Sesame Bread

[omly]

I stayed home today to avoid mid day commute time-loss (yes it has really gotten that bad). So while I was working I made sure there was bread rising in the kitchen. Yeah! This recipe is based on the "Golden Sesame Bread" recipe in the King Aurthur's Baking Companion. One of these days I might even learn to just follow the directions the first time! Or maybe not...

Sesame Bread

• 1.75 c all-purpose flour
  
• 0.50 c rye flour
  
• 1 c water
  
• 1 c whole wheat fed starter (you are better off going by 7oz as vol can vary)
  
• 0.25 tsp instant yeast
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 0.125 c sesame seeds & some more for top

1. Combine flors in a large bowl.
   
2. Add water to starter and stir into the flours. Mix for 2 minutes by hand.
   
3. Cover the dough and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
   
4. Add the yeast and salt and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and slightly tacky. (Be conservative with adding any flour.)
   
5. Return dough to bowl, fold after 45 min, then let rest for another 60 min.
   
6. Preheat the oven to 450F, placing an oven-proof dish with water in it in there as well.
   
7. Shape dough into a smooth ball. Put seeds in a bowl big enough to dip top of ball into. Moisten top of ball with wet (clean) dishcloth, then place it on a piece of parchment paper.
   
8. Proof for 1 hour.
   
9. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn heat down to 400F where it can be baked for another 20 minutes.
   
10. Remove from oven and let outer crust cool before cutting into the warm bread (steam will probably still be inside depending when you do this so be careful!)