SOURDOUGH APPLE ALMOND RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• Addition Prep
• You can use pre-made apple sauce, or you can peel and core two apples, and then cook and mash the pieces. If using the microwave to cook the apples, simply put small pieces in a glass bowl, cover, and cook until they're soft enough to mash. If using a saucepan, you can cook the apple pieces in the 50g of water listed under Additions, rather than adding that water in later when mixing up the Addition.
• Combine all of the ingredients in the Additions list in a small bowl, and set it aside to cool. The raisins and nuts will soak up some of the liquid.
• Dough Mixing and Bulk Fermentation
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, water, and starter. Note the time and temperature as this is the start of bulk fermentation. Don't add the additions yet.
• Cover and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes, and then stretch and fold the dough, going around the bowl several times until the dough is tighter. Click here to see a video of stretching and folding, as well as other forms of gluten development.
• Cover and let the dough rest another 20-30 minutes, then add the Additions to the dough by folding or laminating them in (see the previous link for a lamination video as well).
• Let the dough ferment until it's puffy and close to doubled. For my dough, this was about 10.5 hours at 71F room temperature.
• Pre-shape, Bench Rest, and Shaping
• Scrape the dough out onto a floured countertop. Sprinkle flour on the top of the dough and press it into a rectangular shape about 3/4 inch thick. Fold the dough in thirds and then in half. (See the gallery below for photos.)
• Cover the dough with an inverted bowl and let it rest about 20 minutes.
• Prepare a tea towel with flour and a layer of bran flakes in a circle or oval, depending on the shape of your baking vessel and final loaf. You can also spray your banneton with oil and coat it with bran flakes, or simply flour your banneton/liner and skip the bran flake coating on the bread crust.
• Flip over your dough and shape it into a boule, batard, or oblong loaf. Shaping videos can be found here.
• Using a bench scraper, flip the shaped dough onto the tea towel (or into your prepped banneton). Then lift the towel and place it into your banneton. The base of the bread should be facing up.
• Final Proof and Baking
• Cover and proof the dough at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or in your refrigerator overnight (8-14 hours).
• Preheat your oven and baking vessel to 500F for 30 minutes.
• Gently flip the dough out of the banneton and into the bottom of your baking vessel or onto parchment paper first for an easier transfer.
• Score the top of the dough, then cover the vessel and return it to the oven.
• Bake at:
• 500F for 20 minutes lid on
• 450F for 10 minutes lid on
• 450F for 10 minutes lid off
• The internal temperature of the bread should be at least 205F when it's done.
• Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool a minimum of 2 hours before cutting.