This bread reminded me why I love to develop bread recipes. I like the magic of the process, which sometimes gives me The Best Bread in the Whole Universe. This bread, which I lovingly named after my home town, is one of those moments.
2 breads
First day
5 dl (500 g) water
5 dl (300 g) rye flour
2 dl (200 g) sourdough starter
1 tbsp honey
Mix together all the ingredients. Cover with a tea towel and leave to sit at room temperature until you see lots of bubbles, it takes a day or two.
2 dl (1 cup US) wheat berries
water
Cover wheat berries with water and leave the bowl on a table overnight. If the pre-dough isn't ready the next day, put the berries in the refrigerator until you'll use them.
Second or third day
pre-dough
soaked wheat berries (at room temperature)
5 dl (500 g) lukewarm buttermilk
1 tbsp salt
2 dl (1 cup US) sunflower seeds
3 tbsp honey
2 dl (120 g) graham flour
14 dl (750 g) rye flour
Stir the wheat berries, buttermilk, salt, sunflower seeds, honey and graham flour into the pre-dough. Gradually knead in the rye flour and keep kneading the dough about 10 minutes.
Cover and leave to rise at room temperature for 2 hours. Divide the sticky dough into two bread tins. Cover and leave to rise.
Preheat the oven to 175°C and bake for 2 hours. Take the breads out of the tins and bake another 10 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack. When cooled, wrap the breads tightly and store in a cool place until the next day. Cut into thin slices and serve with butter.
Store in a cool place where Turku Sourdough will keep several days. Storing the bread in the freezer is a good solution too.
