Lavender-Hued Sourdough Bread - 9 Grains Original

Purple bread

This very tart sourdough Pullman loaf gets its hue from the use of purple haze sourdough starter. Made with whole-grain brown rice, oat flour and coarse buckwheat meal, the bread is a pleasure to taste, a delight to chew, and a star sandwich performer.

Yield: one, 18-ounce Pullman loaf.

Time to make: 20 minutes active. 6 - 12 hours proof (depending on temperature). 90 minutes baking.

Equipment needed: Stand mixer or power mixer and large bowl, sturdy spoon and whisk. Piece of bakers parchment. Kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons.  Metal bread pan 4 3/4" wide X 8 1/4 inches long X 3 inches deep. Silicone spatula. Plastic wrap. Water spritzer.

Ingredients:

(67 grams) tapioca starch
(100 grams) potato starch
(107 grams) brown rice flour
(30 grams) oat flour
(15 grams) steel-cut oats
(15 grams) coarse buckwheat flour - see note.
(9 grams) xanthan gum
(8 grams) salt
(100 grams) "awakened" Purple Haze sourdough starter (see link in Procedure)
(430 Ml) water
Butter to grease pans
Oat flour to dust pans

Procedure:

1) Prepare the loaf pan by greasing with butter or margarine and dusting with oat flour. Cut a piece of bakers parchment to be slightly larger than the top of the pan.

2) Place all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and run the mixer on low speed until the ingredients are well-blended, about 2 minutes. Alternatively, place the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a spoon and/or whisk. Add the awakened sourdough starter and the water and mix on medium speed until dough is thoroughly wet. Alternatively, mix in the large bowl using a sturdy spoon. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then beat on high medium, until dough just begins to loosen. Alternatively, mix by hand for 50 vigorous strokes. Following instructions for putting starter to "sleep", add flours to the unused sourdough starter and return to the refrigerator. 

3) Using bowl scraper or spatula, scrape down along the edge of the bowl, loosening the dough and turning it in towards the center. When all dough is scraped into the bottom of the bowl, turn dough out as a single unit into the prepared bread pan. Use a wet spatula to press dough down and into corners, taking care to not squeeze out any captured air. Gently smooth the top of the dough. Cover pan loosely with a towel, and set in a dark warm place (75 - 80 F) for 9 hours. Dough will rise but not quite double in size. NOTE: rise time will halve, to 4 1/2 hours, if the dark warm place is 100 F. Conversely it will double - to 18 hours - at 65 F.

5) Heat oven to 425 F. DO NOT use "fan" or "convection" setting. Lightly spritz the top of the loaf with water. Loosely cover the loaf with a sheet of bakers parchment. Place "tented" pan into oven on a middle rack and bake 90 minutes. Loaf will vigorously "spring". Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool at least 2 hours, or preferable overnight. Cut and enjoy!

To store: Place loaf cut-side-down on a clean surface and retain at room temperature. Do not cover. Do not refrigerate. Loaf may be wrapped and frozen, un-sliced or sliced.