medjool date, walnut and saffron sourdough

when i bought some medjool dates today i hadn't thought of using them in the sourdough bread that i'd started making early in the morning..on my way home from shopping i started to dream about date delicacies but i resisted the idea of making anything sugary and buttery in order to avoid putting temptation in the path of 'the cook with questionable strength of character'..but after all that self talk i was able to justify adding some of the dates to half of my sourdough along with walnuts and saffron..and then i returned to the shops for cheese to go with the bread!

a roquefort like french blue cheese and la luna holy goat cheese with medjool date, walnut and saffron sourdough for dinner

medjool date, walnut and saffron sourdough

ingredients

levain

1 tbs sourdough starter

100 gms bread flour

125 gms filtered water

final dough

250 gms levain

200 gms warm filtered water

350 gms white bread flour

50  gms wholemeal flour

1 1/2 tbs crushed murray river salt

6 medjool dates cut large

10-12 walnut halves

a large pinch of saffron threads

method levain

day 1

~mix the starter with the water and flour and cover and leave for 16 hours

method final dough

day 2

~put the levain in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the water and mix well

~add the flours and mix until well combined

~autolyse for 10 minutes

~add salt and mix for 2 minutes

~rest for 10 minutes and mix again for 2 minutes

~remove the bowl from the mixer, cover the dough loosely with greased cling film and place somewhere warm and draught free for 3 hours 

~remove the dough from the bowl onto an oiled bench, divide in half and add dates, walnuts and saffron to one half and knead to incorporate with the dough

~knead the second half

~cover the dough on the bench with the greased cling film and leave for 10 minutes

~knead for a few seconds and cover with the cling film and leave for 10 minutes

~shape each piece of dough into an oblong sealing the seam well

~place each piece of dough seam side down between the floured folds of a tea towel, cover with cling film and leave for 2 hours or until a finger pressed into the dough leaves an indentation

~preheat a baking tray and place a dish of hot water in the oven

~dust each loaf with flour and score each loaf down the centre 

~dust the baking tray with a little rice flour and place each loaf on the heated tray

~bake the dough on the bread baking function at 220 deg c for 25 minutes spraying the oven sides with water several times during the first 10 minutes of baking

~lower the temperature to 180 deg c and bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until cooked

~turn the oven off, remove the dish of water, and leave the bread in the oven with the door ajar a few inches for 5-10 minutes

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