A soft and fluffy sourdough milk bread infused with the tangy, savoury flavour of wild kimchi. The richness of yogurt and butter creates a tender crumb, while the fermented kimchi adds depth, character and a subtle warmth. Perfect toasted, paired with soups, or enjoyed alongside your favourite wild food dishes, this loaf is a delicious celebration of the magic of fermentation. 🌿🍞✨

MAKES 1 33 X 10 X 10CM PULLMAN/PAIN DE MIE LOAF

Ingredients – 

200g water at 28°C

250g organic yogurt

50g melted salted butter, plus extra for greasing

150g bubbly, lively second-build starter (see page 12)

250g organic stoneground wholegrain flour

(11.5% protein)

250g organic white flour (13% protein), plus extra for dusting 10g fine sea salt

100g drained wild kimchi, squeezed to remove as much liquid as possible

Method – 

Mix

• In a large bowl, whisk together 175g of the water and the buttermilk, melted butter and sourdough starter. Add the flours and salt and mix vigorously using a strong spatula for about 2 minutes to form a stiff ball of dough. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
• While the dough rests, refresh the remaining starter in your jar and set aside.
• Mix the remaining 25g water into the dough using the bassinage technique. This should take less than 1 minute. Leave the dough to rest for a further 30 minutes.

Prove

• Thoroughly butter the bottom, sides and underside of the lid of a 33 x 10 x 10cm Pullman bread tin/pain de mie tin. Dust with flour, then spread a layer of kimchi about 1cm thick across the base of the tin. Place the rested dough on top of this, then cover with the lid.
• Leave to prove on the kitchen table overnight.

Bake

• The next morning, your dough will have risen and be almost at the top of the tin. Preheat your oven to 220°C/gas mark 7 for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/gas mark 6 and bake your bread (with the lid on for about 30-35 minutes. Everyone’s oven is different, so check your loaf towards the end of the baking time by opening the top of the pan and inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, the bake is ready.
• Remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Your starter should now be ready to put in the fridge until you next want to prepare it for baking.
• Once cool, store your loaf wrapped in a clean, dry tea towel. Best enjoyed within 3 days.

Adapted from a recipe by Vanessa Kimball