Preparation

• Place the flours, liquid sourdough starter (in this case I used the excess), water, spices, and herbs in the stand mixer bowl and knead at speed 2 until the dough is smooth (in my case 5-6 minutes).

  Let it rise at room temperature until it doubles (I did it for 6 hours).

  During the first 2 hours, perform some stretch & fold every half hour.

  👉 If you’re not familiar with this technique, I refer you to the photos in the mini rolls recipe –> HERE

  After the 6 hours – or when the dough has risen about halfway – place the dough in the fridge.

  It can be placed in the fridge in a container with a lid or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

  Leave it in the fridge for about 8-9 hours (so if it’s evening, for the whole night) (it can be extended up to 12-15 hours).

  After removing the dough from the fridge, leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours, during which it should complete the rising until it doubles.

  Before baking, form the braid by dividing the dough into three parts, stretching the individual parts into thick breadsticks, and then braiding them together.

  

• Bake at 392°F, cook for 15 minutes, then lower to 356°F and cook for another 15 minutes.

  

• And since I photographed it from below, why not show you this photo too? 😀

  

• For this spiced bread that I cut into a pine cone shape (😃), I went with same-day rising. That is, I kneaded in the morning and without putting it in the fridge, I let it rise at room temperature until the evening.

  In this case, I didn’t use excess as for the braid but a more active liquid sourdough starter, refreshed the night before and kept in the fridge after the refresh (for the whole night).

  Place the flours, liquid sourdough starter, water, spices, and herbs in the stand mixer bowl and knead at low speed until the dough is smooth.

  Let it rise until it doubles (I did it for 9 hours).

  During the first 2 hours, perform some stretch & fold every half hour.

  Again, I refer you to the photos of the folds I included in the mini rolls recipe –> HERE

  To achieve the pine cone shape, you don’t actually need to do much more than shape the bread into a loaf, perhaps tapering it at one end, and let it rest in the turned-off oven for about half an hour, then cut the surface with the tip of scissors, more or less like this:

  

• Bake with the same method as the braid.

  

• 🔸 For S&F folds, I recommend moistening your fingertips with water before grabbing the dough section, so it doesn’t stick to your fingers.

  🔹 Also, it’s helpful to grease the bowl in which the dough is rising with a bit of oil (just a little).

  🔸 I always recommend adapting the baking time and temperature to your oven: I often bake my bread in a small oven (as I mentioned in the autolysis bread recipe), and this can cause slight differences compared to traditional oven baking.

  🔹 I recommend letting the bread cool, or at least warm, before slicing it, placing it on a rack. Or even better, setting it upright, like this: