Friday, July 18, 2014

WHOLE WHEAT AND RYE SOURDOUGH BREAD WITH FLAXSEEDS & OATS - PAIN COMPLET AU LEVAIN MAISON, SEIGLE, LIN ET À L'AVOINE

IN PRAISE OF IDLENESS
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
- Mohandas K. Gandhi

Laziness /ˈleɪzɪnəs/ noun
The quality of being unwilling to work or use energy; idleness.
For the last seven months or so, I have been experiencing bouts of slothful laziness - and I am not ashamed to admit it. It’s true, I’ve been extremely idle, but I feel no misplaced guilt for allowing myself to relax and enjoy life in the slow lane.

We live in a negative and demanding epoch that sucks our energy dry: anger fills up our heart, the pursuit of excess has become our religion, hyperactivity and performance obsess us, we hang on our illusions of reality, are forever anticipating tomorrow and distracted by our materialism. Humankind is constantly put under tremendous pressure, people struggle to survive and although loosening up is essential to our well-being, taking it easy is a frowned upon luxury and is generally seen as a sin or a sign of failure. As a matter of fact, escaping the frenzy of our world, slowing down and living in the now is unfortunately quasi-revolutionary nowadays. How sad and insane is that?

Choosing to mong for a while and daydream should carry no taboo whatsoever. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to thrive on zenitude and not accepting to be trapped in that stressful über-productive mode of functioning promoted by our modern consumerist society. So, why should I have a bad conscience when I’m only doing what’s right for me and listening to my body, mind and soul which are desperately in need of rest and recentering?
For me, the benefits of indolence and contemplation are invaluable, and overwork, madness and anxiety are my enemies. In order to be creative and fully reveal my “talents”, the artist in me aches for harmony, ataraxia and reverie. Anti Feng-Shui lifestyles are very harmful and don’t fit my tranquil personality.


We are always running. Living in the future or the past.
Everyday at the edge, ready to snap.
Uncomfortable in our own skins.
Desperate to close the gap between chaos and order we disregard the only moment we are actually alive in……now.
We want things to be different from how they are. But we don’t see how they are. All we see is the distorted projection of ourselves.
We busy ourselves with perpetual doing, planning, worrying, suffering and look outside ourselves for solutions. We expect science or religion to relieve the pain created by our own self-destructivity.
- Chris Corner of IAMX
I refuse to be busy for the sake of being busy as it is tiresome, overloads your mind and leads to nowhere. In many cases, overactivety is just another form of escapism. It prevents you from thinking too much, seeing the greater picture and questioning the real meaning of your own existence and your place in the Cosmos. Hence, it is important to learn how to get off the hamster wheel and commit to going back to being the spiritual creature you were meant to be. Finding a higher state of consciousness will make you smile and joyful again…

In life, most valuable things demand time and cannot be rushed. This is the case notably with inspiration, love, relationships, raising children, taming animals, learning, growing plants and cooking.

As you already know, yeast baking cannot be hurried and it is quite impossible to make a bread rise in less than forty minutes or else it will barely be eatable (it will end up being heavy and will lack flavor). Not to mention sourdough which ferments in a snail-like manner (it takes hours and even days, depending on the weather and the result you are looking for) and requires attention to detail, devotion as well as endless patience.

There is something holy, magic and nearly pious about breadmaking. Playing around with dough calms my nerves, keeps me sane, gives me a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, helps me harmonise with the Universe and be at peace with myself. This meditative activity is fabulously soothing, incredibly satisfying and is a wonderful way of practicing mindfulness or achieving serenity.


If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.
- Robert Browning
Today’s recipe is an ode to bold detachment, elevation through self-discovery and the sacred aspect of our presence on this earth, thus I really hope you’ll find quietude and inner balance while mixing the flours together, kneading the supple dough, anticipatedly watching your loaves rise, admiring them get golden brown in the oven and proudly savoring the fruits of your labour with your loved ones.

Besides the obvious therapeutic and health benefits brought to you by the handling of dough, my delectable “Rye Sourdough Bread With Flaxseeds & Oats” will also gratify your hedonistic cravings and send you straight to foodie paradise.

Its moist crumb, crispy crust, soft and slightly dense texture, earthy nutty flavour, mild tanginess and wholesome qualities will set your senses on fire and enchant the gourmet that you are. After one bite, you'll get hooked and you'll never go back to eating pale and bland rolls again.

Now, all you have to do is enter your kitchen and get the stand mixer working. Chop-chop! Then, once the loaves have cooled, smother the bread slices with artisan butter, sprinkle them with coarse Himalaya salt and let your tastebuds be seduced. Mmmhhh, out of this world!

Whole Wheat And Rye Sourdough Bread With Flaxseeds & Oats
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, July 2014.
 

