Organic Heart Bread

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g flour, type 480 or 550 or whole wheat flour with sifted bran
• 300 g flour, type 1500 or 1050 or whole wheat flour with sifted bran
• 10 g yeast
• 18 g salt
• 10 g sugar
• 12 g baking malt
• 30 g fat, very soft
• 250 g milk, cold
• 250 g water, cold
• 1 egg yolk, whisked with water
• possibly grains and seeds

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

a welcome gift, not only for ‘non-sweethearts’

Mix both types of flour with the malt and sugar until smooth and add to the flour. Gradually add the remaining liquid and knead the dough briefly on the slow speed of the mixer. Add the softened fat and knead everything for 2-3 minutes until you have a medium-firm dough. Then knead the dough with your hands until silky smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. Then shape the dough into 2 large or 4 smaller, equal-sized loaves, kneading the dough together well and creating plenty of tension in the dough. Let these loaves rest for 3-4 minutes and then shape one side of the loaves into a point; each loaf should be teardrop-shaped. Place 2 drops diagonally towards each other to form a heart shape. Cover and leave these on a baking sheet lined with baking paper for at least 40 minutes. Before baking, brush with beaten egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle the surface with seeds or grains. Then immediately place in the oven preheated to 250°C (230°C fan-assisted oven). Pour a cup of hot water onto the bottom of the oven and close the oven immediately. The temperature remains at 230/250°C for the first 5 minutes. After 1-2 minutes of baking, open the oven a crack for 5 seconds to allow the steam to escape. After 5 minutes of baking, reduce the temperature to 200°C or 180°C (convection oven always 20-30°C cooler) and bake the bread for a total of about 35 minutes. The bread is well baked when it sounds hollow when you tap the bottom (with your middle finger, like a door).