Thank you Donna, we are glad that after a period where we were a bit ‘distracted’ from baking, we now can give it more attention again. So much lovely things to bake and so much inspiration to be found 🙂 ❤️
And always happy to answer your baking questions!

Thank you so much and I also just want to say how pleased I am that you all are so quick to answer questions and so very helpful❤️ Happy Holidays !

Hello Donna,
If you keep it well wrapped in an airtight container it will easily keep for a week, also because of the high sugar content of the fruit. But it will get a bit dryer over time. With us the loaf does not last very long after baking, but if we were to keep it for longer we would put it in the freezer (probably sliced). Never in the fridge, because that way it will speed up the drying out process.

Enjoy your Holiday baking!

Great, thanks for answering. I really do appreciate! I’m gonna give it a go 🙂

Hello Roberto,
Thank you very much for your comment and for also liking the 3 stage rye bread :).
The answer to your first question, yes you are right. You distribute the fruit on the rectangle of dough, roll it up and then pinch the fruit into the dough. It is a bit fumbly but after the 3 hours resting it is already beginning to make more sense. You just have to do it and keep your eye on the end result which is a lovely loaf chock-full with fruit and nuts.
The second item on your list:
We use a Ø 14 x 4,5 cm bakeable basket in which we also proof the loafs, so we would go for the one that comes closest to that size.

Hope it will be good and you will enjoy making the loafs,

Ed & Marieke

To incorporate the fruit I just enclose it with the dough, after which the fermenting and proofing processes will “tie” everything together as a bread? Do I understand that right? Check.

Would you recommend me to use 14 cm stainless mixing bowls as “bannetons?” My next step in size would be 20 cm round, true, bannetons, but that’s much bigger – I am afraid the bread will spread out too much.

Thanks for sharing your connoisseur baking-knowledge. Your 3 stage 70% rye raisin bread is phenomenal!

Hello Darryl,
Yes we use dried dates and the 150 grams is correct. The combination of the fruits we use will yield a much more interesting taste profile we think. Maybe you want to try our recipe as described some time?!

Much appreciated Mira. Thank you for trying this recipe that is close to our heart and so glad you could enjoy it with your family.

Stay safe and keep on baking,
Ed & Marieke
WKB

Thanks for sharing your experience Margot. Yes, it is different with rye and the lack of gluten in rye also means it is harder to judge the proofing stages. As you can judge from the pictures the bread is denser and pretty much filled to capacity with the fruit. There is also not much of an oven spring like you would see with some loaves based on wheat. So this is very different but nice like you said. Intense and full of fruity flavor.

Hello. It almost all went according to your description 🙂
However, the dough hardly rise at all in the second proofing (it doubled after the first proof). I poked the dough after 4 hrs during the 2nd rise and it left a dent so I baked it. It didn’t rise either during baking. Is this normal?
The bread tasted nice though! Very dense and fruity. Great with a cup of tea.
Thanks again for sharing this recipe :))
-Margot

Fantastic! Thank you.. I’ll let you know how I go 🙂

Hello Margot,
You can use your own starter culture, no problem. Hope it will be great!

Hi Rebecca,
Yes, they all act different. Always more important to take the time needed than to exactly stick to the indicated proofing times with sourdough. Also if possible measure the temperature of your dough with a probe thermometer and transfer the dough to slightly warmer surroundings (You can use your oven as a proofing cabinet, ever so carefully warmed up to around 25 to 27 Celsius).

Thanks! Baked on a sheet, no spread. My rye starter was a bit sluggish, I suspect I should have given it longer to ripen/rise. So they came out very, very dense, but quite nice.