Pecan Raisin Rye

Total Time: 31 hrs Preparation Time: 30 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 1/8 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 cup bread flour
• 1/3 cup cool water
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 cup rye flour
• 1/2 cup pumpernickel flour
• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup currants or 1 cup raisins

Recipe

• 1 biga:.
• 2 make the biga by stirring together the yeast, flour, and water. the dough will be very stiff and dry. place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rest at room temperature overnight.
• 3 dough:.
• 4 next day, combine the biga with the remaining ingredients (except the pecans and fruit) in a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, mixing to form a shaggy, sticky dough. knead the dough until smooth (even though it's smooth, it'll still be very sticky), then place it in a lightly greased bowl and let it rest for 1 hour; it will become quite puffy, though it may not double in bulk.
• 5 transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, gently deflate it, and knead in the nuts and fruit. shape the dough into a slightly flattened ball and place it on a greased sheet pan, or into a greased 9" round cake pan. cover the pan with a proof cover or some lightly greased plastic wrap. let the loaf rise for about 90 minutes or until puffy. preferred 2nd rise method: for the second rise, let rise for 1 hour then put into the refrigerator and bake the next day or so. the bread gets better texture and taste from a slow cool rise. (the prep time follows the preferred method.).
• 6 preheat the oven to 350°f bake the bread for about 50 to 55 minutes (tenting it lightly for the final 15 minutes), until its interior registers 190°f to 195°f on an instant-read thermometer. remove the bread from the oven and cool it on rack.