Sourdough bread with rye flakes

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 265 g sourdough, preferably whole grain
• 500 ml beer, dark
• 200 g whole wheat flour
• 220 g wholemeal rye flour
• 250 g wheat flour type 405
• 18 g salt
• 100 g sunflower seeds
• 7 tbsp rye flakes

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 3 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 35 minutes

Super tasty and stays fresh for several days

Soak the sunflower seeds in water for at least an hour or overnight. Mix the sourdough and beer with a fork. Add the flour, drained sunflower seeds, and salt and mix (I use a mixer, but it works by hand, too). The dough will be relatively soft for bread dough. Let it rest, covered, for 45-60 minutes. Knead again with the mixer, then form into a ball with well-floured hands on a floured work surface. Place the ball in a bowl and let it rest, covered with a damp tea towel. Stretch and fold: first after half an hour, and then three more times, 45 minutes apart. This process is important because the dough is so moist that it only acquires the necessary structure. After the final stretch and fold, let the dough rest until it has significantly increased in size, about 2-4 hours. Carefully transfer it to a generously floured work surface, ideally kneading as little as possible and continuing with the same side facing up. Shape into a round with floured hands and smooth it down. Then let it rest on the work surface for up to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the proving basket. Also, spread out a damp tea towel flat and sprinkle with the rye flakes. Shape the bread dough again. Carefully lift it and place it, top side first, on the rye flakes. Lift the tea towel at all ends and gently wiggle the dough back and forth so that the flakes adhere nicely to the dough. Place the dough, rye flakes facing down, in the proving basket. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise again for 1-2 hours. Preheat a large cast iron pot in the oven to 230°C (top/bottom heat). Transfer the dough from the proving basket to a generous piece of baking paper. Lightly score the surface with the rye flakes. Lift the corners of the baking paper and place it in the pot. Bake with the lid on for 20 minutes. Then remove the lid, reduce the temperature to 180°C, and bake for another 45-50 minutes. This recipe may seem a bit complicated at first, but after the second or third time, you’ll get the hang of it. The result is a fantastic loaf that stays fresh for several days.