On Sunday I decided that I would make a beet bread. Don’t ask why this craving hit me but I wanted bread that looked like and tasted like a beet. My result was a modification of The Knead for Bread’s recipe. Also, I have converted the recipe into metric measurements and baker’s percents. Enjoy.
Poolish:
1/4 tsp yeast
1 cup Bread Flour
1 cup water
Allow poolish to sit out overnight. The small amount of yeast will create a great flavor for tomorrow’s recipe.
Beet Puree:
about 1/2 pound beets
1/2 cup water
Roast beets for 1-1.5 hours at 350F. Roast beets in a small baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Beets should be tender to fork touch. Cut roasted beets into cubes, I left the skins on mine, and blend with the remaining water in your pan.
Final dough:
All of poolish
1 cup beet puree
2 3/4 Bread Flour
1/2 cup Whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp yeast
1 3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients and allow for 15 min autolyse. Knead for 4 minutes or until dough passes windowpane test. Let double in a lightly oiled bowl. Once doubled take out and shape. I shaped mine into boules but you could use this in a loaf pan. I would have liked to place this in my banneton but I was afraid it would leave residual pink that would stain future doughs. Let your dough proof until doubled. Score the top and bake.
Bake at 400F for 30-35 min.
My dough had enormous oven-spring that I wasn’t prepared for. Next time I will allow it to proof for a little longer. I got anxious to put my boules in the oven.
Metric measurements and baker’s percents
Poolish:
209g water
209g Bread Flour (I used King Arthur)
0.7g DIY
Final Dough:
All of poolish
234g Beet puree
475g Bread Flour
80g Whole Wheat flour
100g water
3.5g DIY
10g salt
100% Flour
40% Water
0.5% Yeast
1.3% Salt
31% Beet Puree
It seems that this dough would be underhydrated but you need to remember that there is water retained in the beets. This percentage does not take into account the 1/2 cup that was added to the beets while they were roasting. 1/2 cup is around 50 grams and would raise the percentage to 46%. This dough worked for me but you may need to adjust the hydration level according to the flour that you are using and how “juicy” your beets are.
Beet bread sandwich: fried egg, smoked gouda, raw spinach
Wow! The colour of the crust is amazing! Does the bread taste at all beety?
(came here via your post on The Fresh Loaf)
The bread does have a beet flavor. It isn’t overpowering but you know you are eating something with beets in it. The thyme helps the flavor become more complex.