I’ve been experimenting with sourdough fruit loaves, and came up with this rather pleasing combination. It’s slightly spicy, slightly sweet and quite addictive!
For my sourdough baking friends, the formula is listed below, but in more general terms, I adapted my standard recipe as follows:
1. The all white bakers’ flour was replaced with a mix of bakers’ flour to organic wholemeal spelt to organic rye in a ratio of 4:2:1 (600g bakers, 300g spelt, 150g rye).
2. A teaspoon each of honey and ground mixed spice was added to the dough.
3. Approximately half the flour weight in walnuts and mixed dried fruit was worked in at the initial kneading.
I didn’t soak the rye or spelt, but will try doing that next time to see if it alters the texture of the bread at all. These loaves tend to brown very quickly in the oven, so need to be monitored carefully to avoid burning.
As you can probably guess, we’re having lots of fruit toast for breakfast this week!
Sourdough Fruit Loaf (makes three 850g loaves)
- 300g sourdough starter (166% hydration)
- 550g water
- 75g extra virgin olive oil
- 600g bakers’ flour
- 300g organic wholemeal spelt flour
- 150g organic rye flour
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 16g salt
- 100g walnut halves
- 100g raisins
- 200g dried cranberries
- 200g Turkish figs, chopped
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 