Festive Homemade Surprise Bread

Ingredients

• 600 g Rye flour (Sift before use)
• 280 g Wheat flour type 55 (If possible, use type 65 for more strength)
• 600 g Water (Room temperature)
• 25 g Fresh baker's yeast (Divide: 2 g for the starter, 23 g for the final dough)
• 18 g Salt (Add last)
• 500 g Unsalted butter (Soften at room temperature then whisk into a cream)
• 10 g Fresh ginger (Finely chop)
• 1 lemon Lemon zest (Use finely grated zest)
• 80 g Onion (Slice then caramelize over low heat)
• 6 g Espelette pepper (Coarsely grind)
• 400 g Canned chickpeas (Drain and rinse)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Crush)
• 100 g Argan oil (Nutty flavor, keep refrigerated)
• 100 g Olive oil (Extra virgin)
• 120 g Sour cream (To make the hummus creamy)
• 200 g Cream cheese (Philadelphia type) (Slightly soften)
• 10 g Chives (Finely chopped)
• 100 g Smoked salmon (Slice thinly)
• 100 g Pastrami (Slice into thin strips)
• 100 g Duck mousse (Optional, spreadable)

Instructions

1. Prepare the starter

   Mix 100 g rye flour, 170 g wheat flour, 70 g water and 2 g fresh yeast. Stir until you obtain a very soft and creamy dough. Cover with plastic film and let ferment 1 h at room temperature until the volume doubles.

   Time: PT1H10M

2. Mix the main dough

   In a large bowl, combine 600 g rye flour, 280 g wheat flour, 600 g water, 23 g fresh yeast and 18 g salt. Add the fermented starter. Mix by hand or with the mixer hook for 10‑12 minutes until you obtain a homogeneous and slightly sticky dough.

   Time: PT15M

3. First fermentation (bulk fermentation)

   Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic film. Let rest 1 h30 at room temperature until the dough has risen about 30 %.

   Time: PT1H30M

4. Shape the bread and place in the pan

   Lightly dust the bottom of the tin with flour. Pour the dough into the pan, smooth the top with a damp spatula. Fold a small edge of the dough to create a smooth surface.

   Time: PT10M

5. Second fermentation (proof)

   Cover the pan and let rest 45 minutes at room temperature. The dough should almost double in volume.

   Time: PT45M

6. Preheat the oven

   Turn on the oven and preheat to 270 °C for 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 270°C

7. Bake the surprise bread

   Put the pan in the center of the oven. Bake 45 minutes at 270 °C, injecting steam at the start (pour a little water onto the tray). The bread should be well browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.

   Time: PT45M

   Temperature: 270°C

8. Lemon‑ginger butter

   Divide 250 g softened butter in two. In a bowl, whisk one half with 10 g finely chopped fresh ginger and the zest of one lemon. Lightly salt. Refrigerate.

   Time: PT15M

9. Onion‑Espelette pepper butter

   Caramelize the sliced onion in a small saucepan with a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool, then mix with the remaining 250 g butter, 6 g Espelette pepper and a pinch of salt. Whisk until homogeneous.

   Time: PT15M

10. Homemade hummus (roumousse)

    In a food processor, blend 400 g drained chickpeas, 2 garlic cloves, 100 g argan oil, 100 g olive oil, 120 g sour cream, the juice of half a lemon, salt to taste. Adjust texture with a little water if needed.

    Time: PT10M

11. Chive cream cheese

    Mix 200 g cream cheese with 10 g finely chopped chives, a pinch of salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

    Time: PT5M

12. Assembly and serving

    Let the bread cool 30 minutes, then unmold and cut into 10 to 12 slices about 1 cm thick. Spread each slice with the various butters, hummus, cream cheese, smoked salmon or pastrami, and optionally duck mousse. Arrange the toppings decoratively.

    Time: PT15M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

350

Protein

10 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Rye flour: Whole wheat flour
• Instead of Wheat flour type 55: Type 65 flour
• Instead of Fresh baker's yeast: Active dry yeast (8 g)
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Vegetable margarine
• Instead of Fresh ginger: Ground ginger (2 g)
• Instead of Onion: Shallot
• Instead of Espelette pepper: Hot paprika
• Instead of Canned chickpeas: Dried chickpeas (soaked)
• Instead of Argan oil: Sesame oil
• Instead of Sour cream: Greek yogurt
• Instead of Cream cheese (Philadelphia type): Quark
• Instead of Chives: Flat parsley
• Instead of Smoked salmon: Smoked trout
• Instead of Pastrami: Cured ham
• Instead of Duck mousse: Foie gras pâté

Equipment Needed

• Kitchen scale
• Large stainless steel or glass bowl
• Mixer with dough hook (optional)
• Silicone spatula
• Plastic film (or cloth)
• Tin can loaf pan (or bread pan)
• Oven
• Brush or water sprayer (optional)
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Immersion blender or food processor (optional)
• Small saucepan (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Prepare the starter and let ferment 1 h
• First fermentation (bulk fermentation) of the dough
• Create steam at the beginning of baking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very fresh rye flour for a more pronounced aroma.
• Add a pinch of nutmeg to the starter for a subtle spicy note.
• For visual effect, lightly sprinkle the top of the bread with sunflower seeds before baking.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the bread in a paper bag or clean cloth for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Slice the bread, wrap each slice in cling film then place in a freezer bag; keep for 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave the bread at room temperature for more than 2 days, otherwise it becomes stale.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the starter the day before and keep it in the refrigerator; it will be ready to incorporate the next day.
• Flavored butters keep for 1 week refrigerated in airtight jars.
• Hummus keeps 4 days in the refrigerator; drizzle a little olive oil before serving.