Freekeh Thyme Sourdough Bread

Delicious freekeh thyme sourdough bread with scalded freekeh brings custardy sourdough with incredible health benefits.

What is Freekeh?

Freekeh is an ancient grain made by roasting the young, green grains of durum wheat. Its name roughly translates to “rubbed,” it got its name from the  preparation method, as the burnt skin was once rubbed away by hand to reveal the toasted grain beneath. It  has been a staple in Middle Eastern and North African cuisines for centuries.

 This is a nutritional powerhouse that cooks up quickly into a slightly firm and chewy grain with a nutty, smoky, and savory flavor. It is a great substitute for grains like quinoa, wheatberries, and farro.

 Low in fat while high in protein and fiber. With twice the amount of protein as quinoa, freekeh can help keep you feeling full long after you have eaten it. This ancient grain is packed with iron, calcium, and zinc. It tastes smoky and slightly nutty. 

How to incorporate the grains into the sourdough bread?

If you like  porridge  sourdough bread, then you will like this Freekeh Sourdough bread too. You need to cook the Freekeh first,  it takes about 20 minutes. Then add it into the dough.

What are different grains you can added to sourdough bread ?

Buckwheat, rye, oat,  barley, triticale, sorghum, tuff, amaranth, wheat, and quinoa can  add to the sourdough Each provides different flavors, texture, and nutrients to your bread. One thing  to remember that cooking time varies with each grain and each grain will have its own taste.

Here is multigrain sourdough bread made with Red quinoa, oats, oats bran and flax and chia seeds.

 How to make this Freekeh Sourdough bread ?

Flowing ingredients are needed to make this bread

Sourdough starter: 100% hydration sourdough starter made with  bread flour and spelt flour in the ratio of 40 : 10.

Artisan bread flour: You can use regular bread flour too here.

Spelt flour: Adds nutty taste to the dough.

Salt: Controls fermentation as well as adds flavor to the recipe.

Freekeh : It adds toasty custardy taste to the bread.

Thyme : Goes well with Freekeh. I used dry thyme. You can use fresh one too.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

First you need to make an active starter. Make it  double in volume before adding it into the dough.

In the meantime, cook the Freekeh  and set aside for cooling.

In a large bowl add both bread flour and spelt flour and autolyze the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Incorporate the starter and then add salt. Then add Freekeh and thyme .

After few stretches, fold the dough.

Laminate the dough.

After 1 hour shape the dough.

Proof overnight and then scores and bake.

Sourdough starter

Flour mix

Cooked Freekeh +salt +dough

Scored and ready for baking

Dough ready for shaping

After baking

Variations

Not a fan of Thyme, then you can add spices cardamom, coriander, paprika, allspice, fennel, black pepper, and cinnamon goes well with Freekeh.

Since Freekeh is dehydrated ( by plum up in boiling water),  make sure to reduce the hydration of the dough.

How to store this bread

This bread will stay fresh for 3 days at room temperature. For long time storage you can slice them individually and freeze it. When it ready to serve thaw and re-heat it

Baking Schedule

Make starter at  8. 00 A.M

Autolyse the Flours with  water 12.30 A.M

Incorporate starter into the dough 1.00 P.M

Add cooked freekeh , salt into dough around 1.30 P.M

Stretch and fold the dough around 2.30 P.M

Then around 3.30 P.M stretch and fold and dough for second time.

Around 4.30 P.M Laminate the dough.

First coil fold 6.30 P.M Coil fold the dough.

Pre-shape at 7.00 P.M.

Shape the dough 7.15 P.M

Cold Retard/ Refrigerator Overnight up to 14 hours

Score and bake at  7.00 A.M

Print Recipe

5 from 41 votes

Freekeh Thyme Sourdough Bread

Delicious sourdough bread with scalded freekeh brings custardy sourdough with incredible health benefits from Freekeh.

Prep Time5 hours hrs

Cook Time45 minutes mins

8 hours hrs

Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine: American

Keyword: #sourdoughbread, Freekeh Thyme Sourdough Bread

Servings: 12

Calories: 178kcal

Author: Swathi (Ambujom Saraswathy)

Ingredients

• Sourdough Starter
• 1 tablespoon / 15g sourdough starter
• ⅓ cup /40g all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon / 10g spelt flour
• ¼ cup +1 tablespoon / 50g water
• Dough
• 2 ¾ cups 340g Bread flour
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp/ 50g Spelt flour
• ½ cup / 70g whole wheat flour
• ½ cup / 100g Sourdough Starter
• 1 ½ teaspoon / 9g salt
• 1 ½ cups /355.5g Water
• ½ cup / 90g Freekeh cooked in 1 ½ cup + 300g water
• 1 tablespoon Thyme

Instructions

First make Sourdough Starter

• In a bowl add 15g sourdough starter, both flours and water and mix well and set aside for 5 hours or until it doubles in volume.

Cook Freekeh

• Cook Freekeh with 1 ½ cups water for 20 minutes. Set aside for cooling . When it is cooled down, add it to dough.

Autolyse the dough

• Around 5 hours of starter making, Mix all the flours in 340 g water in a large bowl. And mix by hand until there are no dry bits. Knead for 1-2 minutes until well combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes

Make dough

• When starter is ready incorporate the starter into the autolyzed dough
• Then after 30 minutes add cooked freekeh ,salt and rest of water. Mix well and cover the dough again and set aside

Stretch and Fold

• Then stretch and fold the dough every 1 hour for until 2 hours.
• This means grabbing the underside of the dough and stretching it up and over the rest of the dough. Perform 6-7 turns each time you manage the dough.

Laminate the dough

• One hour after last stretch and fold do a lamination of the dough. Means spread the dough into thin sheet and fold them into a letter fold.

Coil fold

• If you are planning for 1 coil fold do that 2 hour of lamination. If you are doing 2 coil folds give 1 hour’s interval.

Shaping the Dough

• Then transfer the dough lightly floured workspace and shape them into round Boule. Fold the third of the dough closest to you inward, and then stretch the dough out to the sides. Fold the right, and then left sides in toward the center. Fold the top of the dough inward, and then wrap the bottom part of the dough over it all. If you want, you can make pre-shape and set aside for 15 minutes and then make a final shape.
• Work this into a round shape. Then place seam side up in a proofing basket lined well with flour.

Cold Proof

• After transferring to Banneton, Let rise the dough overnight in the refrigerator. You can keep this cold retard up to 14 hours.

Score and Bake

• When you are ready to bake preheat oven to 475°F/ 246°C.
• Remove the dough from the proofing basket and score and transfer to Dutch oven and close the lid and immediately place the top back on and return to the oven.
• Turn the heat down to 475°F/246 °C and cook for 15 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 450°F/ 232°C for 15 minutes with lid.
• Continue to bake the bread for another 15 minutes, until the crust is deeply caramelized. Give 10-15 minutes extra if you want more crusty bread.
• If you want crackling crust after switching off the oven keep oven door ajar and keep the bread inside.
• Once bread comes out of oven cool completely in the wire rack and cut it into slice and enjoy with butter.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

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Swathi

This is Swathi ( Dr. Ambujom Saraswathy Ph.D) from Zesty South Indian Kitchen who loves to explore cuisines from all over the world. Whenever possible I try to to give an Indian touch to several of the world cuisine, and has weakness for freshly baked bread.  All the recipes you see here are created by me and approved after taste-test by my family.