Tart Cherry, Pecan and Rosemary Boule - NFOB

National Festival of Breads photo

"This is a perfect introductory artisan style bread with unique flavors that will leave the baker feeling that they really made something special", said Kristin Hoffman of Chicago. Her entry in the National Festival of Breads was the next recipe I made from the collection of this summer's contest.

"Boule" is defined as (1) a metal ball used in the French game of boules, or (2) a round loaf of crusty bread. Indeed the finished loaf did look like a squashed ball, but luckily was very tasty. The traditional boule is often a sourdough bread but for this recipe we use the sponsor company Red Star's yeast.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 ¼ cups KING ARTHUR® Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
• 3 cups, minus 1 ½ tablespoons KING ARTHUR® Unbleached Bread Flour
• 1 2/3 cups water
•  ¾ cup finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1 cup finely chopped dried tart cherries
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 (¼ ounce) package RED STAR® Platinum Superior Baking Yeast®
• 2 tablespoons warm water (110°F – 115°F)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 – 3 tablespoons white rice flour, for dusting

Directions

Kristin blogs under the name Baker Bettie

1. Combine in large mixing bowl whole wheat flour, bread flour and 1 2/3 cups water. Stir until shaggy and sticky. Do not add extra flour. Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap; let set for 30 minutes.
2. Sprinkle pecans, cherries, rosemary and salt over dough.
3. In small bowl, whisk yeast and 2 tablespoons warm water together. Stir yeast and honey into dough. Incorporate ingredients by stretching andfolding the dough over itself. Gently knead dough in bowl 3 – 4 minutes. The dough remains sticky but avoid adding more flour. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes.
4. To fold dough: Moisten hand, reach underneath the dough, and pull up until you feel resistance. Fold it over top of dough. Turn bowl slightly, making one full turn, to form a tightened ball. Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 1 hour.
5. Dust a round 9-inch banneton basket thoroughly with rice flour. Alternatively, line a bowl with a non-terry kitchen towel dusted with flour. Moisten hand, gently perform another round of folds to form a tightened ball, without deflating the dough. Pinch seam together. Place hand over top of seam and invert bowl; transfer dough to basket, seam-side up. Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise 60 – 90 minutes.
6. Position oven racks in center and bottom. Place baking stone on bottom rack and preheat oven to 425°F for a minimum of 1 hour. To check if loaf is finished rising: press finger in dough, ½-inch deep. If dough springs back immediately it needs extra time. If dough springs back slowly, loaf is ready.
7. Gently tip the dough out onto a piece of parchment. Score top with a lame or very sharp knife in a tic-tac-toe slash or cross-hatch pattern.
8. Transfer dough on parchment and place into a cold, 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover with lid and bake on center rack 35 minutes. Remove lid and bake 5 – 15 minutes, until crust is dark and crispy and internal temperature is 200°F – 205°F. Cool on rack before slicing.

Yield

1 large loaf, 20 servings.

The following photos are my process:

Adding pecans, cherries, rosemary and salt to the dough.

After folding in the ingredients, the dough rises
in a towel lined bowl. 

The bread is baked on parchment in a dutch oven.

After baking it is dark and crispy. 

The process made a yummy hearty bread.