Mebake's blog

This is the most successful Wholewheat multigrain i have baked so far. The Steaming technique this time was different. I drilled a whole through the roaster Lid and purchased a steamer cleaner to push steam through the hole. This was adapted from The baker steamer set that was marketed in TFL years back, but with much cheaper components.

The result was spectacular: the loaf gained color so fast, and the crust was crispy out of the oven. Oven spring was very good too. I left the loaf in the roaster for 20 minutes (should have been less: the bottom got charred).

If it wasn't for the charred bottom, i'd say , this is the one best tasting / looking bread i have ever tasted in my life.

Khalid

This is the same Wholewheat Multigrain bread baked from Hamelman's BREAD, only this time i chose to roll back to my old steaming technique. Furthermore, i increased the hydration from Hamelman's 75% to 90%! the grains are very thirsty!

Adhering to Hamelman's Final Proof of 1 hour doesn't seem to cut it. I always underproof when i follow hamelman's guidelines. 70 to 90 minutes will be the final proof from now on.

Khalid

This is a late bake from Hamelmans "BREAD", chapter 6: Sourdough Rye with Walnuts, only with Walnuts being left out (no stock). This is essentially a 50% Whole Rye Bread. I used HOVIS bread flour for remaining 50%. most of the Rye inthis recipe is fermented.

Obviously, i have done a lousy job on proofing seem side down. I had hoped to get the artisanal effect that Hansjoakim had: here. Reason may be my boule shaping, DMsnyder would you chime in here for an advise of your boule shaping experience from SBFI?

Having observed Hans Bake, i also increased the hydration to 75% to obtain a somewhat loose dough. I have used Whole Rye instead of Hans Medium Rye.

I haven't tasted the loaf yet, but i trust in hamelman's recipe.

UPDATE: now that i tasted the loaf, it is typical of 50% Whole Rye surdough breads: mild sourness, with earthy rye flavor. I think the walnuts were in the recipe for a reason. I'll add walnuts for sure next time.

khalid

This is Baked from hamelman's 40% Rye with caraway, only without caraway seeds as my wife dislikes them in bread

I found this recipe to yield a smewheat tangy bread, so it would have been better complimented eith caraway seeds. The crust was chewy, and the crumb light and even textured, i'd say very good result with no folds done, and very short fermentation time.

I'd bake it again, with caraway added.

Khalid

This Whole Wheat and Whole Rye, was baked from Jeffrey Hamelman's BREAD under Soudough Rye section. It involves yeast in the final dough, with Rye sour as the flavour.

This bread has a mild rye flavor with a mild acidic tang. i liked it!

Khalid

This time, i used 50% bread flour with (12.9%) protein, and 50% Wholewheat Pastry Flour(11%) Protein. I also included in my soaker (Flax seeds, Whole Rye Berries, Whole BuckWheat, and Whole Sunf. Seeds).

Encouraged by Larry's gas oven steaming, i created steam by pouring hot water into an Aluminum Skillet filled with lava and river rocks. Presteaming might have been crucial , especially in vented gas ovens. I presteamed, steamed, and then steamed again. I even sprayed the top of the loaves beofre loading them in.  Result: Not Bad, though no Artistic Grigne was created, but it is a trade off iam glad to accept, as opposed to the trouble of avoiding Roaster loading, and off-loading, with rack moving.

It came out very nice, held shape better, though as apparent from the crumb shot, the loaf was on the edge of overproofing.

The loaves smelled strongly of Flax seeds. The crust and crumb tasted very pleasant, with the chewy bite to the crumb due to all the soaked grain s and seeds.

Verdict: Improved crumb due to the usage of BREAD flour instead of AP.

Khalid

This is my 1st attempt at a multigrain loaf, Hamelman's Wholewheat Multigrain with 50% wholewheat, multigrain soaker, and a liquid levain. It is essentially a partial sourdough, with  1tsp yest added to the final dough.

As i only have white wheat on hand, i used white wheat flour, so the crumb is pale. other 50% is All Purpose.

I've Hot - soaked Cracked white wheat ,cracked Rye berries, and sunflower seeds. The Crust has a sweet caramelized aftertaste (recipe called for honey), and crumb has a faint sourdough tang, with a nice chew of cooked berries and seeds. This is an excellent bread! The texture is light yet close crumbed (75% hydration didn't seem enough, as the soaker and my freshly milled wholewheat were v. thirsty. I raised the hydration to 80% for the dough to be of medium consistency.

I think it should make a superb toast!

Khalid

This is a 50% spelt Sourdough I made up, adapting the formula from Hamelman's Mich callier stiff levain:

Levain: 275g @ 65% hydration fed with (40% seplt, and 60% AP)

Final Dough:  - 505g water

                   - 720g Flour (50%AP, 50% WHole SPelt Flour)

                   - 30g (1T) Sea salt.

                   - All Levain (275g)

                   -----------------

                   1500g dough @ 70% Hydration

Baking day: I dissolved the stiff levain in 505g water, then added the 720g Flour. Left to Autolize for 30 min, then salt went into the dough. I french-Kneaded  the dough for 10 min. let rest for 5-10 minutes, then french-kneaded for anoth 5 minutes, and shaped to a tight boule.

Fermenation 2.5 Hours with 2 folds. I then divided the dough into 750g doughs, preshapd gently, and then shaped after an hour. Final fermentation for 2 Hours, and into a hot 500F oven reduced to 430F with steam for 15 minutes, 30 min utes without steam.

Taste was very pleasent: typical of mild sourdoughs, with nutty aftertaste from spelt. Versatile for spreads, or even alone!

Khalid

This is a high extraction Batard from hamelman's "Miche point a callier"

I did not sift the wholewheat flour, i just mixed 90% wholewheat with 10% all purpose.

I deviated somewhat from BREAD. i folded in the bowl for 20 strokes for 4 times at 1/2 hour intervals.

Under sunlight

Taste: Well, since i haven't used a high extraction flour, nor artisan T90 or T85 flours, i would not really call this Point a calier, but nevertheless, it tasted like a superior quality 90% wholewheat loaf at 82% hydration. It has a subtle , yet well defined acidic tang, with creamy roasted-nut-like aftertaste. The crumb was soft, moist and firm enough to accomodate all kinds of spreads. I love it, and i will surely stick to the stiff levain with such a high hydration doughs.

This is a 50% wholewheat from "BREAD". I have finally achieved the color i wanted and the crumb texture i like. THis is a keeper.

To obtain the color, I have improvised enclosed steaming for this one:

Poultry roaster with lid. Under the roaster a stone, and in the roaster lid: a stone squeezed-in in such a way that it dented the lid, but remained in. This way, i can get heat from a stone on top of the loaf, and from under the loaf, all in an enclosed space to trap steam. IT Worked!

Here are the loaves:

UPDATE:  here is the roaster steamer with stone device:

Khalid