Sesame + Spelt Sourdough Loaf from Betsy Gonzalez, Osono Bread

Sesame + Spelt Sourdough Loaf

Used with permission by Betsy Gonzalez, www.osonobread.com.

Yield: (2) 1kg loaves | Total Dough Weight: 2000 grams

With Carolina Ground whole spelt flour, toasted sesame seeds, and a smidge of local Georgia honey, the Sesame + Spelt loaf is nutty, aromatic, and one of our favorites to bake (and eat, of course) at Osono Bread.

Whole Spelt Flour 85% 755 grams

Bread Flour 15% 135 grams

Water 75% 665 grams

Honey 10% 90 grams

Levain (Starter) 18% 160 grams

Sea Salt 2% 17 grams

Sesame Seeds, toasted 20% 178 grams

Sesame Seeds, untoasted for coating

Total Percent 225%

Build your levain

In a small container with a lid, mix 70 grams warm water, 70 grams flour, and 70 grams of mature starter until fully hydrated. Cover and allow to ferment in a warm spot until matured, bubbly, and doubled or tripled in volume (4-6 hours).

Initial Dough Mix

Once your starter has matured, begin your dough mix. Scale water and honey together in a large bowl, and stir to dissolve the honey. 

Add flours to water/honey mixture and begin to mix until flours are fully hydrated and no dry bits remain. The dough will be shaggy and not smooth. Autolyse the dough for 15 minutes, covered with a linen.

After completing the autolyse, add 160 grams of levain (the remaining amount is to maintain your starter) and sea salt on top of dough. Mix in levain and sea salt until fully incorporated and the dough is somewhat smooth. 

Bulk Fermentation + Stretch and Folds

Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before starting the first stretch and folds (S&F). Complete the first two S&Fs, 15 minutes apart, then gently fold in the toasted sesame seeds. Finish one to two more S&Fs, 30 minutes apart, until the dough feels strong and elastic.

Allow the dough to complete it’s bulk fermentation, covered, in a warm spot (4-6 hours). The dough will transform from stiff to slightly aerated, a few bubbles on the surface, and appears domed around the edges. 

Divide, Preshape and Final Shape

After the bulk fermentation has finished, divide the dough into two pieces. Gently preshape the individual pieces rounds (boules) and allow to benchrest, covered. 

Once the doughs have relaxed, complete your preferred final shape. Before placing the dough into proofing baskets, coat the exterior with sesame seeds. To coat the dough, lightly spray the surface with water, then roll or toss in sesame seeds. 

Proofing and Baking

Allow dough to proof, seam side up, in the proofing basket at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator, covered.

Bake your loaves with your preferred method.

At Osono Bread, we bake our loaves in a ROFCO oven. We preheat the oven to 250 C for 1.5 hour, score and load dough into the oven, steam, then drop the temperature to 230 C. After 20 minutes, we release the steam, rotate loaves, then bake until loaves are mahogany in color and the sesame seeds are golden brown.