The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

How much potato starch to use in 100% whole wheat bread?

yy's picture
yy

How much potato starch to use in 100% whole wheat bread?

I'm trying to soften up the crumb of 100% whole wheat bread a la Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads using potato starch in the soaker, but I'm not sure how much to add. Is there a general guideline for quantity of potato starch you should use based on total flour weight (2%/3% flour weight?). 

AW's picture
AW

YY,

I would imagine that you could substitute the amount of potato starch (or buds) equal to one potato and then minus out the equivalent amount of flour. (I don't use Reinhardt, which is why I am being a bit vague.) Some people use vital wheat gluten to help or to do a soaker.

If you need a whole wheat sandwich bread that is already perfected, try this one. My friend Ben and his mother got it DOWN pat! I make it regularly:

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/16345/whole-wheat-sandwich-bread

Some people here on TFL have contributed some nice variations.

Kind regards,

Arlene

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

but then reduce in half.  The % of flour to replace is trickier.  Depending on your flour, remember it doesn't contribute gluten so I wouldn't go over 30% (15%) right off the bat.  Try 10% (5%) and see how close you get to your goal.

I think if you google Mariane potato starch whole wheat, you might pick up a thread on her blog about potatoes and such.   That woman is amazing!

mrfrost's picture
mrfrost

Presuming you want potato flour. The startch is not the same, though they may be similar.

For the flour(one suppliers reccomendations):

http://www.barryfarm.com/nutri_info/flours/potatoflour.html

"Potato flour Substitutions:

For general baking: Replace up to 1/4 of any wheat flour in a recipe or substitute 5/8 cup potato flour for 1 cup all-purpose flour.

For yeast breads: Replace up to 1/6 of the wheat flour in a bread recipe or substitute 5/8 cup potato flour for each cup of all-purpose flour."

Reading this to be up to 1/6 by weight. Guessing that the volume substitutions are not equal is because potato flour is heavier than wheat flour.

Potato Starch:

http://www.barryfarm.com/nutri_info/thickeners/potatostarch.html

Lastly, what kind(s) of cats are those in your avatar? Those are some fine looking cats. They have an exotic look. Bengals?

yy's picture
yy

Thanks for all your feedback. To clarify, I'm looking to add potato starch as an additive to moisten and soften the crumb of my 100% whole wheat bread, not to replace any of the flour with potato flour. I believe I saw a comment on the King Arthur Flour site from one of their employees saying that potato starch is interchangeable with potato flour for that purpose. I've seen recipes where potato water is recommended to soften the crumb, so I'm guessing that potato starch may work. I guess there's no better way to find out than to go right ahead and make a loaf with it :-)

mrfrost, your guess is right on - they're bengals: a boy and a girl. Both pretty and really cute, but just unbelievably dumb. They definitely don't breed those things for their brains.

Amori's picture
Amori

I would like to comment that potato water is great for rolls, but not 'starchy' enough 100% WW PR's recipes.  I've tried and failed =-/

What I've done with PR's Transitional WW Sandwich bread [page 99], is adding 3 Tb of potato starch or 1/3 C of potato flakes to the biga ingredients, no complaints so far....[wet formulas =-)].

Re: Vital W Gluten, many dislike the chewy textures but, it guarantees a nice rise. I use 3% in the soaker for Rye breads. Probably less for 'New'/ testing recipes to avoid a starchy taste.

Good Luck!