Makes 2 medium loaves.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Tbs Flax seeds
300g Whole wheat flour
200g White flour
69g Rye flour
69g Buckwheat flour

188g Active sourdough starter
375-400g/ml Lukewarm water
A big pinch of dry yeast
2 1/2 Tbs Olive oil
40g Rolled oats
1 1/4 Tbs Malt powder or liquid malt (optional)

14g Fine sea salt

Method:

1. Put the flax seed in a small bowl and add 125g/ml of boiling water (this will make them slimy). Stir and leave to cool.
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer put the flours, sourdough, water, yeast, olive oil, flax seeds (+soaking water) and malt powder.
3. Mix until all the ingredients are just combined.
4. Let the dough rest (autolyse) for 2-3 hour (the longer, the better).
5. Add the salt as well as the oats and continue mixing for about 5-8 minutes (add a little flour if the dough is too wet), until the dough reaches medium gluten development (it should be elastic, smooth and pass the window pane test).

6. Transfer the dough to a slightly oiled container and cover with plastic wrap.
7. Let the dough ferment/rise, at room temperature, for about 2h30 (or until doubled in size), folding at 50 minutes and 100 minutes.

8. Divide the dough in two and shape it as desired (sandwich loaves, boule, bâtard, banneton, etc...). 9. Sprinkle your loaves with flour and cover them with plastic wrap or a humid tea towel and let proof for about 1h00 to 1h30, or until doubled in size.
10. Thirty minutes before the end of the proving time, preheat the oven to 230° C (450° F) and place a heat-resistant bowl of water on the floor of the oven (steam helps you get a good crust on your bread - I also throw 1/3 cup of water in the oven while my bread is baking).
11. When the proving time is over, quickly slash the top of the loaves and bake (middle rack) for about 40 minutes (when the bread has a dark brown color and sounds hollow when tapped, turn the oven off).

12. Leave the loaf in the oven for another 5 minutes with the door ajar.
13. Remove the loaves from the oven, unmold and place of a cooling rack.

Remarks:
If you prefer white bread, replace the whole wheat flour by the same quantity of white flour.
The buckwheat flour can be replaced by chestnut flour, spelt flour or wheat bran.

Serving suggestions:
Serve for breakfast, lunch or supper, with cheese or the spreads of your choice. This bread is also perfect for making sandwiches.

Pain Complet Au Levain, Seigle, Lin Et À l'Avoine
Recette de Rosa Mayland, juillet 2014.


Pour 2 pains moyens.
 

Ingrédients:
2 1/2 CS de Graines de lin
300g de Farine complète
200g de Farine blanche
69g de Farine de seigle égrugé

69g de Farine de sarrasin
188g de Levain actif
375-400g/ml d'Eau tiède
Une grande pincée de levure sèche en poudre

2 1/2 CS d'Huile d'olive 
40g de Flocons d'avoine (gros)
1 1/4 CS d'Extrait de malt ou de malt liquide (facultatif)

14g de Sel de mer fin 

Méthode:
1. Mettre les graines de lin dans un petit bol et ajouter 125g/ml d'eau bouillante (celà les rend visqueux). Remuer et laisser refroidir.
2. Dans le bol de votre robot pâtissier, mettre les farines, le levain, l'eau, la levure, l'huile d'olive, les graines de lin (+ l'eau de trempage) et l'extrait de malt.
3. Mélanger jusqu'à ce que tous les ingrédients soient juste combinés.
4. Laisser reposer la pâte (autolyse) pendant 2 à 3 heures (plus le temps de repos est long, mieux c'est).
5. Ajouter le sel et l'avoine, puis pétrir pendant environ 5-8 minutes (ajouter un peu de farine si la pâte est trop humide), ou jusqu'à ce que la pâte soit élastique et lisse.
6. Transférer la pâte dans un grand récipient légèrement huilé et le recouvrir avec du film plastique.
7. Laisser la pâte fermenter/lever, à température ambiante, pendant environ 2h30, sans oublier  de donner un pliage ou rabat à celle-ci après 50 minutes et 100 minutes de fermentation (il faut qu'elle ait doublé de volume).


8. Diviser la pâte en deux et façonner les pâtons selon la forme désirée (rectangulaire, boule, bâtard, banneton, etc ..).
9. Saupoudrer les pains avec de la farine et les couvrir avec du film plastique ou un linge humide et les laisser lever pendant environ 1h00-1h30, ou jusqu'à ce qu'ils aient doublé de volume.

