My Little Simple Fun Blog: Black Sesame Sourdough Pullman Loaf

Black Sesame Sourdough Pullman Loaf

Early 2015, I experienced very bad acid reflux, caused by excessive eating of homemade snacks made with flour - I ate the "failed" products instead of throwing them away or serving them. That year my boys' appetite turned insatiable and I started to learn snacks such as cakes, pancakes, cookies, scones, etc - all containing flour.

My acid reflux was so bad that I would react to any commercial products containing wheat - including the staple food, bread. I pored through internet to seek for alternative solution instead of fully relying on medication. Then I stumbled upon "sourdough", a totally alien word. From my research, I gathered that our body can better digest sourdough bread which has gone through slower, longer fermentation compared to commercial yeast bread. That was how I began my journey with sourdough, all thanks to the acid reflux! My sourdough starter was made using Atta flour (whole wheat flour) and bread flour. I have been maintaining it since Mar 2015. Consuming sourdough products definitely has improved my digestion of homemade products containing wheat.

Being a great fan of black sesame powder, I've made Black Sesame Sourdough Pullman Loaf bread with 64% hydration. Black sesame is rich in calcium and can keep our bones strong and prevent osteoporosis. It also helps to lower our cholesterol levels and regulates our blood pressure. Grounding or soaking the seeds overnight can help to make them more digestible. The overnight soaking reduces phytic acid, an anti-nutrient present in the seed, aiding the body's absorption of calcium and other minerals in the seeds.

Further reading: Health benefits of sourdough

Ingredients

140g Active Sourdough starter
180g Cold Water
280g Bread flour
40g Black sesame powder
21g Sugar
4g Salt
20g Butter

Instructions

1. Add sourdough starter and water into the stand-mixer bowl (I'm using KitchenAid)
2. Using a wooden chopstick, stir to mix well.
3. Add in bread flour and black sesame powder. Stir to mix well.
4. Use our hands to briefly knead the dough until a shaggy mass is formed.

5. Autolyse for 45min - 1hour.
6. Add sugar and salt to the dough.
7. On speed 1, using the dough hook, knead the dough for 3min.
8. On speed 2, further knead the dough for 7min.
9. Test for windowpane.

10. Cover the dough and rest for 15min. The machine also rest to prevent overheating.

11. Add in butter.

12. On speed 1, knead the dough for 3min.
13. On speed 2, further knead the dough for 6min.
14. On speed 4, knead for 30seconds
15. Test for windowpane.

16. When windowpane is achieved, transfer the dough into a large glass bowl. Otherwise, knead for another minute, and repeat step 15.

17. Bulk proof for 2hr-2.5hrs or until doubled in size.

18. Retard the dough (put into the fridge) for 16-18hours.

19. Weigh & divide the dough into 4.

20. Pre-shape into boule.
21. Cover and rest dough for 20min.

22. Take the first dough, using the rolling pin, roll out into rectangular shape.

23. Fold 1/3 of the dough into itself.

24. Then fold the bottom 1/3 onto itself as well.

25. Repeat for the remaining 3 doughs.

26. Cover and rest the doughs for 15-20min
27. Take the first dough and roll it out.

28. Roll the dough into a log like making swiss roll.

29. Place this dough into the pullman loaf tin.
30. Repeat for the remaining doughs.

31. Cover the pullman tin.

32. Final proof the dough for 1.5hrs to 2hrs, or until dough reaches 85%-90% tall in the pullman tin. I placed the pullman tin into my oven with the light switched on.

33. 1hr into proofing, preheat the oven at 200°C.

34. Dough is ready when it rises to about 80-85% the height of the pullman tin.