seam side up. Cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until double its size.
STEP 8:
Transfer the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet seam side down, score the surface with bread lame to your own design.
STEP 9:
Place cast iron skillet on the bottom rack with 1 cup hot water to create steam.
STEP 10:
Slide the dough into the baking stone inside the oven, bake for 30-35 minutes at 450°F or until deep golden brown in color. Remove from the oven using oven and place on a rack to cool.