Pumpkin Gold Ancient Grain Crust

Name: Pumpkin Gold Ancient Grain Crust
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 4 h
Cuisine: Schweizerisch
Ingredients: 350 g spelt flour; 150 g ancient grain flour; 380 g water; 12 g salt; 8 g yeast; 120 g pumpkin seeds

⏱ one preferment, soaker, or sponge

A hearty-rustic master bread with a moist crumb, nutty character, and long shelf life thanks to a carefully managed soaker.

Ingredients

Adjust quantity:

350 g spelt flour
150 g ancient grain flour
380 g water
12 g salt
8 g yeast
120 g pumpkin seeds

Preparation

Prepare the soaker: Mix 120 g of pumpkin seeds with 120 g of water from the total amount in a bowl, cover, and let soak at room temperature for 4-8 hours. This keeps the seeds moist in the bread and prevents them from drawing moisture from the dough later.
Prepare the autolyse: Mix the spelt flour and ancient grain flour with 230 g of water from the remaining amount just until no dry spots are visible. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This rest improves water absorption, extensibility, and crumb structure.
Mix the main dough: Add the yeast and salt to the autolysed dough and mix slowly for 2-3 minutes. Then add the soaker along with its soaking water and knead everything gently for another 4-6 minutes until a medium-soft, slightly sticky, but cohesive dough forms. Do not over-knead the spelt; the dough should show elasticity but remain pliable.
Bulk fermentation: Place the dough in a lightly oiled or cleanly dampened dough container, cover, and let rise at room temperature for 90 minutes. After 30 and 60 minutes, stretch and fold the dough once to build tension and ensure even distribution of the pumpkin seeds.
Pre-shape and relax: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, gently shape it into a round or oval form, and let it relax covered with the seam side down for 15 minutes. This allows for a clean and tight shaping of the loaf afterward.
Shape and final proof: Shape the dough tightly into a round or oval loaf and place it seam side up in a well-floured proofing basket. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes until the dough has visibly expanded and slowly springs back to light finger pressure.
Prepare the oven and score: Preheat the oven with baking steel or tray to 240 °C (464 °F) top/bottom heat in advance. Turn the loaf onto a baking peel or a lined tray, and make 1-2 controlled cuts with a sharp blade to allow the bread to open up in the oven.
Bake with steam: Place the bread in the oven and create steam. Bake for 15 minutes at 240 °C (464 °F), then release the steam, lower the temperature to 210 °C (410 °F), and bake for another 25-30 minutes until well-baked. For an especially rustic crust, open the oven door slightly in the last 5 minutes. Allow the bread to cool completely on a rack before slicing.