A HINT OF PROVENCE - LAVENDER BREAD

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In front of the store where I sell my breads I saw a bed of lavender in full bloom. The smell was wonderful, recalling memories of glorious summer holidays as a student in the Aix-en-Provence.

It also reminded me of a bread recipe with lavender that I always wanted to try.

Lavender in full bloom - a feast for nose and eyes

The lavender buds in my garden have not opened, yet, but I have some dried lavender flowers, and the assurance of reliable sources in the internet that fresh and dried lavender had the same strong aroma, and were therefore interchangeable.

At the first bite the breads' seasoning appears a bit unfamiliar, but then the taste buds open up, and welcome the subtle lavender flavor - a hint of Provence.

Especially good with butter and honey

LAVENDER BREAD          (adapted from Richard Ploner's "Brot aus Südtirol")
(6 mini breads or 8-12 rolls)

STARTER
22 g whole wheat mother starter (or white starter)
63 g all-purpose flour
45 g water

DOUGH
3 g instant yeast
270 g water, lukewarm
all starter (130 g)
400 g all-purpose flour
100 g bread flour
20 g sugar
12 g salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 tsp. dried lavender flowers, or fresh lavender flowers (from 6 stems)

DAY 1
In the morning, mix starter. Cover, and let sit at room temperature.

In the evening, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add to all other dough ingredients. Mix at low speed (or by hand) for 1 - 2 minutes, until all flour is hydrated. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Knead at medium-low speed for 2 minutes, adjusting with more water as needed (dough should still be sticky). Continue kneading for 4 more minutes, the last 20 seconds at medium speed (dough should still be somewhat sticky).

Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, and (with wet hands) stretch it gently into a rough square, and fold it like a business envelope. Turn it 90 degrees, and, from the small sides, fold it again in thirds.

Gather dough package into a ball, tucking edges under, and place in lightly oiled bowl (seam side down). Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat Stretch & Fold 3 more times, at 10 minute intervals. After last S & F place dough in oiled container, mist with baking spray, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.

DAY 2:
Remove dough from refrigerator at least 2 hours before using. Its volume should triple.

Preheat oven to 425ºF/220ºC, including steam pan.

Divide dough into 6 (mini breads) or 8-12 (rolls) equal pieces. Shape pieces first into rounds, then roll them  into strands. Cover, and let rise at room temperature for about 45 minutes, or until an indentation, made with your finger, remains visible. Slash lengthwise.

Bake breads at 425 F/220ºC for 12 minutes, remove steam pan, rotate loaves, and bake for another 13 minutes, or until rich golden brown (internal temperature at least 200 F/95 C)

Let breads cool on wire rack.

Karin and friends taking French language classes in Aix-en-Povence (1970)

TYROLEAN PUMPKIN SEED MINI BREADS

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One of my most beloved bread baking books is written by Richard Ploner, a master baker from South Tyrol ("Brot aus Südtirol"). Unfortunately neither this nor any of the other good German bread baking books have been translated into English, yet.

American artisan bakers who want to bake German, Austrian or East European breads all have to rely on the same few recipes in American baking books, recipe collections and websites. (Since I first wrote about this, a few German bread baking bloggers, like Brotdoc and Bernd's Bakery, started putting bilingual posts in their blogs, too.)

To bring some fresh flour into all this "inbreading", I'll post a favorite Tyrolean recipe: Kürbiskernbrot.

Toasted pumpkin seeds

These pretty, tasty little breads are studded with toasted pumpkin seeds and a mix of flours. If you can get hold of it, use pumpkin seed oil to make them more authentic. But other vegetable oil works, too.

The soft wheat flour Italian Tipo 00 (or pastry flour) is necessary to give it the right consistency, so don't swap it for AP.

Enjoy!

Whole rye, spelt and pumpkin seeds make these little breads a real treat!

PUMPKIN SEED MINI BREADS  (adapted from Richard Ploner's "Brot aus Südtirol")


340 g/12 oz milk, at 95ºF/35ºC
6 g/0.2 oz instant yeast
50 g/1.8 oz whole rye flour
300 g/10.6 oz whole spelt flour
150 g/5.3 oz Italian Tipo 00 soft wheat flour (or pastry flour*)
10 g/0.4 oz salt
5 g sugar (1 tsp.)
30 g/1 oz pumpkin seed oil (or other vegetable oil)
150 g/5.3 oz pumpkin seeds, toasted
water, for adjustments
1 egg, slightly beaten, for egg wash

*) Do not substitute with all-purpose flour - the crumb will become too chewy!)

The dough is studded with toasted pumpkin seeds

DAY 1
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add to all other dough ingredients in mixing bowl. Mix for 1 - 2 minutes by hand or with mixer at low speed, until all flour is hydrated and ingredients come together. Let dough rest for 5 minutes.

The dough will be somewhat sticky, but a stiff from the pumpkin seeds

Knead dough for 2 minutes at medium-low speed, adjusting with a bit of water as needed, dough should be smoother but still sticky. Continue kneading for another 4 minutes. Dough should be still somewhat sticky. Prepare a clean, lightly oiled bowl.

Transfer dough to a lightly oiled (or wet) work surface. Lightly oil (or moisten) your hands.

Pat and stretch dough into a rough square

Pat and stretch dough into a rough square, then fold it from top and bottom in thirds, like a business letter. Repeat stretching and folding in thirds from left and right.

Folded into a neat package

Place dough ball, sides tucked under, seam side down into prepared bowl. Cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Repeat those stretches and folds 3 times, at 10 minute intervals (total time 40 min.) Dough will become smoother, but, with all those seeds, be also a bit stiff.

After the last fold, cover bowl, and immediately place into refrigerator for overnight fermentation.


DAY 2
Remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours before using, to come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 410ºF/210ºC, including steam pan.

Fold edges to the center to shape a roll

Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface, and divide into 6 equal pieces. Shape these into rounds or rolls, and place them, seam side down, on parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.

Using scissors, make 8 incisions around rim of each bread (see photo). Then, with a small round cookie cutter, press down in the middle to create the flower shape (the breads will spread and flatten a bit). Spray lightly with oil, cover, and proof for 30 - 45 minutes, or until they have grown 1 1/2 times their original size (finger poke test.)

Risen and ready to be baked

Place breads in oven, steaming with 1 cup hot water (optional), and bake for 12 minutes. Remove steam pan, rotate baking sheet 180 degrees, and continue baking for another 13 minutes, until breads are a deep golden brown, and register at least 200ºF/93ºC (instant thermometer.)

Let breads cool on wire rack.

Pumpkin Seed Mini Breads are as cute as they are tasty

 Updated 12/27/15