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Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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« Apple Tea
June’s Sweet Pastry »

More Grain Loaves

June 8, 2011 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

After making the hazelnut and grain loaves recently, I was left with a large quantity of cooked grains in the fridge…

I was loathe to waste these, so I made up two more recipes from Dan Lepard’s The Handmade Loaf.

The first was a variation of his Ale Bread with Wheat Grains – an attractive loaf, although the soaked grains in both cases made the dough very wet. I was concerned it would stick like glue to the banneton, hence the crazy amount of rye flour on the loaf above.

The finished loaf had a soft crumb and pleasant taste, although I think my decision to replace the ale in the recipe with apple cider might have been a bit rash…

. . . . .

The second recipe was an adaptation of Dan’s Alsace Loaf with Rye.

Despite the finished loaves looking like kindling (according to Pete), the bread had a deliciously sweet  flavour, a tender but elastic crumb, and a lovely crunchy crust. It was so good in fact that we struggled to put anything on it – and settled for simply eating it plain.

Here’s my take on Dan’s recipe:

  • 300g soaked mixed grains, well drained (see instructions here)
  • 550g bakers/bread flour
  • 320g water
  • ¾ teaspoon dried yeast
  • 25g honey
  • 150g sourdough starter at 80% hydration (ie. fed at a ratio of 100g flour to 80g water)
  • 1¼ teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 25g grapeseed oil

Cooking and soaking grains before adding them to a dough is an old-fashioned breadbaking technique, and one that’s rarely employed by modern day bakeries.

If you’re baking at home though, do give this a go – the grains soften up, and the resultant loaves are delicious, keep well, and don’t destroy your fillings when you bite into them!

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Posted in Recipes | Tagged Alsace rye loaf, baking with soaked grains, Dan Lepard, grain bread, grain bread mix, The Handmade Loaf | 47 Comments

47 Responses

  1. on June 8, 2011 at 5:28 am Joanna @ Zeb Bakes

    Such great breads, are your neighbours queuing up patiently outside? I would be :D

    I particularly like the very last photo, I just want to reach in and grab that piece of bread – you are such a fantastic baker Celia, mmm mmmm.

    I can’t remember if I have tried this one exactly, I know they have inspired many loaves here. I am revisting the 100% sour rye – it’s sitting in the oven at 30 C trying to rise, I’m willing it to rise, nothing so far…..


    • on June 8, 2011 at 6:46 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you dear friend, you know what baking is like, we all sort of muddle along.. :)

      That rye is a trickster – I was sure it would just sit like a lump of clay, but as you said, it suddenly does its thing after several hours of just thinking about it! :)


  2. on June 8, 2011 at 6:40 am C

    They look really delicious Celia. I know I said this about your last grain loaves, but I really, really must try cooking with grains!


    • on June 8, 2011 at 6:44 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks C! These ones are better for you personally – no nuts! :)


  3. on June 8, 2011 at 8:21 am bagnidilucca

    I like the idea of the softened grains, some of those bought loaves can be rock hard.


    • on June 8, 2011 at 9:19 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Deb, a miller friend once told me that they occasionally get complaints because someone’s cracked a tooth on a hard bit of grain – never happened in the old days, because they used to soak the grains before putting them into the bread.


  4. on June 8, 2011 at 9:28 am David

    Great stuff Celia, the bannetons are getting a real workout it seems!


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Davey, you and I have to go shopping when you’re in town. Bring money. :)


  5. on June 8, 2011 at 9:28 am Amanda

    Celia, you really are a great baker. These loaves look so good! I’m sure I’d be the size of a house if I had this much good bread around, because it is always sooo much nicer with a good smear of butter ….


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:53 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Amanda, we didn’t get this size breathing…hahahaha…

      Seriously though, the boys eat so much bread, especially Small Man. He will demolish a small ciabatta loaf a day, on top of his regular meals!


