For this particular chia and flax seed sourdough bread, I decided to add chia and flax to the basic sourdough, just to change it up a little. However, chia and flax seeds are very nutritious. According to healthline.com, here are the health benefits of flax seed.
Just one tablespoon provides a good amount of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, in addition to being a rich source of some vitamins and minerals.
One tablespoon of ground flax seeds contains the following (1):
- Calories: 37
- Protein: 1.3 grams
- Carbs: 2 grams
- Fiber: 1.9 grams
- Total fat: 3 grams
- Saturated fat: 0.3 grams
- Monounsaturated fat: 0.5 grams
- Polyunsaturated fat: 2.0 grams
- Omega-3 fatty acids: 1,597 mg
- Vitamin B1: 8% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 2% of the RDI
- Folate: 2% of the RDI
- Calcium: 2% of the RDI
- Iron: 2% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 7% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 4% of the RDI
- Potassium: 2% of the RDI
You can see the health benefits of chia seed in my chia seed sourdough bread recipe
I changed the moisture proportions of this recipe because of the hydrophilic property of the chia seeds. This makes the bread more moist. When toasted, the chia seeds give the bread the crunch and the flax give it a nutty flavor.
In the chia and flax seed sourdough bread recipe, note that you can check off the steps as well as set the timer which is very helpful when baking bread! Enjoy and let me know what you think!
If you are new to Sourdough bread, I suggest you read the Sourdough Digest to get yourself acquainted with Sourdough. I have also included helpful tools that make your bread baking more successful. Yes, I learned the hard way!
CHIA AND FLAX SEED SOURDOUGH BREAD
Chia and Flax Seed Sourdough Bread is more moist and nutritious than regular sourdough. Plus, when you toast it, there's an extra crunch from the toasted Chia and nuttiness from the Flax. Moist, wholesome and delicious!
Equipment
- Cast Iron dutch oven
- 2 Large Bowls
- Bread lame, razor or pair of scissors
- Dish towel to cover dough
Ingredients
- 330 grams water (80 degrees-lukewarm)
- 100 grams levain See "What is levain and how to make it?"
- 400 grams bread flour
- 100 grams whole wheat flour
- 9 grams salt
- 25 grams water boiling water needed for salt solution
- 20 grams chia seed
- 20 grams flax seed
- 80 grams water water for soaking chia seeds
- rice / bread flour mixture Used for dusting your proofing bowl / banneton
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients the night before
- Make your levain the night before baking. See https://sammywongskitchen.com/levain
- Soak your chia and flax seeds with boiling water.  Stir .
- Dissolve salt with boiling water. Not all the salt will dissolve and that's OK!
Making your bread dough
- Sift you bread and wheat flour into a bowl. Â I do this because some bread flours are very refined and clumpy. Â Sifting helps remove those clumps.
- In another bowl, add your levain to your lukewarm water and stir to mix. Â It does not have to dissolve.
- Add your flour mix to the levain water. Â This allows your dough to autolyze, allowing the flour to completely absorb all the liquid making it easier to work with.
- Let it rest for 30 minutes.Set timer for 30 minutes
- Mix salt solution to the chia seed mixture. Â The chia seed mixture should be so stiff that a teaspoon can stand erect in the middle of the mixture.Â
Kneading your bread dough
- The dough is now ready for bulk fermentation where it will develop its flavor and body! Ambient temperatures between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit will take 3 hours for bulk fermentation
- Add salt and chia seed mixture to autolyzed dough.
- Using wet hands, pull and stretch the dough out at the top and fold it back on itself, I then rotate the dough a quarter turn and do the same thing 16 times. (4 complete revolutions!) See https://sammywongskitchen.com/kneading/
- Let dough rest for 30 minutes. You will notice that the dough will become more pliable with time. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Don’t forget to set your timer! Set timer for 30 minutes
- Knead dough
- Let it rest for 30 minutes.Set timer for 30 minutes
- Knead dough
- Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
- Knead dough
- Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
- Knead dough
- Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
- Knead dough
- Let dough rest for 30 minutesSet timer for 30 minutes
- Knead dough. The dough should be soft and pliable. If not, continue bulk fermentation for another 30 mins - 1 hour.
