Artisanal Caramelized Onion & Aged Gruyere Sourdough Recipe
An Artisanal Caramelized Onion & Aged Gruyere Sourdough Recipe testament to slow fermentation and patience, this profoundly complex artisan boule marries the sweet umami of 2-hour caramelized onions with cave-aged Gruyere. The extended cold fermentation develops pronounced acetic notes, complementing the cheese’s nuttiness while maintaining an open, chewy, crumb structure beneath a crackling crust.
Primary Fermentation: 14-16 hours
Final Proof: 8-12 hours
Active Time: 3 hours
Bake Time: 45 minutes
Total Process: 26-32 hours
Yield: 1 large boule (1.2kg)
Servings: 8-10 slices
Levain Build (Morning Day 1)
- 100g mature sourdough starter (100% hydration)
- 400g organic bread flour (preferably stone-ground)
- 320g filtered water at 78°F
- Final temperature: 76-78°F
- Ferment 12-14 hours at 70°F
Caramelized Onions (Afternoon Day 1)
- 600g yellow onions, sliced paper-thin
- 45g European-style cultured butter
- 15g extra virgin olive oil
- 3g acceptable sea salt
- 1g fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Final Dough
- 820g levain (all from build)
- 500g organic bread flour (11.5-13% protein)
- 350g filtered water at 80°F
- 15gacceptablee sea salt
- All caramelized onions (~200g cooked weight)
- 250g cave-aged Gruyere, coarsely grated
- Rice flour for dusting
Detailed Process
Day 1 Morning – Levain Build
- Mix mature starter with water (78°F)
- Incorporate bread flour until no dry bits remain
- Cover with a breathable lid
- Ferment 12-14 hours at 70°F
- Monitor for 2.5-3x volume increase
- Verify readiness with the float test
Day 1 Afternoon – Onion Preparation
- Slice onions on mandoline (1.5mm thickness)
- Heat heavy-bottomed copper or enameled cast iron pan
- Add butter and oil, heat until foamy
- Add onions and salt sand stir to coat
- Cook 120-150 minutes at 185-195°F:
- First 30 minutes: Stir every 5 minutes
- Next 60 minutes: Stir every 10 minutes
- Final 30-60 minutes: Stir every 15 minutes
- Target color: Deep mahogany brown
- Cool completely at room temperature
- Store in an airtight container overnight
Day 2 Morning – Final Dough
Autolyse (30 minutes):
- Mix flour and water
- Target temperature: 75°F
- Cover and rest
Final Mix:
- Add mature levain
- Add salt
- Mix until moderate gluten development
- Desired dough temperature: 76-78°F
Bulk Fermentation (4-6 hours at 72°F):
- 0:00 – Initial mix
- 0:30 – Laminate dough
- 1:00 – Coil fold + incorporate 80% onions
- 1:30 – Coil fold + incorporate cheese
- 2:00 – Gentle coil fold
- 2:30 – Gentle coil fold
- 4:00-6:00 – Monitor for a 50% volume increase
Pre-shape:
- Dust bench lightly
- Create taught surface tension
- Rest 20 minutes uncovered
Final Shape:
- Shape into a tight boule
- Dust 9-inch banneton with rice flour
- Place remaining onions in banneton base
- Place dough seam-side up
Cold Proof:
- 8-12 hours at 38-40°F
- Cover with linen and plastic
- Monitor for a 30-40% increase
Day 2 Evening – Bake
Preheat:
- Dutch oven at 500°F
- 45-60 minute preheat
- Stone on lower rack
Transfer:
- Dust dough with rice flour
- Score deeply (¼-inch) in across-patternn
- Transfer to Dutch oven
Bake:
- 500°F for 5 minutes with the lid
- Reduce to 450°F for 25 minutes with lid
- Remove lid, add remaining cheese
- Bake 15-20 minutes until 205°F internal
- Cool on a wire rack for 4+ hours
Master Baker’s Notes
- Dough temperature control is crucial
- Judge fermentation by:
- Dough volume
- Surface bubbles
- Tension when pulled
- Jiggle test
- Optimal room temperature: 70-72°F
- Steam generation critical first 30 minutes
- Listen for crackling crust during the cooling
Advanced Variations
Alpine Style
- Replace 25% bread flour with rye
- Add 50g toasted caraway
- Use mixture of Gruyere/Emmental
- Cold proof 16 hours
Harvest Style
- Add 100g toasted walnuts
- Incorporate fresh sage
- Use aged gouda
- Top with pumpkin seeds
Mediterranean Style
- Add oil-cured olives
- Use rosemary and thyme
- Replace cheese with pecorino
- Brush the crust with olive oil
Perfect Pairings
Charcuterie Board
- 18-month prosciutto
- Fresh honeycomb
- Cornichons
- Whole grain mustard
Wine Selection
- White: Aged Chablis
- Red: Northern Rhône Syrah
- Fortified: Dry Oloroso Sherry
Beer Pairing
- Belgian Trappist Tripel
- Farmhouse Saison
- Barrel-aged Wild Ale
Technical Specifications
- Final dough temperature: 76-78°F
- Hydration: 72%
- Starter percentage: 20%
- Protein content: 12-13%
- Salt percentage: 2%
Optimal Storage
- Cool completely (minimum 4 hours)
- Store in:
- Linen bread bag
- Clay bread box
- Paper bag + plastic bag
- Best days 1-3
- Freeze up to 2 months:
- Double wrap in plastic
- Heavy duty foil
- Vacuum seal ideal
- Refresh frozen:
- Thaw 12 hours
- Spritz with water
- 350°F for 10-12 minutes
Common Troubleshooting
Starter Issues
- Not doubling: Feed twice daily at 72°F
- Too acidic: Reduce fermentation time
- Not floating: Build strength with feeds
Dough Problems
- Too slack: Reduce hydration by 5%
- Poor rise: Check starter activity
- Dense crumb: Extend bulk ferment
- Gummy texture: Extend bake time
Onion Variables
- Too dark: Lower heat
- Too wet: Extend cooking time
- Not sweet: Cook longer
- Burning: Add a splash of water
Nutrition (per 100g)
- Calories: 275
- Protein: 12g
- Carbs: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Fat: 11g
- Sodium: 330mg
- Iron: 10% DV
- Calcium: 15% DV
Historical Context
The marriage of alliums and bread dates to the Roman Empire, where garlic and onion-studded focaccia sustained legionaries. The technique of incorporating caramelized onions into sourdough emerged in 18th-century France, where bakers near Alsace first combined the regional Gruyere with sweet onions in pain au levain.
Essential Food Chemistry
The caramelization of onions occurs through the Maillard reaction and caramelization of sugars, creating hundreds of flavor compounds, including:
- Furanones (caramel notes)
- Sulfur compounds (savory depth)
- Carbonyl compounds (butterscotch notes)
These compounds interact with the bread’s own Maillard reactions during baking, creating unique flavor combinations that ar impossible to achieve through shorter cooking methods.
-theyeastwecando.com
