Fibonacci Spiral Growth Bread (Print)

A visually stunning loaf featuring spiral segments of increasing density and size, with crisp crust and tender crumb.

# Ingredients:

→ Dough Base

01 - 4 cups strong bread flour
02 - 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
03 - 1/2 cup active sourdough starter or 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Fibonacci Spiral Additions

06 - 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
07 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
08 - 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
09 - 1/3 cup grated hard cheese (Gruyère or Parmesan)
10 - 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, drained
11 - 1/3 cup mixed olives, pitted and chopped
12 - 1/3 cup sautéed spinach, well-drained

# Instructions:

01 - Combine flour and lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir until just combined. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
02 - Add sourdough starter or yeast, salt, and olive oil to the mixture. Stir and knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
03 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let it rise at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours until doubled in size.
04 - Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into seven equal portions.
05 - Knead each portion with the spiral additions, starting from the smallest quantity (sunflower seeds) and increasing with each subsequent portion, ending with sautéed spinach in the largest piece.
06 - Roll each portion into a rope. Coil the ropes concentrically on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sealing the ends to form a continuous spiral.
07 - Cover loosely and allow the shaped dough to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes until puffy.
08 - Preheat the oven to 445°F (230°C). Place an empty tray on the oven floor for steam generation.
09 - Dust the loaf lightly with flour and score spiral lines with a sharp blade to facilitate expansion during baking.
10 - Pour one cup of hot water into the preheated tray to create steam. Bake the loaf for 40 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the crust is golden brown and crisp.
11 - Transfer the bread to a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before slicing.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that looks like it emerged from a museum, yet it tastes even better than it looks with layers of seed, nut, and umami flavors.
  • Once you master the technique, you become the person who brings artisan bread to every gathering, and honestly, that feeling never gets old.
  • The long fermentation means deeper, more complex flavors that commercial bread can never match, and your kitchen smells like a Parisian bakery.
02 -
  • Drainage is everything with ingredients like spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives—excess moisture is the enemy of both texture and crust. I once ignored this and ended up with a dense, gummy spiral in the center that haunted me until I understood the lesson.
  • The Fibonacci sequence works visually because of the proportions, but it also works functionally: the increasing ingredient amounts balance flavor intensity across the loaf, so no single spiral overwhelms the others.
  • Cold dough is easier to shape. If your dough becomes sticky while spiraling, refrigerate it for 10 minutes—it makes handling infinitely easier.
03 -
  • Save a piece of your dough before adding the first ingredients, then use it to create a simple companion loaf. You'll have one beautiful spiral and one humble round, and the contrast teaches you exactly what the ingredients contribute.
  • Weigh everything. Volume measurements will betray you on this recipe because ingredients like spinach compress unpredictably. A kitchen scale costs almost nothing and transforms your baking from guesswork to precision.
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