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Home Cooks Guide

A professional chef's guide to the home kitchen

January 31, 2021

High Hydration Sourdough Loaf with Chia Seeds

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A high hydration sourdough loaf with chia seeds.

A light and airy sourdough loaf with an open crumb. Chia seeds and the addition of whole wheat flour make it extra nutritious.

This loaf was one of those happy accidents. Weighing out my ingredients in my mixing bowl, I let my mind wander for a moment, and when I looked down at the scale I realized I had added quite a bit more water than I intended. To save the loaf, and soak up some of the extra water, I threw in a handful of chia seeds. The resulting loaf – a super delicious sourdough boule with a nearly transparent open crumb. It didn’t last a day in my house!

Baking Schedule

I started this loaf after dinner and completed the bulk fermentation overnight. I shaped and refrigerated it in the morning and baked it around 3pm so it would be cooked and cooled for dinner.

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Sourdough Loaf made with whole wheat flour and chia seeds on a cutting board.

High Hydration Sourdough Loaf with Chia Seeds

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  • Author: Kara Taylor- Home Cooks Guide
  • Prep Time: 12 hours
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 13 hours
  • Yield: 1 loaf 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: n/a
  • Diet: Vegan
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Description

A delicious and nutritious high hydration sourdough boule.


Ingredients

Scale

415 g (1 3/4 cups) warm water

100 g (scant 1/2 cup) sourdough starter

400 g (3 1/4 cup) high protein flour

100 g (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour

20 g (2 Tablespoons) chia seeds

10 g (1 Tablespoons) salt 


Instructions

Starting with water and starter, add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.  Using your hands or a wooden spoon, form a rough dough.  Let this sit for 20 minutes.

Using your hands, turn the dough a couple of times to form a ball.  Give the dough a “full turn” every 30 minutes for the next couple of hours.

Cover the dough and leave at room temperature (65-70 F) until doubled in size, about 10 hours.

Turn the dough out on a floured surface.  Let it sit there untouched for about 20 minutes.  Then shape the loaf.  Place the dough seam side up in a snug bowl lined with a well floured tea towel.  At this point, you can refrigerate the dough for 6-8 hours or continue with the next step.

Leave the dough in the shaping bowl for another 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour in a warmer environment such as on top of the stove while it preheats.

Preheat the oven to 475 F.

Invert the bowl with dough onto a piece of parchment sprinkled with flour or cornmeal or semolina.  Score the dough.

Transfer the dough to a cast iron dutch oven (not preheated), cover it and place it in the oven.  Bake for 40 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400 F.  Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove the loaf from the dutch oven and place directly on the rack (on the parchment still is ok).  Bake for another 10 minutes.  

Remove the loaf from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.  Let it cool for 1 hour before slicing.


Equipment

Giusto’s High Protein Performer

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Image of | Ultra Cuisine Stainless Steel Cooling/Roasting Rack |

| Ultra Cuisine Stainless Steel Cooling/Roasting Rack |

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Image of | Stainless Steel Measuring Cups, 5 Piece Stackable Measuring Set |

| Stainless Steel Measuring Cups, 5 Piece Stackable Measuring Set |

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Image of | Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles, 5 qt |

| Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven With Loop Handles, 5 qt |

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Notes

Need some sourdough starter?  I’ll mail you some of my dried starter for free if you are 1) a subscriber, 2) update your email preferences to include your mailing address, and 3) shoot me an email about it.  My gift to you.  Instructions for using a dried starter can be found here.

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Filed Under: Bread, Budget Bites (under $2), Dairy Free, Sourdough, Uncategorized Tagged With: boule, whole wheat

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