Fig and Anise Bread
With the sweet taste of the dark mission figs in this fig and anise bread is a real delight and the lushes licorice flavor of the anise seeds is a perfect combination. If your looking for something different, here's a wonderful choice.
Ingredients
Night Before:
- 1/4 cup sourdough starter
- 1/2 cup bread flour
- 2 tablespoon dark rye
- 1/4 cup lukewarm water
Day of:
- 2 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup dark rye
- 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1 cup chopped dried figs
Method
The night before you make the bread combine the sourdough starter, bread flour, dark rye and water. Mix together with a wooden spoon till smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on counter for 12 - 16 hours.
The next morning prep everything before you start making the bread. This will help to make things move faster and to be sure you have everything. In a large bowl pour out the " night before" mixture you made. Add in the rye flour, whole wheat flour, bread flour, water, honey and instant yeast. Mix till the mixture becomes smooth.
Add in the anise seeds and the salt. Mix till well blended and smooth. Allow the mixture to sit uncovered for about 15 minutes. After the dough has sat, slowly start to add the bread flour. Add a little at a time.
Once the dough becomes to hard to mix in a bowl, pour out onto a lightly floured surface and continue to add more flour. Knead the dough for 10 minutes.
The dough should still be sticky after kneading. Add in the dried figs and knead till the figs are well distributed throughout the dough.
Pour a little olive oil into the bowl. Place the kneaded dough into the bowl, turn over a few time till all the dough is lightly coated.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about 1 1/2 hours or till double in bulk. Pour out onto a lightly floured surface and cut dough in half.
Flatten out the dough without removing all the gas in the dough. Slowly start to roll the dough and press with your thumb after each roll. When the dough is rolled, pinch the seam closed with your fingers.
Shape the dough into a rectangle. Do the same with the other piece. Sprinkle a little cornmeal onto parchments paper and place the loaves on top. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for about a hour. A half an hour before baking be sure to place your baking stone into the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Also place a cast iron skillet on the bottom of the oven, to create steam. If you are using a cookie sheet do not place the cookie sheet into the oven before hand.
After the loaves have risen use your fingers and dimple the dough with 8 dimples. Place loaves onto the baking stone or onto a cookie sheet. Pour a cup of boiling water into the cast iron skillet to produce some steam. Close the oven and turn oven down to 400F. Bake for 30 minutes or till when tapped on the bottom of the loaf it sounds hollow. Cool on a wire rack till cooled.
