This is a classic Danish sourdough bread called Sourdough Bread from Skagen. It's a delicious bread with large holes, crunchy crust, and fantastic taste from the toasted poppy seeds and sunflower seeds on the outside.
Prep Time1 hourhr
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Fermentation and proofing1 dayd
Total Time1 dayd5 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: Danish
Keyword: bread, bread from skagen, sourdough, sourdough bread
Make the levain by mixing bread flour, whole grain wheat flour, water, and mature sourdough starter in a big enough container to grow to about twice the size. Your starter must be super active and bubbly.
Put it somewhere warm and let the starter do its job.
Autolyse - About 15:00/3 p.m.
Weight out and mix all three flours.
Measure out 544 grams of water.
Add the water to the flour and mix it so that all the flour is completely hydrated. I usually use a Danish dough whisk to mix in the beginning, and when the dough comes together, I fold the dough over itself until it's mixed.
Put a dishcloth over the top and put it somewhere warm.
Soak the seeds- About 15:10/3.10 p.m.
Put the poppy seeds and sunflower seeds in a bowl, pour 150 grams of boiling water over and let them soak.
Make the dough - About 17:00/5 p.m.
Put the levain over to the top of the dough. Mix it thoroughly.
When you have mixed the dough, it's time to build some gluten in it using some stretch and folds.
Put the bowl in front of you. Grab the dough in the back of the bowl with both hands. Stretch it as far as it goes without tearing, and fold it down over the dough.
Turn the bowl about 1/8 and repeat about 30 times.
Spread the salt over the dough and pour 100 grams of water over and mix it into the dough.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then we will be doing five stretch and folds every half hour.
First stretch and fold - About 17:40/5.40 p.m.
Do a stretch and folds the following way:
Do a stretch and fold and turn the bowl 180°.
Do a stretch and fold and turn the bowl 90°.
Do a stretch and fold and turn the bowl 180°.
Do a stretch and fold. Now you've done one from each direction.
Put a dishcloth over the top and let the dough rest.
Second stretch and fold - About 18:10/6.10 p.m.
Do a stretch and fold as described above.
Spread the seeds over the top and blend them into the dough using wet hands.
Third to fifth stretch and fold - About. 18:40./6.40 p.m., 19:10/7.10 p.m., 19:40/7.40 p.m.
Do a stretch and fold as described above; after the fifth, let the dough rest.
Divide and preshape - About 20:50/8.50 p.m.
Pour the dough out onto an unfloured table.
Divide the dough in half.
I use my bench scraper to move the dough because it can be pretty wet.
I usually do a preshape the following way:
Push the scraper under the dough in the front. Stretch it up and fold it about three quarters in over the dough. Repeat from the top, right, and left side.
Push the scraper under the dough and flip it over, so the top is down towards the table.
Put the scraper behind the dough and move it forward. The front of the dough will be pushed under the ball and create tension on the top of the dough.
When you can't get any further, then hold the dough lightly and pull the scraper away from the dough.
Then place the scraper in front of the dough and push forward; while moving, turn it around, and pull it towards yourself again. Keep going until the dough is very tight.
Continue with the other dough ball and let them rest under a damp dishcloth
Shaping of the dough
Prepare a dishcloth with poppy seeds and sunflower seeds in one layer. These seeds shouldn't be soaked.
To shape the dough, follow the instructions from the preshape.
When you've shaped the dough, spray it with some water from the spray bottle; flip it onto the dishcloth. Roll it around to get seeds on the top and the sides.
Then move it to a banneton lined with a dishtowel.
Repeat with the other dough ball.
Rest and retard in the fridge - About 21:15/9 p.m.
Put both bannetons in plastic bags and put them in the fridge until the following day.
Heat the oven - About 6:15/6.15 a.m.
If you have a baking steel or a pizza stone, put it in the oven. It'll help keep the temperature constant even when you open the oven door.
Put your dutch oven or combo cooker in the oven and heat it to 260ºC/500ºF. If your oven doesn't go this high, put it as high as possible.
Bake the breads - About 7:15/7.15 a.m.
Take a loaf out of the fridge.
Cut parchment paper about the same size as the bread and put it on the banneton. Turn it over to a peel or something that can help you move the dough to the oven later.
Score the dough using a very sharp knife. If you cut at an angle, you can get a beautiful ear.
Open the oven and put the dough in the dutch oven. Be careful, it's hot, and it can be challenging to get in. I use a combo cooker because you can turn it upside down and put the dough in the "frying pan" part.
Put the lid on top and push it into the oven—bake for 20 minutes.
Open the oven and take the top off the dutch oven so that the crust can get some color.
Turn the oven down to 230ºC/450ºF and bake until you have a beautiful golden crust. 25-30 minutes.