Tartine Millet Porridge
Hello! I've been trying the Tartine country loaf with varied results and jumped headfirst into the Tartine Millet Porridge this weekend. I am used to using raw millet in a no-knead 1/2 whole wheat bread, but I've never cooked the grain first.
I used 550g KA bread flour, 300g KA White whole wheat flour, 50g bob's red mill dark rye, 100g KA whole wheat flour.
The loaves were retarded in the fridge from midnight on Sunday until 8:30 am Sunday (for loaf 1) and 945 am for loaf 2. No considerable difference in the loaves, but they are very squat with a lack of the desired oven spring.
Has anyone else made these loaves and gotten good oven spring? Also, I'm not a fan of a wet crumb and this crumb is very, very wet. I cooked the bread to 210 degrees. Should I have kept going? See the crumb below.
This bread tasted good, but seemed a bit heavy. I also enjoy the crunch in my millet no-knead bread that I missed here for cooking the millet. I also couldn't see any millet in he final bread.
I'm enjoying this journey, but I would also love to find some great breads with at least 1/2 whole grain that get reliable oven spring and an airy crumb that don't require 5-6 hours around the house. Is this possible? I'd love some recommendations on other recipes that have been successful for you. Thank you!
Your crumb looks like it is a bit overfermented.
Try less starter, shorter time in bulk or shorter proofing time in the fridge for a better oven spring with an open crumb and irregular holes.
The Finger dent test is a good tool to determine the proofing stage.
Good luck, and keep on practicing ;)
be over hydrated from the porridge and are easy to over proof. If you aren't getting spring and bloom you are over hydrated and or over proofed. Cutting your bulk ferment time and or levian amount will help with a shaped final proof in the fridge if it is over proofing in 8 1/2 hour which is a short tine for a retarded proof. I can go 18-21 hours with a with a high percent whole or sprouted grain bread using a max 15% prefermented flour and a short ,no more than a half hour, bulk ferment before shaping using more an 15% prefermented flour. Whole grain breads ferment and proof fast with a large levain andover proofing is easy in the fridge while you sleep
But no worries. With a shaped retard that over proofs in the fridge you can just do a quick but gentle reshaping an hour after it comes out of the fridge and bkle it at 50% proof to get the spring and bloom back. People forget that a fine method for a making bread is to do a bulk ferment on the fridge and then shape and bake the next day which is what you ate doing with a shaped proof in the fridge that goes wrong and you have to resahape and proof on the counter.
Your bread wan't that much over proofed since it didn't collapse and the crumb is still pretty open.
Happy baking
The above comments sound about right. I can tell you that the porridge breads will give you a moist crumb so as long as it wasn't gummy you are close to what it should be like. It will also depend on how long you cook down the porridge. If you don't cook down the porridge enough you will also be increasing the hydration of the dough.
Regards,
Ian
Thanks for your generous comments--you all are very accomplished bakers. I will keep practicing and will share the results. Now, if any of you have favorite recipes to share, I'm all ears...
Thanks so much!
Oh, by the way, if toasted, the millet bread is still delicious.
it is always more sour and better the 2nd day and it always tastes better toasted!
with rye and pumpernickel my favorite breads - but I'm a bread floozy and love them all!
Thanks again for the helpful tips. This week, I made two breads with 55% KA Bread Flour, 30% Spelt, 15% KA White WW. I tried to incorporate your tips, Dabrownman, with some better results. I got a little sloppy with my formula, using more of my leaven than I meant to. I cut down the bulk until the dough was just starting to show strength, then shaped and retarded in the fridge at 10pm Saturday. I had something to do in the morning, so I reshaped at 1pm-ish and let rest for 30-40 minutes. They aren't perfect, but I finally got some of the oven spring I've been going for. This dough was crazy wet for my experience level (about 85%), but I forged ahead. I think I need to pick one recipe and stick with it until I master the formula. I do like the spelt and whole grains, though.
I'm also starting to wonder if my starter is problem. I keep it in the fridge and build a levain with it right out of the fridge and let it sit out 5-8 hours before baking. I guess I'm not "building" the leaven over days.
My question is now this: do I have to shape before retarding if I'm going to shape the following day? Are you saying that I can just put the entire bucket in the fridge and shape the next day? That would be ideal. Thanks.
at a time, up to 24, with no maintenance. But when I build a levain I do it over (3) 4 hour builds to make sure the levain is at ts peek and ready to do the job I expect it to do Ian answered you other questions. I only reshape a shaped retarded loaf if it has over proofed in the fridge while I was sleeping. Here is some info on my starter and levain builds.
No Muss No Fuss StarterYes you can bulk retard the dough in the refrigerator and then when ready to bake let it sit at room temp for about 1.5 hours. Then shape and rest for 1.5-2 hours before baking.
Looks like you may have some shaping issues from your photo. You don't want tunnels which is usually from not shaping with a tight enough skin. Also looks like you could have baked longer. What setup for your oven are you using and what about your steaming method? What temp are you baking at?