Hazelnut and Fig Levain

Such a Small Addition of Anise Seed, yet it suffuses this loaf in a most enlivening way, tying together the concentrated sweetness of the figs and the “bass note” provided by the roasted hazelnuts. It is written here as a naturally leavened loaf, and works quite well as such. It can, however, be made with the addition of a small percentage of yeast (up to 1 percent or so) if one wishes to remove some of the acidity from the bread’s personality.