Shaping your bread dough
- Pull dough out of the container, weigh your dough and divide accordingly if making smaller bolles.  This recipe is for 1 large loaf.  However, you can make 2 smaller bolles by dividing you dough into 2 bolles and using  a 2 quart cast iron dutch oven.
- On a floured surface, lightly dust your divided dough with flour and work it into a round by pulling it towards you and rotating.  It should become somewhat taut as you pull the dough. Part of your goal is to remove most of the air bubbles that were created during the fermentation process. See Cutting and Shaping your Dough in my Tips & Tricks section.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes. Set timer for 10 minutes
- Shape again. See Cutting and Shaping your Dough in my Tips & Tricks section.
- Prepare your banneton (Coiled rattan baskets for proofing) by generously dusting the bowl or banneton with your bread and rice flour mixture. Dust the tops of your loaves with flour and place it in a bowl or banneton to rise.Â
Proofing your dough
- Cover your bowls with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 2 and a half hours. Â I usually put this in my oven with the oven light on. If you need to bake it much later, you can put it in the refrigerator to allow slow proofing. Â However, you should make sure it sits at room temperature for an hour before baking.Proof dough for 150 minutes
- Take your dough out and preheat oven with your cast iron dutch ovens. Â (Should take about half an hour depending on your oven. Â This will be a total of 3 hours of proofing. Â I have proofed bread for 4 hours. Â However, overproofing your dough with cause your dough to lose its ability to have enough strength for the "oven-spring" (the last rise in the oven as a result of intense heat).
Scoring your dough
- The dough should be loose but not impossible to handle after proofing.  If you are new to bread baking, ​you can use the following ways to get your dough into the cast iron pot. Take a piece of parchment paper that will generously cover the top of the bowl/banneton.  Place it over the bowl/banneton. Move your bowl / banneton over the cast iron dutch oven, flip the bowl / banneton and gently lower into the dutch oven. If you have a cast iron skillet / dutch oven set as shown on my "Helpful Tools" section.  Place the shallow skillet over the proofing bowl / banneton and flip.  After scoring, cover the dough with the dutch-oven section and place it in the oven with the skillet on the bottom.If you have a cast iron pot, transfer your dough into the cast iron pot.
- Dust the top of the dough with a little more flour and score the bread by cutting it with a razor blade, bread lame,  or a pair of scissors..  Scoring the bread allows the dough to expand during baking and gives your dough a pretty design. See Scoring your dough in my Tips & Tricks section. Cover with lid.
- Reduce oven temperature to 450°F
- Bake for 25 minutes. Â Smaller 2 quart bolles should bake for 20 minutes.Set timer for 25 minutes for large bolle Set timer for 20 minutes for small bolle
- Remove the lid and continue baking for an additional 25 or 20 minutes respectively.Set timer for 25 minutes for large bolle Set timer for 20 minutes for small bolle
- Remove from oven and remove from dutch oven and let cool on wire rack.Â
- Remove from oven and remove from dutch oven and let cool on wire rack.Â
- If you are baking 2 loaves: To bake the second loaf, after removing the first loaf, bring the oven temperature back to 500 degrees, wipe the dutch oven with a clean dry towel or paper towel, place the dutch oven in it for 10 minutes and bake according to recipe
Notes
Makes 1 loaf / bolle in a 3.3 qt (24cm) cast iron dutchoven.
Although this recipe has a built-in timer, the clock will stop if you exit the program or your device goes to sleep. Sorry!
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 68kcal
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was or if you have any questions or suggestions!
I want to see!Follow @Sammywongskitchen on Instagram or Facebook, snap a photo and tag it #sammywongskitchen