YOU WILL NEED
SPONGE
1 cup bread flour
3/4 cup water (room temp)
1/8 tsp instant/rapid-rise yeast
DOUGH
1 cup + 2 tbsp bread flour
1 cup light or medium rye flour
1 1/2 tsp instant/rapid-rise yeast
1 cup water (room temp)
1 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted
2 tsp salt
1 cup dried figs, stemmed and chopped coarse
(optional) cornmeal for crust
LET’S DO THIS!
1 For the sponge. Stir all ingredients in a bowl or 4-cup liquid measuring cup until well combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for about 6- 24 hours. After 6 hours, the sponge should have risen and collapsed slightly, and the result will be a bubbly, “sponge”-like concoction.
2 For the dough. Whisk both flours and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir water into sponge with wooden spoon until well combined (a few lumps here and there is okay). Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add sponge mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 mins. Scrape down bowl as needed. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 mins.
3 Add fennel seeds and salt to dough and knead on medium-low speed for about 5 mins until dough is smooth and elastic and clears the sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low, slowly add figs, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix until mostly incorporated, about 1 min Transfer dough to lightly greased large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for 30 mins.
4 With lightly greased fingertips, fold dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Turn bowl 45 degrees and fold again; repeat turn/fold 6 more times (total of 8 folds). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise again for another 30 mins. Repeat folding and rising every 30 mins, 3 more times. (I usually list the number of folds on a notepad or post-it and check off after each fold to stay on track). After the 4th set of folds, cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rise 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Dough should double in size.
5 Mist underside of couche* with water. (Use your fingers to gently sprinkle water evenly on towel if you don’t have a water spray bottle.) Drape over inverted rimmed baking tray and dust liberally and evenly with cornmeal. (You can also use flour instead of cornmeal.) Transfer dough to lightly floured counter (side of bowl that was against bowl should now be against counter.) Press and stretch dough into 10 inch square, deflating any gas pockets larger than an inch.
*If you don’t own a couche, you can also use a sturdy flat linen/cotton tea towel.
6 Fold top and bottom corners of dough diagonally into center of square and press gently to seal. Stretch and fold upper and bottom thirds of dough toward center and press gently to seal. Stretch and fold dough in half toward you to form a rough 12 x 5 inch diamond-shaped loaf and pinch seam closed.
7 Gently slide your hands underneath each end of loaf and transfer seam side up to prepared couche. Then pinch the couch on either side of load to create a pleat/barrier, and then drape remaining edges of couche over the loaf to cover completely. Carefully place sheet inside large plastic garbage bag and loosely tie or fold under the open end to fully enclose. Let rise 30 mins to 1 hour, until loaf increases in size by about half.
8 One hour before baking, adjust oven racks to lower-middle and lowest positions. Place baking/pizza stone on upper rack, place an empty baking tray on lower rack. Preheat to 450 degrees. Bring 2 cups water to boil.
9 Remove baking tray with loaf from bag, unfold couche, pulling from ends to remove pleats. If any seams have reopened, pinch close and dust top of loaf with cornmeal if using.
9 Lay 16 x 12 inch sheet of parchment paper on top of loaf. Using one hand to support parchment and loaf, invert loaf onto parchment, seam side down, and place on counter. Reshape loaf as needed, tucking edges under to form taut diamond shape. Using a sharp paring knife or razor-blade, make three 6 inch long, 1/2 inch deep, diagonal slashes on top of loaf, starting and stopping about 1/2 inch from edges and spaced 2 inches apart.
11 Working quickly, use parchment as sling and lower the loaf onto baking stone. Then pour boiling water into the baking tray on lower rack and close oven door immediately to contain steam created. Bake for 40 - 45 mins, rotating loaf halfway through baking. The crust should be a beautiful dark golden brown and loaf should register 205-210 degrees with a thermometer. Transfer to wire rack, discard parchment and let cool for 3 hours before serving.
Congratulations! You did it.