Wheat-Rye Sourdough with Caraway and Coriander | Tartine Book No.3

Something extraordinary happens beyond what I expect in this Alpine-style country bread. There seems to be a perfect alignment when you combine whole-grain wheat, whole-grain rye with toasted caraway and coriander seeds. The crust, crumb and flavor come together beautifully to give you this stunning bread. Dark, robust, exuberant with a sweet and pungent note. I didn’t know I like the strong smell and flavor of caraway in bread as much as I do. This wheat-rye sourdough with caraway coriander comes to my attention from Chad Robertson Tartine Book No.3.

The amount of whole grains in this bread is roughly 40% of total flour weight. (10% whole rye, 20% whole wheat, 25% high-extraction wheat.) I use all-purpose flour for the rest of it, while the recipe calls for bread flour. Similar to most Tartine-style breads, the use of low-acid, young natural leaven, gentle kneading and a long rise preserves the strength of the softer whole grains. See the cheat sheet below for details.

You can taste the caraway and coriander seeds more than you can see them in the bread. I toast and coarsely ground the seeds. After the first two series of turns, about one hour into the bulk rise, add the ground caraway and coriander gently by hand until incorporated. Follow the instructions for rising, shaping and baking. I roll the dough in sunflower seeds to coat for the final rise.

The most satisfying part of the bake is seeing the splendid oven spring on top. Be creative with the scorings. This bread will energetically present the score pattern that will surely put a huge smile on your face.