The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

100% whole wheat crumb

eatbread's picture
eatbread

100% whole wheat crumb

finally decent oven spring and crumb in my 100% whole wheat loaves. 

pmccool's picture
pmccool

Great bake, eatbread!

Paul

Frequent Flyer's picture
Frequent Flyer

So....what made the difference in this vs prior attempts?

eatbread's picture
eatbread

well, first off i started out working with sourdough using whole rye and spelt flours, which made the whole ordeal a lot more finicky. i recently switched back to using whole wheat flour, and changed my methods drastically, using intermittent stretch and folds throughout bulk fermentation until i felt the dough had reached adequate gluten development and aeration. I've also just gotten better at judging the feel of the dough. and when is t ready to shape, proof, and bake off. so much to learn about bread, the learning (and practice) never ends. 

kolobezka's picture
kolobezka

Does it mean that you did not have such a big success using spelt or rye? Why do you think so?

If I understand well you use a very small percentage of the starter and let it ferment for  almost the whole day, am I right? Do you add any oil or sweetener?

The crumb of your WholeWheat is really amazing!

zdenka

eatbread's picture
eatbread

i loved the rye and spelt, the textures were jsut different and it was very difficult to get an oven spring at all. the spelt dough was very extensible but not elastic and made a slightly...tackier crumb is you will. i could get large holes, but it was never as soft and fluffy like wheat. and yes, i do use a small amount of starter, and allow it to work its magic through the day. I don't ever use anything more than organic flour, water, and salt. i like to keep things as simple as possible. 

hanseata's picture
hanseata

Though I agree that rye performs totally different from wheat, I wonder about your spelt experience. I bake regularly transitional and 100% spelt breads and cannot find a big difference in elasticity, rising capability or oven spring.

davidg618's picture
davidg618

I've seen photographed for 100% Whole Wheat bread, and the oven spring is awesome. And reading your follow-on post it drives home how important our techniques are. 

Great loaf,

David G

eatbread's picture
eatbread

i so totally agree. what i have learned in the last couple months has so drastically changed the way i view bread dough and its treatment

Frequent Flyer's picture
Frequent Flyer

I make a lot of 100% whole wheat loaves, and will be making most of them with sourdough from now on.  A taste test between yeast and sourdough has shown a big improvement in taste with my sourdough. 

The holes are larger in the middle of your slice.  Did you invert the dough after shaping and proofing - prior to baking?

eatbread's picture
eatbread

i did, it always pains me to see that plop...but that is just how it works for now with what i ...

Doc Tracy's picture
Doc Tracy

Care to share your formula and technique?

eatbread's picture
eatbread

i know i might get slammed for this,  but no formula...i go with how the dough feels at that day and time. but what i do do is this. mix a couple tablespoons of my starter with water, then add my flours (a mixture of whole wheat and wholewheat bread flours). i let that autolyse for 30-60 minutes depending on when i remember to play with the dough some more, at which time i add my salt, stir and knead it in as best i can, do a couple stretch and folds and then leave it alone. during bulk fermentation i go back do do intermittent stretch and folds until i feel the dough is ready (in terms of both gluten development and bubble formation). Then i shape it and proof it in whatever i am using in place of a banneton (wish i had one...) then bake it off in my romertopf (i find using the romertopf easier than dealing with finicky steaming pans etc...) this process usually take the bulk of an entire day. if im out busy, l usually throw the dough in the fridge accordingly and work around that. using methods similar to what i just layed out i get pretty consistently good loaves. i have to say that after working with spelt for so long (not saying i don't like spelt, i love spelt! it just makes a different breed of bread), the wheat is just so nice to work with.