10. Trente minutes avant la fin du temps fermentation, préchauffer le four à 230° C et placer un bol (résistant à la chaleur) rempli d'eau sur la sole du four (la vapeur aide à obtenir une bonne croûte - je jette également 1/3 tasse d'eau directement dans le four au moment où j'enfourne mes pains).
11. Lorsque le temps de levée/fermentation est terminé, entailler/grigner le dessus de vos pains et les enfourner (grille du milieu), puis les faire cuire pendant environ 40 minutes (une fois que les pains sont prêts - qu'ils ont une couleur brune foncée et qu'ils sonnent creux, éteindre le four).
12. Laisser les pains dans le four (porte entreouverte) pendant 5 minutes.
13. Retirer les pains du four, les démouler et les placer sur une grille de refroidissement.

Remarques:
Si vous préférez le pain blanc au pain complet, alors je vous conseille de remplacer la farine de blé complète par la même quantité de farine blanche.

La farine de sarrasin peut être remplacée par de la farine de châtaigne, d'épautre ou du blé concassé.

Suggestions d'accompagnement:
Servir pour le petit déjeuner, le déjeuner/dîner/repas de midi ou le dîner/souper/repas du soir, avec du fromage ou les tartinades de votre choix. Ce pain se prête aussi parfaitement à la fabrication de sandwiches.



58 comments:

  1. This bread so German! And yes, yes yes to RYE sourdough...so much better and tangier than a white levain.

    ReplyDelete
  2. En effet; prendre le temps de "voler" du temps aux obligations et faire son pain est presque subversif!
    Et pourtant.... c'est du temps bien employé, tout autant pendant sa fabrication qu'après, en dégustant le fruit de son "travail".
    Ma vieille "tante sorcière" m'a enseigné ceci.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Totally agree with stepping back and choosing to be idle! It's so rewarding, isn't it? And this bread is rewarding! Really good recipe -- thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A lovely loaf, Rosa, and I love the hearty additions you've used!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Exactly my kind of bread - love to eat this kind of wholesome loaf. Yeast needs time - and tuning out from the frantic world has to be a good thing too, now and again.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A masterpiece in form of a loaf of bread, that's what this is!

    The sourdough starter you used, is it firm, or do you keep it at 100% hydration?

    Another weekend is coming and I haven't brought my sourdough starter to play, but I MUST do that soon... quite an inspiring post, Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you dear! It is quite firm (a little thicker than pancake batter)... Have fun with your sourdough starter!!!

      Delete
    2. Just refreshed it yesterday, so it's looking good for this weekend.... ;-)

      Delete
  7. SUPERBE!!!!!! ça donne trop envie

    ReplyDelete
  8. beautiful bread Rosa (and I save the recipe) look wonderful!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh deliciousness..
    Busy is so overated.
    It would bore me to tears at work when someone kept saying i am just so busy so busy so busy..
    Too buys to read..to cook.. to bake..
    Give me a break:)
    I always took time to see...and feel..
    Keep doing so Rosa.
    Busy ..just the word bugs me:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a fantastically lush loaf of bread! (Three slices, please!!) :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Très appétissant en couleurs !
    Bon wek-end !
    verO

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a beautiful loaf of bread! I wish I could have a slice right now! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. My two bread flavors rolled into one. Sounds scrumptious.
    Sam

    ReplyDelete
  14. wonderful bread and its great to slow down and savor life

    ReplyDelete
  15. Such true words, Rosa... a lovely loaf, such pleasure from baking xo

    ReplyDelete
  16. Absolutely gorgeous, a perfect loaf!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bravo Rosa! And well said. More people should take a leaf out of your book! Now I want to chill and relax with a few slices of this gorgeous well prepared bread. It looks divine!

    ReplyDelete
  18. that crust is to die for! I totally am with u on slowing down, and baking bread is also a therapy for me..and yes for rye levain and flaxseeds :-)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Lovely...gorgeous crust! A little bit of butter and I'm in heaven...

    ela h.
    Gray Apron

    ReplyDelete
  20. Αn amazing bread, I love the ingredients the taste of sourdough and of course the photos.
    Kisses

    ReplyDelete
  21. "I refuse to be busy for the sake of being busy as it is tiresome, overloads your mind and leads to nowhere." I love these words. I want to remember them for I'll get to a point when I'll feel like behaving as we all do in these big cities, to make money for nothing. The bread is beautiful and your words around it shed a special light on it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Gorgeous, gorgeous bread.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Avec un peu de beurre demi-sel , je serais capable de le dévorer en un rien de temps !!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. That bread looks amazing and as usual.... your photos are stunning! <3

    ReplyDelete
  25. Rosa, this bread looks just perfect! Especially that crust :)

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love nothing better than a loaf with a hearty, sturdy crust like that. Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  27. wow, looks superb sourdouch!!!
    ijust made bresaola and i guess it's gonna be great together Rossa.....

