25 | June | 2024 | Bewitching Kitchen

We just came back from a 2-week trip to France and my first time ever in Spain. We drove from Avignon to Arles and then to Barcelona and stayed there for a few days enjoying the company of great friends… Although I was familiar with Gaudi’s work, visiting Basilica de la Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló were two experiences I will never ever forget. Today I celebrate Gaudi with a little sourdough bread.

GAUDI-LOVE SOURDOUGH BREAD
(from The Bewitching Kitchen)

Basic formula:
475g bread flour
25g rye flour
10g salt
1/2 tsp Baharat spice mix
75g sourdough starter at 100% hydration
350g water

Make the levain mixture about 6 hours before you plan to mix the dough. It should be very bubbly and active.

When you are ready to make the final dough, place the water in the bowl of a KitchenAid type mixer and dissolve the starter in it, mixing with a spatula briefly, then add the two types of flour, salt and spices. Turn the mixer on with the hook attachment and knead the dough for 4 minutes at low-speed all the time. You will notice the dough will gain quite a bit of structure even with just 4 minutes in the mixer. Remove from the machine, and transfer to a container lightly coated with oil, cover lightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for 4 hours, folding every 45 minutes or so. Because the dough is already a bit developed from the initial time in the mixer, you should get very good structure after 3 and a half hours, or even sooner than that.

After four hours bulk fermentation, shape the dough as a ball, and place, seam side up, in a lightly floured banetton. Leave at room temperature one hour, and then place in the fridge overnight, from 8 to 12 hours.

Next morning, heat the oven to 450F.

Place a parchment paper on top of the dough, a flat baking sheet, and invert the dough, flipping it out of the banneton. Slightly wet the top of the dough and place your wafer paper decoration on top. Flour the surface and score a little pattern with a razor blade.

Bake at 450F for 45 minutes, preferably covered for the first 30 minutes to retain steam. Cool completely over a rack before slicing.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The picture above shows the inspiration for the design, artwork he included as a decorative panel above a door in Casa Batlló. I used wafer paper and food safe pens in metallic tones to make a similar design. I hope Gaudi would not get too mad at me…

After baking, I thought the colors of the design faded slightly, so I painted them again once the bread cooled completely.

Wafer paper is fast becoming my favorite way to decorate bread… To see a couple of examples from my past, click here (butterfly) and here (polka dot).