Swampberry Sourdough Bread

Half the battle with sourdough is the patience to just let it work at its own pace.  Once you have an easy bread it is even easier to adapt it.   This is "Swampberry Sourdough Bread" in honor of the fruit of the swamp - blueberry and cranberry.  Those lovely anti-oxidant rich little sweet treats that help keep us healthy.  

Swampberry Sourdough Bread

• 2 C starter sponge
  
• 2- 2 1/2 cups flour
  
• 2 T olive oil
  
• 4 t sugar
  
• 2 t salt 
  
• 1/4 c dried blueberry
  
• 1/4 c dried cranberry 
  
• 2 t cinnamon
  
• seasalt, or kosher salt for sprinkling 
  

Before adding ingredients did you remember to reserve starter for the future?

To the sponge add 2C flour, olive oil, sugar and salt.  Knead with dough hook until a ball forms.

This is a wet dough but if too wet add additional flour 1 heaping Tablespoon at a time until it forms a tight ball.   It is very important that you touch and poke this dough.  Knead about 5 minutes with dough hook. Add Cranberry and Blueberry and need 1 minute longer until well incoporated.  Even though wet it should have the feel of regular white or french style bread.  Do not over knead.

Oil your hand, take the dough and roll it into the middle several times until you have a smooth ball.  Place in a well oiled bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to rise in warm spot 2-3 hours until doubled in size.  

Remove and punch down the dough, knead a couple of times then roll into it to create a tight smooth ball (called a boule).  At this point in time you can do one of two things.  First is let it rise to bake now or allow it to sit refrigerated overnight to develop a stronger "sour" taste.  

Bake now.  Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500F.  Take the freshly kneaded bread, and flatten out.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, then reform the ball by rolling it into itself.  Place the newly formed boule on a piece of parchment paper cut to about 1" wider than the boule. Cover and allow to rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size.  When double slash top with a razor blade or cut with sharp scissors a series of gashes.  Brush dough with water and sprinkle on the salt of choice.

Place the boule on its paper in the oven on the pizza stone.  Reduce heat to 350F and bake 60-75 minutes until golden brown and instant read thermometer reads 210F.

Bake Later:  Return the boule to the oiled bowl and place in refrigerator overnight.  Remove and give it a quick knead and flatten out.  Sprinkle with cinnamon then reform the boule by rolling itself into the middle until a tight smooth ball forms.  

Place the newly formed boule on a piece of parchment paper cut to about 1" wider than the boule. Cover and allow to rise about 1 hour or until doubled in size. When double slash top with a razor blade or cut with sharp scissors a series of gashes.  Brush dough with water and sprinkle on the salt of choice.  Preheat oven with a pizza stone to 500F.  Place the boule on its paper in the oven on the pizza stone.  Reduce heat to  350F and bake 60-75 minutes until golden brown and instant read thermometer reads 210F.