Baklava filling, worked into a 75% hydration sourdough at pre-shape. Use more than feels right — it goes invisible once it bakes, which is how I ended up at two to three cups. What you get is a crumb laced with walnuts, honey and phyllo, and a crust where the sugar has caramelized up through the score.
Ingredients
The Dough
- 1000 g bread flour
- 750 g water, divided
- 200 g levain
- 20 g salt
The Filling
- Phyllo dough, brushed with butter and baked
- Walnuts, butter, honey, cinnamon, brown sugar
- 2–3 cups of the two mixed together, cooled
Instructions
- Autolyse. Mix the flour with 700 g of the water until no dry flour is left. Cover and let it sit for one hour.
- Add salt and levain. Work in the salt, the levain and the remaining 50 g of water.
- Strengthen the dough. Either slap and fold on the counter or strengthen it in the bowl, until the dough comes together and holds its shape.
- Stretch and fold. Three sets, 30 minutes apart.
- Bulk ferment. Let it rise until it has grown and feels airy and alive, ready to pre-shape.
- Make the filling. Brush the phyllo sheets with butter and bake them until crisp and golden. Crush them up and mix them through the walnut filling. Let it cool completely before it goes anywhere near the dough.
- Pre-shape and stuff. Turn the dough out and pre-shape it, working the cooled baklava filling into it as you go, before it goes into the banneton.
- Bench rest. 30 minutes, uncovered on the counter.
- Final shape. Shape the loaf and settle it into a floured banneton, seam side up.
- Cold proof. Into the fridge overnight.
- Bake. Straight from the fridge into a preheated Dutch oven at 450°F. Lid on for 20 minutes, then lid off for another 20 to 25, until the center temps at 209°F.
I use a high-protein bread flour, but use whatever you like. Use more filling than feels right — it goes invisible once it bakes. And it goes in cool, not warm; warm filling slackens the dough right when you need it to hold.