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Baking recipe · from the recipe book

Oat-Crusted Four-Seed Overnight Boule

A crackling, oat-flecked crust gives way to a moist, tender crumb studded with nutty toasted oats and a soaked blend of pumpkin, sesame, flax and chia seeds.

Oat-Crusted Four-Seed Overnight Boule

Ingredients

  • 3⅔ cups450 gAll-purpose flour
  • 1¾ cups420 gWaterdivided: 90 g boiling for the soaker, 330 g lukewarm for the dough
  • 1 cup80 gOld-fashioned rolled oatsdivided: 60 g toasted for the soaker, 20 g for the crust
  • ¼ cup30 gPumpkin seeds (pepitas)toasted
  • 2 tbsp20 gSesame seedsdivided: half for the dough, half for the crust
  • 2 tbsp15 gGround flaxseed
  • ½ oz10 gChia seeds
  • 2⅛ tsp15 gHoney
  • 1½ tsp9 gSalt
  • ¾ tsp3 gInstant yeast

Steps

  1. Make the soaker first: toast 60 g of the oats (three-quarters of the total) and the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until golden and fragrant. Tip into a heatproof bowl.
  2. Add the ground flaxseed and the chia seeds to the toasted oats and pumpkin seeds. Pour over the boiling portion of the water (90 g), stir well and let cool for 30 minutes, until thick.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the instant yeast and the salt. Stir the honey into the lukewarm portion of the water (330 g).
  4. Pour the honey water into the flour mixture and mix until no dry flour remains. Add the cooled oat-and-seed soaker and half of the sesame seeds, then squeeze and fold with a wet hand for 2 to 3 minutes until evenly combined. The dough is about 73% hydration before the soaker, with 2% salt.
  5. Cover and let the dough rise at about 75°F (24°C) for 2 hours. During the first hour, do 4 sets of stretch-and-folds, 15 minutes apart: lift one side of the dough, fold it over, turn the bowl and repeat on all four sides. The dough is ready when it has grown by about half and looks puffy and smooth.
  6. Mix the remaining 20 g of oats with the remaining half of the sesame seeds on a plate. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter, shape it into a tight round by pulling the edges into the center, flip it seam-side down and drag it toward you to tighten the surface.
  7. Mist or brush the top of the round with a little water and roll it in the oat-and-sesame mixture to coat. Set it seam-side up in a parchment-lined bowl or banneton, cover and refrigerate overnight, 12 to 14 hours.
  8. Put a lidded Dutch oven in the oven and preheat to 475°F (245°C) for 45 minutes.
  9. Turn the cold dough onto a sheet of parchment, seam-side down, and slash the top about 1/2 inch deep with a sharp knife. Lower it on the parchment into the hot Dutch oven and cover.
  10. Bake covered for 25 minutes, then uncover, lower the oven to 450°F (230°C) and bake 18 to 22 minutes more, until deep brown, the crust crackles and the center reads 205 to 210°F (96 to 99°C).
  11. Cool the loaf on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing into 12 slices, so the crumb sets and the crust stays crisp.

Food safety: Don't taste raw dough or batter: raw flour and raw eggs can carry germs.

Contains: Gluten, Sesame.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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