Mixed fruit and nut bread

 

450g strong, unbleached white flour

50g buckwheat flour

300g bottled water

100g sourdough starter

20g olive oil

125g chopped dried fruit (figs, apricots, prunes, raisins and sultanas)

75g chopped nuts (pecans, brazils, almonds, walnuts and cashews)

5g baker’s yeast

10g kosher salt

​

Toast the nuts on a baking tray in a pre-heted oven @ 200°C for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool. Put the flour in a mixing bowl.  Add the water, sourdough starter, olive oil, salt and baker’s yeast.  Mix together well and knead the dough for 6 to 8 minutes.  Add the nuts and dried fruit and mix together well.  Leave to rise covered with a tea towel for about 1.5 hours.  Take the dough out of the bowl.   Shape into a disc and fold over 4 edges to the centre, turn over and mould into a ball.   Leave the dough to rise on a greased flat baking tray or place in a well floured banneton for 1.5 to 2 hours or until it has doubled in bulk (Cover with a tea towel).  Pre-heat  the oven @ 220°C with a shallow tray of water at the bottom of the oven to create steam.  Brush with rye flour and slash, as desired, with a lame or razor blade.  Bake for 27 minutes.  Allow to cool on a wire tray, covered with a tea towel.