In France this bread is called “Epi” which is the “ear” of the wheat, because of its shape. Again this is first time I make epi shaped bread. There are so many things I want to try!!
This shape is great for snacks as you can tear bite sizes easily. I saw many recipes with this bread with bacon inside. I didn’t have bacon in the fridge so I made a sweet variation.
I love the combination of fig and walnuts. I always have some in my pantry. I should have made more as it all disappeared so quickly!
Fig and Walnut Epi
220g of High grade/Strong flour
30g of Whole meal flour
100g of Wild yeast starter (see the recipe here)
5g of Honey
3g of Salt
155g of Lukewarm water
50g of Dry figs (soak in hot water then chop them into small pieces)
40g of Walnuts (Roast then chop them into small pieces)
Method
- Mix all the ingredients except for the figs and the walnuts in a large bowl and knead for 10 min.
- Cover the bowl with cling film or a wet tea towel and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume.
- Divide the dough in four, shape them into balls and let them rest for 20min. (loosely covered with cling film or a wet tea towel.) [bench rest]
- Work on one ball at a time, cover the rest. Roll a ball into a long rectangle shape. Place 1/4 of the figs and the walnuts in the centre, roll it into a stick. Do the same for the rest of the balls.
- Put the 4 sticks on a baking sheet and let them rise in a warm place for 1-2h. (loosely covered with cling film or a wet tea towel.) [final rise]
- Preheat the oven at 240℃ with a baking tray up side down. Using kitchen scissors, cut diagonally but being careful not to cut all the way through. Position them as on the second picture from the top. (You can find videos on how to shape Epi on Youtube!)
- Bake them in the oven at 220℃ for 16-18min.
This time, I used fresh walnuts. So we made boats with the shells! Ready for a race in the bath!
Mesdemoiselles Petit 