Rustic Rye Bread with California Raisin Starter

BASKER BABU, EXECUTIVE PASTRY CHEF, MERITUS MANDARIN ORCHARD

California Raisin Starter (The Chef's Dough)
 800 g California Raisins
 20 g caster sugar
 800 ml water, at 20°C
 750 g bread flour
 500 ml water, at 20°C
 750 g bread flour
Fermented Dough
 1 kg bread flour
 500 ml water, at 20°C
 500 g Chef's Dough
Rye Dough
 650 g bread flour
 200 g rye flour
 300 g fermented dough
 15 g salt
 5 g dry yeast
 500 ml water, at 10°C
 300 g California Raisins

California Raisin Starter (The Chef's Dough)
1

Cover California Raisins and sugar with 800m1 water, and leave in a jar in a warm place at 25°C for about 7 days.

2

When small bubbles have formed in the jar, remove juice from the soaked raisins. Mix 500m1 of this juice with 750g bread flour in a bowl. Let it rest for 6hrs.

3

After the dough has doubled in volume, add 500m1 water and 750g of bread flour to it.

4

Knead for 5mins at first speed in a mixer. Let it rise at room temperature.

5

After it has doubled in volume, chill it for 3 days at room temperature 20°C to 22°C.

Fermented Dough
6

Mix bread flour, water and Chef's Dough in a mixer, knead for 10mins at first speed.

7

Leave the dough to prove for 16hrs at 12°C, cover it with cling film so it does not dry out.

Rye Dough
8

Place all the ingredients except the raisins in the mixer and knead for 12mins at first speed. The dough's final temperature must be 24°C.

9

Mix in California Raisins until well mixed, but only for a few mins, so as not to crush the raisins. Let the dough prove in bulk for 20mins.

10

Weigh 60g of dough for a roll and 300g for a loaf. Shape the dough into balls and let rest for 20mins.

11

Shape rolls and loaves by hand, sprinkle some bread flour. Let them rise for 1hr at 25°C. Score the rolls and loaves with scissors before baking.

12

Bake the rolls and loaves in a deck oven at 210°C; 25mins for the bread rolls and 35mins for the loaves.