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Rosa, we could not help but smile and nod our heads reading your post....so very true words flow though this writing....and we love living in the present,calm,quiet and if it is to be said....slothful.....we could feel each of your words cause we have felt such during past...but then life only taught us to grow...respect the flow it wants to take and enjoy each second it has to offer....thanks for sharing this lovely post...we feel inspired...Have A Beautiful Day!!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  29. You always bring a perfect loaf of bread! My grandma loves rye sourdough and always enjoyed eating breakfast next to her because I get to have 2nd breakfast (hers was more like brunch). I miss those days and your beautiful bread brought such a pleasant memory today. :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. what hearty bread! it looks wonderful, and the flowers are lovely. :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. Apart from the perfect crust, I am loving the rustic quality of the bread...so unpretentious.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I love substantial breads like this Rosa! They have so much flavour and gravity to them! :D

    ReplyDelete
  33. Rosa, your words could have been mine. I'm going through a phase in my life where all sorts of things (not all of them good) are happening at the same time and I just feel like I'm drowning in thin air. For the last two nights my only thoughts are: I have to stop, I have to slow down, I need to get away from this confusion in order to be see the bigger picture are be able to relativize things accordingly to their degree of importance for me. So, I'm really touched by your words :)

    ReplyDelete
  34. You are so right about slowing down and enjoying the moment and this bread is the proof of that. As always, your photographs are stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Sometimes after a busy period, when I slow down, it just doesn't feel right, as if I feel like I'm wasting time by not doing the max that I can do haha :) And sometimes when I'm cooking I get too rushed that the end product doesn't turn out too good.....sometimes I just need to learn to slow down! Your bread loaf looks amazing! So rustic :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. Breaking delicious bread like yours would be a culinary pleasure! Beautiful photography that is so compelling, Rosa!

    ReplyDelete
  37. A beautiful post! Thank you for the quote from Gandhi...like it, love to memorize it.
    The print out of this recipe directly goes to my husband's desk. It will be nice to wake up with aroma of the bread some morning. Have a blessed week!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Must confess I like this bread in color....drooling here! Can just imagine it toasted.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Hi Rosa, after a hiatus I'm backing to the blogosphere. I have to confess that I was here a few times before and I read, and reread your text as it touched me a lot. You wrote beautifully about something that I feel myself. It's so true that "in life, most valuable things demand time and cannot be rushed..."
    This is one of the most beautiful post that I've had the pleasure the read & see.

    ps.: I agree that breadmaking has something of magical, unfortunately I've never done that, you see, my father had a bakery and our house was above it. The bread from his bakery was so good and so I've never tried and made it myself, but I should change this situation...

    ReplyDelete
  40. Dear Rosa, A beautiful sentiment to life. Your words are encouraging and should be well heeded. Life is pushing to the limits.
    The bread looks refreshing, wonderful and delicious. Blessings dear. Catherine xo

    ReplyDelete
  41. Nice post Rosa...
    This loaf of bread makes me feel guilty, because I mainly bake white bread...looks delicious and very hearty with all the grains in it.
    Beautiful photography as always...enjoy your week :D

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hi Rosa,
    I always get such fulfillment when you bake and tell. You not only go the heart of the recipe but also your inner self. Thank you Rosa for bringing these words to light. They needed to be said and I can't think of a better time than "breaking bread" together. Your bread looks heavenly and your thoughts angelic:) Thank you...

    ReplyDelete
  43. Glad you are back with recipes again. I can smell your lovely bread here in Greece!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I just love to see these photos.. I can imagine those big wholes inside.. for me this bread is totally irresistible .. Today I fed my starter.. hope I will be able to bake a sourdough bread this week...

    ReplyDelete
  45. Love homemade whole wheat breads. This looks sumptuous!!

    ReplyDelete
  46. Wow! How gorgeous is that bread Rosa. Stunning.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Dearest Rosa, True words! Baking...what a perfect way to slowing down. Beautiful and inspiring as always! We have doing a lot baking around here too :)

    Hugs

    ReplyDelete
  48. Makes me feel like making sourdough again, after quite some years since I had a year of banking-frenzy and a much needed slowing down process, in which the sourdough and the baking were very important... I don't think I need to slow down, now, but the bread? Seeing yours, yes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comment and kind words. This bread is delicious and so easy to make. You should try it! ;-)

      Delete
  49. Le pain, et surtout le pain au levain, c'est une meditation. Et quand on voit un resultat pareil, on se dit qu'elle a porte ses fruits. Il est magnifique!

    ReplyDelete
  50. oh! I totally adore all your photos! They are so perfect! I'd gladly eat your marvelous bread!

    ReplyDelete
  51. What a beautiful loaf, perfect, rustic, earthy. I have been going through a slothlike phase as well so your words ring true with me. And yes, kneading and making bread from scratch does certainly bring quietude and inner balance. Your photos are stunning and the recipe wonderful...

    ReplyDelete
  52. This bread looks so perfect!!! Love your photography rosa...

    ReplyDelete