Sourdough + Fig + Fennel + Lemon

Posted by moon garden on 04/05/2013 · 23 Comments 

I went to the farmers Market in my neighborhood on my day off,

and found my favorite ingredient.

Dried figs!!!

Immediately, I grabbed a bag of the dried figs and the next moment, I started thinking about my next baking project.

Fig and…

and…

How about Fig and Fennel?

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Actually, I submitted my bread recipe on Food 52 recipe contest the other day!

Fennel and Lemon Boule – Smoked with Earl Grey Tea

Since the theme ingredient was “Fennel”, my brain was full of “Fennel” + “bread” at the time!

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So, I decided to use the fennel seeds as a company of the dried figs,

also added the zested lemon to tie the flavor of the fig and fennel seeds.

I can’t wait to bake it! 

A short baguette or long batard? Looks like a sweet potato… haha :-)

The best part was the baked dried figs, which half-melted into the dough and turned out almost like fig jam!

On top of that, the flavor of the fennel seeds and zested lemon was superb!

Oh boy… I can’t stop eating!!!

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Submitting this post to YeastSpotting

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Sourdough + Fig + Fennel + Lemon

Makes 1 medium size loaf

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Recipe

266 g Bread flour

100 g Water

4 g Fennel Seeds

92 g Hot water

5 g Salt

100 g Chopped Dried Figs

4 g Zested Lemon

80 g 60% Firm sourdough starter

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Formula

314.8 g Bread Flour (100%)

233 g Water (74%)

5 g Salt (1.6% )

100 g Dried Figs (31.78% )

4 g Fennel Seeds(1.27% )

4 g Zested Lemon (1.27% )

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1. Soak the Fennel seeds in 92 g hot water to infuse the fennel flavor into the water. Let it cool.
2. Making the Levain — In a mixing bowl, combine 44.4 g Bread Flour, 26.6 Water and 8.8 g Sourdough seed starter / culture. Let it preferment at room temperature for 12 hours.
3. Meanwhile, mix 266 g Bread flour and 100 g water and 92 g + 4 g fennel infused water, cover it with plastic and Autolyse for for 12 hours.
   
4. Mix Levain into autolysed dough and slap & fold for 1 minute.
5. Add salt and slap & fold for 1 minute or until the dough becomes a rough ball.
6. Let it rest for  30 minutes.
7. Add chopped dried figs and 1 set Stretch & Fold (1 set = right over left, left over right, bottom over top, top over bottom)
8. Let it rest for  30 minutes.
9. Add Zested lemon and 1 set Stretch & Fold
10. Let it rest for  30 minutes.
11. Another set Stretch & Fold
12. At a cooler place, let it rise until the dough just starts showing the ‘activity’ and becomes about a third in size.
13. Put it in the fridge for 18-24 hours.
14. Pull it out of the fridge and leave it out for 1 hour.
15. Pre-shape the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
16. Shape into Bâtard and place onto a well-floured tea towel, seam-side up.
17. Final fermentation for 60 – 90 minutes.
18. 1 hour before you plan to bake, preheat the oven to 500°F.
19. Score the top of the Bâtard using a lame or a sharp, serrated knife.
20. Put the bread in the preheated oven.
21. Bake the bread for 30 minutes, 480°F with steam.
22. Turn the heat down to 460°F and bake for 10-15 minutes without steam.
23. Once the bread is nicely brown, turn the heat off  and let it sit in the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
24. Let it cool onto a rack.
25. Enjoy!

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Filed under BREAD, SOURDOUGH · Tagged with Batard, Bread flour, Fennel, Figs, Gold medal, Herbs, Lemon Zest, Overnight fermentation, Sourdough, Starter