Chia and Flax Seed Sourdough Bread Recipe for Crunchy Crust

• 330 grams water (lukewarm, ~80°F)
• 100 grams levain (active)
• 400 grams bread flour
• 100 grams whole wheat flour
• 9 grams salt
• 25 grams boiling water (for salt solution)
• 20 grams chia seed
• 20 grams flax seed
• 80 grams water (for soaking chia)
• Rice/bread flour mixture for dusting banneton

Prepare ingredients the night before

• Make your levain the night before so it’s active and bubbly the next day.
• Soak chia and flax seeds with the boiling water and stir until combined. The chia will swell and thicken the mixture.
• Dissolve the salt in the 25 grams of boiling water; it’s okay if not all the salt dissolves.

Making the dough

• Sift the bread and whole wheat flours into a bowl to remove any lumps.
• Stir levain into the lukewarm water until mixed; it does not need to fully dissolve.
• Add the flour to the levain-water mixture and mix until incorporated to allow autolyse. Let rest for 30 minutes.
• Mix the salt solution into the chia/flax mixture. The hydrated chia should be thick enough that a teaspoon can stand upright in it.

Kneading and bulk fermentation

• After autolyse, begin bulk fermentation. At 70–80°F, bulk fermentation will take roughly 3 hours.
• Add the salt and hydrated chia/flax mixture to the autolysed dough and incorporate.
• Using wet hands, perform stretch-and-folds: pull the dough up and fold it over, rotate a quarter turn, and repeat. Perform several sets as needed to build strength.
• Between sets let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. Repeat kneading/stretch-and-fold cycles and rests until the dough becomes soft and pliable. If the dough is not ready, continue bulk fermentation another 30–60 minutes.

Shaping

• Turn the dough out, weigh and divide if making smaller loaves. This recipe makes one large loaf but can be split into two smaller boules.
• On a floured surface, shape each piece by pulling the dough toward you and rotating to create surface tension and remove larger gas pockets.
• Let the shaped dough rest for 10 minutes, then shape again for a final round.
• Prepare your banneton or proofing bowl by generously dusting with the rice/bread flour mixture. Dust the tops of loaves with flour and place them in the banneton to rise.

Proofing

• Cover the banneton with a damp cloth and proof in a warm place for about 2½ hours (150 minutes). For slower proofing, refrigerate and bring to room temperature for an hour before baking.
• When nearly finished proofing, preheat your oven and cast iron dutch oven. Preheating typically takes about 30 minutes.

Scoring and baking

• To transfer the loaf to the dutch oven, use parchment over the banneton and flip the banneton into the pot, or invert directly if comfortable handling the dough.
• Dust the top lightly with flour and score with a razor, lame or scissors to control expansion and decorate the loaf. Cover with the dutch oven lid.
• Reduce oven temperature to 450°F before baking.
• Bake with the lid on: 25 minutes for a large boule (20 minutes for smaller 2-quart boules). Then remove the lid and continue baking an additional 25 minutes for a large loaf (20 minutes for small boules) until crust is deep golden and internal temperature is around 205–210°F.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and the dutch oven, and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
• If baking a second loaf, return the dutch oven to 500°F for 10 minutes, wipe it dry, and repeat the baking process.

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