The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Great recipe find

caryn's picture
caryn

Great recipe find

I discovered a wonderful formula for a great whole grain bread with currants and walnuts recently.  It is in the King Arthur Whole Grain Baking.  It is made with a whole wheat starter and more than half whole wheat.  It is a wonderful sweet bread, and the texture is really nice.  I was impressed at how well the whole grain bread rose with just the starter.  I highly recommend this to anyone.  If anyone is interested, I will try to input the recipe here when I am at home where the book is.  I am now inspired to try some of their other breads.

maggie664's picture
maggie664

Hi caryn,
Yes I would like the recipe to try out and I am sure others would once you post up the recipe. it must be good if you want to share it! M

caryn's picture
caryn

I will try to put it up this weekend.

caryn's picture
caryn

Here is the recipe from the KA Whole Grain Baking.  Note that I made a whole wheat starter by simply refreshing my white starter with whole wheat for several days.

YIELD: 1 loaf, 16 slicesBAKING TEMPERATURE: 450°F, then 400°F BAKING TIME: 45 to 50 minutes

Levain: 1/2 cup (2 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour

 1/4 cup (2 ounces) cool, nonchlorinated water

1 tablespoon ripe whole wheat levain

Dough:

All of the levain

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour

1 cup (41/4 ounces) unbleached bread flour

1 cup (8 ounces) cool water

2 tablespoons (11/2 ounces) honey

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (11/4 ounces) currants

1/4 cup (1 ounce) walnuts, chopped fine 

Make the levain the night before you bake. Combine the whole wheat flour, cool water and ripe sourdough levain in a bowl. Mix these together thoroughly, cover and set aside to fer­ment at room temperature for 12 hours, or overnight.

The next morning, check the levain; it should be bubbly and expanded and not yet receding. In the bowl of your mixer.

Combine all of the levain with the remaining 1 1/2  cups whole wheat flour, bread flour and the cool water. Using the paddle attachment, mix at the lowest possi­ble speed just until the flour is thoroughly moistened. Turn off the mixer, cover the bowl, and let the mixture autolyse, or rest, for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add the honey and salt and mix at low speed until they're incorporated. Then turn the mixer up a notch, to kneading speed, and knead for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Flour your hands well and lightly pat the dough out into a rough rectangle, about 6 x 9 inches. Sprinkle the cur­rants over the dough, and use a metal bench knife to fold the dough in thirds over the cur­rants, patting the dough lightly to remove any excess flour as you fold. Now pat the Dough This will be a very sticky dough at this stage; that's OK. It'll smooth out as it rises and is folded repeatedly. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it and let it rise for another 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the bowl and give it another double fold on a well-floured surface. A metal bench knife comes in handy here, as the dough is still fairly sticky.

Return the dough to the bowl, and repeat the rising and folding twice more.

After 4 folds and 2 1/2  hours of rising time, it's time to shape the dough. Heavily flour a banneton or a bowl or colander lined with a linen towel. Turn the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. By now the dough should be quite smooth, puffy and soft. Flour your hands well and shape the dough into a round. Be careful not to tighten the round too much or the currants and walnuts will tear the surface of the loaf. Turn the loaf upside down into the floured banneton, cover is well, and let it rise for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Check the dough frequently to see if it's ready to bake. About half an hour before you think it'll be ready for the oven, preheat your oven and baking stone to 450°F. Prepare the oven for steam. When the dough is ready to bake, it will be very puffy and will feel full and bubbly. When you touch it with floured fingers, the depressions your fingers leave will be slow to refill. Flip the loaf out of the banneton onto a piece of parchment paper. Use a dry pastry brush to gently brush any excess flour from the surface of the dough. Slash the dough to a depth of about ¼  inch. Use a peel to load the loaf into the oven. parchment and all.

Steam the oven, and let the bread bake for 15 minutes. After 15 min­utes, reduce the heat to 400°F, and let the bread continue to bake until the crust is gold­en brown and remains firm when you gently squeeze the loaf, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Use a peel to unload the bread, and place it on a rack to cool thoroughly before slicing.  

maggie664's picture
maggie664

Caryn, Thank you for the recipe. It will be filed in my must-do but not quite yet basket. M

caryn's picture
caryn

You will not regret trying this formula!  I hope when you do that it comes out as well for you.