Manresa’s Prune Seed Bread
This Prune Seed Bread, inspired by Avery at Manresa Bread, combines the natural sweetness of California Prunes with the nutty crunch of sunflower and pumpkin seeds. With a rye-forward flavor profile and a tender crumb, this bread strikes a perfect balance between rustic and refined. Using a poolish pre-ferment ensures both depth of flavor and a soft, airy texture. If you're new to bread baking, don't worry—this recipe guides you through every step! Makes approximately 2 loaves.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- kitchen scale
- couche
Ingredients
For the Poolish
- ½ cup bread flour
- Pinch of instant yeast
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water
For the Dough
- 1¾ cups bread flour
- 1 cup fine rye flour or substitute whole wheat flour
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon coarse rye flour or substitute whole wheat flour
- 1½ cups poolish
- 2 TBSP starter optional
- 1 TBSP rye starter optional
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1½ cups California Prunes whole
- ⅔ cup sunflower seeds
- ⅔ cup pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Prepare the Poolish
- In a medium bowl, combine bread flour, yeast, and water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature for 12-16 hours, until bubbly and airy.
Make the Bread Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the poolish, bread flour, rye flours, water, and salt. Mix on low speed (speed 1) for 5 minutes, then on medium speed (speed 2) for 4 minutes, until the dough becomes cohesive and elastic.
- Add the California Prunes, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Mix on low speed (speed 1) for 3 minutes to evenly distribute the inclusions.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or container. Cover and let rest for 45 minutes.
Shape the Dough
- Divide the dough into two, 600-gram pieces (or adjust for your preferred loaf size).
- Preshape each piece into a rectangle and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Final shape into a baton (long loaf) and place on a couche or baking sheet dusted with rye flour.
Proof and Score
- Cover the shaped loaves and proof for 40 minutes to 1 hour, until they are slightly puffed.
- Preheat your oven to 480°F (250°C).
- Just before baking, use scissors to score the loaves, creating small angled cuts.
Bake
- Place the loaves in the oven and bake at 480°F (250°C) for 40 minutes, or until the crust is deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
The small amount of starter is optional and adds additional depth of flavor. The poolish provides the primary leavening with the help of instant yeast.
If you don’t have rye flour, whole wheat flour can be substituted with slightly different results.
This bread pairs beautifully with soft cheeses, nut butters, or simply a pat of salted butter.
If you don’t have rye flour, whole wheat flour can be substituted with slightly different results.
This bread pairs beautifully with soft cheeses, nut butters, or simply a pat of salted butter.
Prep Time
- Poolish preparation: 5 minutes (active)
- Poolish fermentation: 12–16 hours (inactive)
- Dough mixing, resting, and shaping: ~1 hour 45 minutes (active and inactive combined)
Cook Time
- Baking: 40 minutes
Total Time
13 hours 45 minutes to 17 hours 45 minutes, depending on the proofing time for the poolish and dough. Most of this time is inactive.Nutrition
Calories: 188kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 6gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.002gSodium: 147mgPotassium: 237mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 131IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg