8gramsfine saltor ground kosher salt ~2.5 teaspoons
½teaspooninstant yeast
300gramsall purpose flour
10gramssugar
6tablespoonsunsalted butterat room temperature
170gramswhole milkwarmed
Dried Wild Herbs:
1tablespooncrushed dried bergamot leaves
2tablespoonscrushed dried ramp leaves
2tablespoonscrushed or ground dried nettle leavesoptional
Instructions
Combine the ingredients for the pre-ferment, mix well and allow to double in size overnight. Refrigerate the preferment. To assemble the final dough, allow the preferment to come to room temperature, then combine with all the ingredients in a stand mixer except the salt and butter.
Allow the mixture to sit, covered, for 30 minutes before working in the stand mixer. Knead the dough with the hook attachment, adding the salt for 5 minutes to develop, then working in the cold butter a tablespoon at a time until incorporated.
Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until 2.5 times it’s size. Gently shape the dough into a loaf form, then put in an oiled loaf pan, cover, and allow to rest over night, refrigerated.
The next day, preheat the oven to 350, brush the loaf with egg wash and cook until a thermometer reads 200 F. Remove the bread from the loaf pan to a cooling rack, then allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.
Notes
Variation with Amaranth Flour, or other Indigenous Flours You can add various flours here, but I wouldn't add more than 100-150 grams to the final dough. I also don't add them to the preferment since they can develop acetic acid more rapidly than other flours from my experience, which can make an overly sour dough.Originally I wanted this to be a "weed" bread, so I incorporated the amaranth flour. It worked just fine, but it helps if you like the taste, since the flavor is both a flour, and a seasoning. To the uninitiated, Amaranth flour's rich, grassy taste can come off as swampy, so I've saved that one for tasting with fellow plant nerds.