[ad] KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough – A fabulous sourdough loaf that is packed with toasted nuts and has a lovely moist texture and nutty flavour. KAMUT® Khorasan is an ancient grain that is low in gluten, so it will not rise as much as normal strong bread flour, but when added to your usual sourdough mixture, it adds a wonderful taste and flavour.

Using Ancient Grains in Bread Baking

“Our daily bread”, and it is daily in our house as I make all of my own bread, usually by hand. My favourite bread is without doubt Sourdough – and since being gifted some sourdough starter last year, I have become a bit of a sourdough addict. Today’s recipe for KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough is my second collaborative recipe with the lovely folks over at Doves Farm; my first recipe saw me using their organic Spelt Flour, and the recipe I created was a lovely quick bread recipe for Bacon, Cheese & Onion Spelt Muffins, which has proved to be very popular with my family, as well as here (on Lavender & Lovage) and on all of my social media channels. The ancient grain I used in this recipe was Doves Farm Organic Stoneground KAMUT® Khorasan Wholemeal Flour, and I have to say that I was amazed with the results.

This creamy, golden flour added a fabulous nutty flavour and moistness to my recipe for KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough bread. As with most ancient grains, it is low in gluten, so you won’t get the same rise as a modern, very strong bread flour – but, by adding it to my usual strong white bread flour, I got the best of both worlds with a light, moist and airy crumb as well as a wonderful soft interior texture and an almost buttery taste. The bread rose a little and gave a good size loaf for slicing, perfect for sandwiches and for soup dunking. I was really surprised how much flavour this ancient grain added to the taste of the loaf, it really enhances the sourness of the sourdough loaf, making it very flavourful. The crumb is slightly closer than when I use my usual all white strong bread flour, but that just makes this bread even better for sandwiches in particular.

As with most ancient grains, there’s a fascinating culinary provenance and history associated with them and, KAMUT® Khorasan flour is no different. Khorasan wheat (triticum turgidum), is said to be the wheat of the Pharaohs, the crop produces bold golden ears of grain with striking long black awns or whiskers. It’s organic as well as being Soil Association and Kosher certified. It is high in protein (15g per 100g) making it what’s known as a “high-energy grain”, due to its high percentage of lipids, which provide more energy than refined carbohydrates. Regardless if its health benefits, it’s a grain that I’ve fallen in love with and I see myself making many more recipes with it, such as pasta, bread and biscuits. I’ve been talking a lot about ancient grains, so, what exactly is an “ancient grain”? According to the Whole Grains Council, ancient grains are defined “as those that have gone largely unchanged over the past several hundred years”.

My recipe for KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough is shared below and if like me, KAMUT® Khorasan flour is new to you, then I urge you to try it, as it’s simply wonderful with so many health qualities, as well as great taste and texture. Pop back soon to see my next recipe using another ancient grain, it’s all about cake next time! Karen

*Disclaimer: Paid collaborative post with Doves Farm. I have full control over all creative content*

KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough

Print recipe

Serves	1 x 500g sourdough looaf
Prep time	19 hours, 30 minutes
Cook time	45 minutes
Total time	20 hours, 15 minutes
Allergy	Wheat
Dietary	Vegan, Vegetarian
Meal type	Bread, Side Dish, Snack
Misc	Child Friendly
Occasion	Barbecue, Casual Party
Region	British
By author	Karen Burns-Booth

KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough - A fabulous sourdough loaf that is packed with toasted nuts and has a lovely moist texture and nutty flavour.

Ingredients

50g recently fed sourdough starter
350mls tepid water
10g sea salt
150g Doves Farm KAMUT® Khorasan flour
350g Doves Farm strong white bread flour
75g finely chopped toasted nuts (I used a mixture of pecans, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts)
Doves Farm rice flour (for dusting the banetton and pre-baked loaf)

Note

KAMUT® Khorasan & Toasted Nut Sourdough - A fabulous sourdough loaf that is packed with toasted nuts and has a lovely moist texture and nutty flavour.

Directions

Step 1	2 to 3 hours before you want to start your sourdough bread, take the starter out of the fridge and feed it with 30g filtered water and 30g strong white bread flour. Mix well, cover with cling film (or a shower cap) and set to one side to start working. After 2 to 3 hours the starter should be frothy and light with lots of bubbles and it may be making a noise, as in singing! It's now ready to use. Put the covered starter back in the fridge until it is needed next time you want to bake.
Step 2	Place a bowl onto some digital scales and set the tare to zero. Add 50g of sourdough starter and set the tare to zero again; then add the salt and water, again, I find it easier to set the tare to zero before adding the flour. Add both flours and the chopped nuts, take the bowl off the scales and mix well, it will look rough and lumpy, but never fear it will soon start to look like bread dough! Cover the dough with cling film/shower cap and set to one side. Keep a handful of the nuts back to sprinkle in the banneton later on.
Step 3	After an hour, uncover it and with your hands, bring the dough from the outside, and fold it into the middle. Do this for about 15 to 20 times - I find it is easier if I rotate the bowl at the same time. Cover it and set to one side.
Step 4	Do the folding and turning action two or three more times over the next few hours, by this time the dough will be smooth, elastic and sticky. I start this at about 3pm to 4pm and the dough is ready at about 8pm to 9pm.
Step 5	Once the dough is smooth and elastic (see above) and it will have risen by now too, take a 22cm (9") to 24cm (10") banetton basket and dust it with rice flour. Do one more set of folding actions with the dough and then place the ball of dough into the floured banneton basket. Easing the dough up around the sides, sprinkle some more flour and some of the nuts* around it and then sprinkle some more rice flour over the top of of the dough. Cover with cling film/shower cap and set to one side in a cool place to prove overnight. (I use my pantry which is about 14 degrees C)
Step 6	In the morning, the dough will have risen overnight and you will have a large, round ball of smooth dough that's ready to bake. Pre-heat the oven to 230C/220C Fan/450F/425F Fan/Gas mark 8 and line a large 30cm (15") cast iron casserole dish (Dutch oven) that has a lid, with grease-proof baking paper. NB: You can also use an enamel roaster with a lid.
Step 7	Uncover and invert the dough into the cast iron pot and then score the top with a lame or a razor blade. Place the lid on the pot and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes until the bread is well-risen, golden brown and with a crisp crust. NB: if you want a darker crust, take the lid off and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 8	Carefully turn the loaf out onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing it. Store it in the cooled cooking pot.
Step 9	NOTE: I have recently experimented with the cold oven method, and it works like a dream. At step 7, place the bread into the pot and into a cold oven, then set the temperature for 230C/450F/Gas mark 8 and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Again, if you want a darker crust, take the lid off and bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes extra.