A bread for my grandmother

There has been 4 weeks since my last post and my last home made bread. I was missing my baking hobby. Really. But on the other side, I have traveled a lot, I have seen dear family and close fiends. I had also participated to a sad event, the funeral of my grandmother. A simple woman, full of energy during her life who passed over great challenges in her time. I miss you, grandma, rest in peace. Please let me dedicate this bread to you.

Coming back home, I searched my pantry for things that need to be consumed. I have found some millet flakes that were special for babies to make porridge. I simply couldn't throw away them even if my daughter doesn't like them anymore, so I used them in a bread. They are very light, so 50g fills more than a big soup bowl. If you do not have this ingredient (which is probably the case), it can be easily replaced by 50g of flour.

I need to recognize that after so much time not baking any bread I was a bit nervous to restart. I even went for tins to not fail. But everything went well and I've got 3 nice breads of which I am proud. Nice taste and nice texture. Somehow, baking bread is like riding bicycles... once learned you cannot fail. Bellow is the recipe...



Ingredients:

• 500g Manitoba flour (high protein level)
• 500g spelt flour
• 300g bread flour (medium protein level)
• 50g millet flakes (for babies)
• 780g water (at 32ºC)
• 200g liquid sourdough (100% hydrated)
• 20g salt
• 60g olive oil

Directions:

1. 11:20 AM Mix flours with water.
2. 11:30 AM Make the autolyse by letting the dough rests.
3. 12:15 AM add remaining ingredients and mix for 4 minutes on low speed and 10 minutes on second speed.
4. 12:30 AM Start the bulk fermentation for 4h15" at 20ºC room temperature. Reduce the time if you have a higher room temperature. Do a stretch and fold at 13:45 AM.
5. 16:45 Divide and shape 3 loaves from the dough.
6. 17:00 Put the loafs in bread tins, face down and do the final fermentation 1h at room temperature (20ºC). If the tins are not non-stick use some oil to brush them.
7. 17:45 Turn on the oven to preheat at 230ºC.
8. 18:00 Bake at 230ºC with steam in the first 20 minutes, then continue at 200ºC for another 25.
9. Let them cool for 10 minutes on a rack and then remove easily the breads from the tins.

This recipe was inspired from Le Larousse du pain - Eric Kayser, page 118-119.