Sourdough with Nuts and Raisins
This rustic artisan sourdough is packed with sweet raisins and crunchy toasted nuts for the ultimate breakfast toast.
Ingredients
- •350g bread flour
- •150g whole wheat flour
- •375g lukewarm water
- •100g active sourdough starter
- •10g fine sea salt
- •100g raisins
- •100g mixed nuts (walnuts and pecans), roughly chopped
- •1 tbsp warm water for soaking
Instructions
- 1
Plump the raisins in warm water for about 15 minutes, then drain thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel. Toast the chopped nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes until fragrant, then let them cool completely.
- 2
In a large bowl, whisk together the bread flour, whole wheat flour, and lukewarm water until no dry flour remains. Cover and let it rest for 45 minutes for the autolyse phase.
- 3
Add the active sourdough starter and sea salt to the dough. Dimple and squeeze the dough with your hands to fully incorporate the starter and salt.
- 4
Perform the first fold by grabbing the underside of the dough, stretching it up, and folding it over the top. Rotate the bowl and repeat four times. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- 5
During the first two hours of bulk fermentation, perform 4 sets of stretch and folds spaced 30 minutes apart. Incorporate the soaked raisins and cooled toasted nuts evenly into the dough during the second fold.
- 6
Cover the bowl and let the dough ferment undisturbed at room temperature until it increases in volume by about 50 percent and shows bubbles on the surface.
- 7
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a tight round loaf. Place the shaped loaf seam-side up into a well-floured banneton basket.
- 8
Cover the banneton with a plastic bag and place it in the refrigerator to cold retard overnight for 12 to 16 hours.
- 9
Preheat a Dutch oven with its lid on inside your oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius) for 45 minutes.
- 10
Turn the cold dough out of the banneton onto a piece of parchment paper, score the top deeply with a razor blade, and carefully transfer it into the hot Dutch oven.
- 11
Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove the lid, reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius), and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown.
- 12
Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let it cool completely for at least two hours before slicing.
💡 Chef tips
- You can swap the walnuts and pecans for hazelnuts or almonds depending on what you have in your pantry.
- Store the baked loaf cut-side down on a wooden cutting board covered with a clean kitchen towel for up to three days, or slice and freeze it for up to two months.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished bread features a blistered, crackly dark crust, a tender and chewy crumb speckled with sweet raisins and nutty crunch, and a wonderful balance of tangy sourdough flavor.