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Fig Bread
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Took my basic 3-2-1 bread recipe and created a new twist on the old: Fig Bread!
Why am I writing about it when I could be eating more of it? Wait! Be right back. Ok, back with another chunk of fig bread and this one has melted butter and fig jam. Not that it needs it, but does one need chocolate icing on chocolate cake? Yes. Yes, we do. Over the top goodness.
We went to Dekalb Farmer's Market several weeks ago when Peter had an appointment at Piedmont Transplant. (He's doing great, btw, thanks to that very expensive drug infusion every 8 weeks!) I picked up some large dried Turkish figs. These figs are a meal. Each one huge and almost leathery but very good. With their texture, I began thinking about other ways to use them and in this house, bread is the default option. Naturally, I started looking up fig bread recipes and wasn't please with the options so I turned to my 3-2-1 recipe.
I had also been sorting through my herbs and spices and realized I needed to use some fennel seed. Then when I looked up complementary flavors for figs, up popped cardamom. So I decided to adapt my simple bread recipe for figs, fennel seed, and ground cardamom.
Now, at this point you are probably thinking cinnamon! But, no. There is a fine balance when using Cardamom. You really want that flavor to shine through and the fennel is there to add to the scent factor. Cinnamon would overpower those. Cinnamon doesn't belong in this recipe.
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| Fig Bread with cardamom and fennel seed |
FIG BREAD
Dice dry FIGS, removing stems, to make 1/2 CUP, loose not packed firmly. Keep those lovely seeds. Do I really need to say this? USE dried figs, not those moist gummy ones, use real, dried figs. Using the soft gooey ones will affect the moisture content of the dough and alter the formula so use the dry figs.
Measure 1/4 TSP FENNEL SEEDS into
1/4 CUP Boiling Water.
While it cools for 10-15 minutes, start with the other ingredients.
Mix together
3 CUPS BREAD FLOUR
2 TSP ACTIVE DRY YEAST
1 TSP Ground CARDAMOM
1.5 TSP SALT
Add 1.25 CUPS of the hottest tap water.
Then add in the fennel seed and its water.
Get all the seeds into the mix.
Combine with a large wooden fork until no dry ingredients remain.
Stir in the 1/2 CUP diced dry FIGS. Shape into a ball.
Use the flat side of a butter knife to get all the dough off the wood.
Place in a bowl. Cover with Saran Wrap. Then cover with a dark cloth and let it sit for an hour in a dark, warm (not chilly) spot.
After an hour, turn out the dough onto a lightly floured dinner plate. The goal is to shape into a ball while getting as much of the fig covered in dough as possible. Figs that remain on the surface may stick, may ooze, may dry out more, may burn, etc. Just try, okay. Trust me, they're better on the inside of the bread than outside. See notes below.
Place the ball of dough onto a generously sized piece of parchment paper.
Place into a bowl under a warm light. That light over your stove top will do.
Let it sit there for 2.5 hours.
Get out your Dutch oven and put in on the middle rack of your oven.
Then preheat the oven to 450F with the Dutch oven and lid inside.
Let the dough rise an additional 30 minutes while the oven fully heats up.
Yes, the dough can stay there on the stove top as long as its not getting hot from the bottom up.
After 3 hours for the total second rise, lift the dough ball along with the parchment paper and place both inside the Dutch oven. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes.
Eat warm with butter.
Eat warm with fig jam.
Eat warm. Eat cold.
Eat figgy bread.
ONLY TWO EXPOSED FIG PIECES!
Folding the dough, not kneading the dough. No need to knead because you stirred everything together really well before the first rise. When folding the dough before the second rise, think about how you fold a letter to fit into an envelope by folding it into thirds. Do this with the dough. Fold into thirds. Turn it a quarter turn. Fold into thirds again. No more than three times needed. If some fig is obviously still poking out, fold it into the bread with each turn. Any remaining fig sticking out can be poked into the interior with your finger. If you look at the loaf above you can just make out indentations where I poked some figs back inside. It'll also add to the beauty of the crust because it leaves some stretch marks too. Those two little figs sticking out, well, I tried! But look at all the figs inside...
Yes, you can make this with raisins but some of us think raisins are
the bunny poo of Satan's pet, Little Bunny Foo Foo.