  6. on June 8, 2011 at 9:49 am heidi

    I’m thinking of making your adaptation with the cider instead of ale.
    AND Joanna is right- that last shot is totally tempting!
    I want the heel of that bread with a cup of tea on the side!


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:54 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Heidi, I think you’ll love these loaves, but I’m still not convinced about the cider instead of ale. I think I would have preferred the first loaf a little more hoppy in flavour! The second one though, was an absolute winner – and the soaked grains added a wonderful subtle sweetness to the sticks.


  7. on June 8, 2011 at 9:53 am Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

    Well you’ve been busy haven’t you! The first loaf is just picture perfect :D


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:55 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks love! :)


  8. on June 8, 2011 at 10:06 am Claire @ Claire K Creations

    Very impressive looking loaves as usual. I wouldn’t have wanted to waste the grains either. Boys are terrible aren’t they? I get similar (although loving) comments about some of the things I make too.


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:56 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Hehehe…boys aren’t too bad, but dry-humoured husbands can be a little brutal. ;-) He’s right though – they did look like kindling, especially when I tried to arrange them so the sticks were crossing each other – it looked like I was setting up for a campfire! :)


  9. on June 8, 2011 at 10:07 am Linda Woodrow

    I love “porridge” breads, love the look of those. I’m cooking a mixture of a handful of each of whole wheat, millet, quinoa, and oat grits for my bread at the moment (adding them in that order, giving each a couple of minutes before adding the next). Loving the complex flavours of lots of grains, and feeling really virtuously nourished! I’m also finding with the long, slow proving of sourdough, the grains are partially digested – they get sweeter and softer. Only trouble is, now we’re eating too much bread for our waistlines!


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:57 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Linda, we could never get anyone to eat grain loaves until I started soaking them. I’m actually not convinced that eating all the hard seeds are good for us, but like you, I find the cooked grain loaves very satisfying. Try macerating the cooked grains in a dry white wine – it adds an amazing dimension to the bread! :)


  10. on June 8, 2011 at 12:15 pm Ann Hall

    Celia, inspired by you, I sent away to Bakery Bits in the UK for a couple of bannetons (couldn’t find anywhere to get them in WA). They arrived this morning in perfect condition in spite of being opened by Customs. Now I can’t wait to use them!


    • on June 8, 2011 at 1:59 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Ann, that’s fantastic! I haven’t ordered from BB before, but my friend Joanna is a big fan, and the man who runs it, Patrick, is very nice. Hope you have great fun with them! The big tip I got from everyone I know is this – don’t ever flour them with regular wheat flour, always use either rye or rice flour. The wheat flour will make the dough stick badly!


  11. on June 8, 2011 at 1:45 pm Craig

    Hi Celia,
    They look beautiful. As well as the depth of flavour and texture that the grains offer I think it also feels more whole to have such bread as it is resourceful, rather than wasteful. That’s another thing I love about your blog – how so much is a reflection of being effortlessly (‘naturally’ might be a better term) resourceful.
    Craig


    • on June 8, 2011 at 2:01 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Aaaah, praise from the breadmeister, thank you! :) And thank you for your kind words, I hope we can try to be resourceful rather than wasteful. We’re not brilliant at it yet, but hopefully all the little things add up to make a difference… x


  12. on June 8, 2011 at 2:24 pm thecompletecookbook

    As always Celia, success from your kitchen. Kindling, oh dear, my Pete would love that – any excuse to start a file for a braai (barbecue).
    The way you describe the second loaf is how a perfect slice of bread should be and it really is great to enjoy bread with nothing other than a spread of butter.
    :-) Mandy


    • on June 8, 2011 at 5:25 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Mandy – your Pete and his barbeques! :) The loaf really was very moreish!


  13. on June 8, 2011 at 2:37 pm Ann Hall

    Thanks for the flouring tip Celia. I only hope my loaves turn out half as well as your beautiful ones!


    • on June 8, 2011 at 5:24 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      That’s very kind of you Ann – I’m sure they will be magnificent! If they come out of the banneton cleanly, most of the work is done! :)


  14. on June 8, 2011 at 3:21 pm Liz

    Kindling never tastes as good as those lovely loaves! What grain mix are you using? I usually use Ben Furney’s 7 grain mix–a mix of mostly cracked grains that comes up with just a boiling water soak. I soak a double or triple amount and just freeze the extra in small containers.


    • on June 8, 2011 at 5:23 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Liz, I found it in the fridge – it originally came from my friend Kevin Sherrie’s mill, and contains Kibble Wheat, Mung Bean, Maize, Rye, Triticale, Soya Beans, Linseed, Barley and White Sorghum. It’s an intriguing mix, and really only needs a soaking, I think, the cooking is probably surplus, but it was nice to get such soft grains! :)


  15. on June 8, 2011 at 3:30 pm Nic@diningwithastud

    Your bread looks bakery made. Its so perfect and airy :) I can never get bread like that. Def more damper. Maybe I’ll do a course lol


    • on June 8, 2011 at 5:22 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Nic! Apparently Brasserie Bread do some fantastic breadmaking courses!


  16. on June 8, 2011 at 8:15 pm Christine

    What a coincidence – I was just reading Dan’s section on using up cooked grains this week, very funny. This really appeals to me, and your loaf is very inspiring.


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Chris, Dan’s book is just wonderful for leftovers. I was looking at a bowl of beef dripping leftover from last night’s roast, and wondering if Dan had a recipe to use it up. Pete’s a little grossed out by the idea.. ;-)


  17. on June 8, 2011 at 9:52 pm emm

    Oh wow, your bread looks amazing! If only I could eat it ;-)


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:49 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Emm, thank you! I wish you could eat it too! Have you ever tried Dan Lepard’s gluten-free loaf recipe? It’s really very good… https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/05/22/best-gluten-free-bread-ever/


  18. on June 8, 2011 at 10:45 pm Melanie

    Loaves look wonderful Celia!! I’ll have to try grains again in bread. I tried once and the grains weren’t cooked (recipe didn’t say to) so there were quite a bit of crunchies in the bread and I did not like it. I do love cooked rice in my bread though.


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:50 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Melanie, thank you – my boys won’t eat a standard grain loaf, but they liked these ones very much.


  19. on June 8, 2011 at 10:51 pm Anna Johnston

    Softening the grains that way….., nice little trick. This loaf looks wonderful Celia….., I can almost taste it.


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Anna. Once again, I wish you lived close enough for me to run a loaf over to you! :)


  20. on June 9, 2011 at 9:51 am Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide

    I can almost smell those through the screen. Gorgeous!


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:51 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Rufus, thank you! :)


  21. on June 9, 2011 at 3:03 pm Sally

    I’d love to come and have a bread baking lesson in your kitchen.


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Sally, I’ve read your blog, you hardly need breadmaking lessons from me! But the company would be grand.. :)


  22. on June 9, 2011 at 5:25 pm InTolerantChef

    How did it go with the cider vinegar? Was it sour or did it mellow out with the cooking?


    • on June 9, 2011 at 6:53 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Becca, it wasn’t cider vinegar, it was alcoholic apple cider in place of the water in the recipe! The flavour wasn’t quite right for my tastes, I should have listened to what Dan recommended, but you know me, I can’t help myself sometimes. Big Boy quite liked it though (then again, he’s a big cider fan!). :)


      • on June 10, 2011 at 10:19 pm InTolerantChef

        That makes so much more sense! I must have read it wrong, DOH!


  23. on June 14, 2011 at 1:22 am norma

    I would be standing outside your door for a handout….


    • on June 15, 2011 at 6:47 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      There’s always plenty to go around! I have neighbours ring occasionally and say, “hey…do you have a spare loaf in the freezer I could have?”. I love it! :)



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