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Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread

Whole Wheat Sourdough

5/21/2016

This bread is a first trial of a mostly whole wheat sourdough bread leavened with my standard liquid levain rather than the one prescribed by Forkish or Hamelman, or Suas for their versions of a pain au levain with a high percentage of whole grains.

My levain is built in two feedings from my refrigerated “mother” which is kept at 50% hydration and is fed only every 3-4 weeks. I did an activation feeding of 30g Starter, 75g Water and 75g Flour mixture (See my note, below.) This was very ripe in 10 hours. I then did a second feeding to make 280g of Levain, enough for this bake and also for a batch of San Joaquin Sourdough baguettes. That starter was very ripe in 6 hours. The portion for this bake was refrigerated overnight.

 

Total Dough

 

 

Ingredient

Wt (gms)

Bakers' %

AP flour

103

21

Whole Wheat flour

378

77

Whole Rye flour

9

2

Water

400

82

Salt

10

2

Instant yeast

1/8 tsp (<1)

<1

Total

900

184

  

Levain

 

 

Ingredient

Wt (gms)

Bakers' %

AP flour

52.5

70

Whole Wheat flour

15

20

Whole Rye flour

7.5

10

Water (80dF)

75

100

Active liquid starter

30

40

Total

180

240

  1. Dissolve the starter in the water.

  2. Add the flours.

  3. Mix thoroughly.

  4. Transfer to a clean container and cover tightly.

  5. Ferment at 76dF for 6-12 hours (until moderately ripe)

  6. Refrigerate overnight.

Note: My sourdough starter “food” is a mixture of 70% AP, 20%WW and 10% Rye. I keep a mixture of these floors in a liter jar. I use it for my stored “mother” in the refrigerator, which I feed every 3-4 weeks, and to activate the mother when I am preparing to make bread.

 

Final Dough

 

Ingredient

Wt. (gms)

AP flour

40

Whole Wheat flour

360

Water (80-90dF)

310

Salt

10

Instant yeast

1/8 tsp (<1)

Levain

180

Total

900

 

Procedure

  1. Heat enough water for the dough and a few cc's extra.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the Levain in the water.

  3. Add the flours and mix thoroughly at low speed with the paddle. (Speed 1 for a minute or two.)

  4. Scrape down the bowl. Cover it, and autolyse for 20-60 minutes.

  5. Sprinkle the instant yeast and the salt on top of the dough.

  6. Mix at low speed for 6-10 minutes. The dough should be soft and tacky – almost sticky – but not runny. Adjust water or flour in small amounts as needed. There should be some gluten development, but the dough will not completely clean the wall of the bowl.

  7. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container and form a ball. Cover tightly.

  8. Ferment for 2 1/2 hours at 76dF with stretch and folds at 50 and 100 minutes. By the second S&F, the dough should have good strength. It will still be soft and a bit tacky.

  9. Transfer to a lightly floured board and pre-shape round or oblong. Cover with a cloth, and let the gluten relax for 10-20 minutes. (If you want smaller loaves, you could divide the dough into two equal pieces before pre-shaping.)

  10. Shape a bâtard or a boule and place in a floured banneton or brotform. Or place the loaf on a sheet pan on bakers' linen with folds to support the sides.

  11. Refrigerate overnight.

  12. Take out of refrigerator and proof at 80dF for 1-2 hours (optional)
  13. Pre-heat the oven to 500dF for 45-60 minutes with a baking stone and steaming apparatus in place.

  14. Transfer the loaf to a peel. Score as desired.

  15. Turn the oven down to 460dF. Steam the oven. Load the loaf onto the baking stone.

  16. After 15 minutes, remove the steam source.

  17. If you have a convection oven, turn on convection at this point, and reduce the oven temperature to 435dF.

  18. Bake for an additional 25-35 minutes or until the crust is nicely browned, the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom and the internal temperature is at least 205dF.

  19. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Photo Gallery

 

San Joaquin Sourdough Demi-baguettes and Whole Wheat Sourdough: Today's baking

Whole Wheat Sourdough cut profile

Slices

 

Tasting Notes

I sliced the loaf about 6 hours after it was baked. The crust was chewy. The crumb was remarkably open considering the flour mix. The aroma was nutty/wheaty and just a bit sour. In the mouth, the crumb was cool, moist and tender. The predominant flavors were sweet, nutty, wheaty, and milky. Of course there were neither nuts nor sweetener nor any milk product in this bread, just flours, water, salt and levain. I love it when a bread offers such complex good flavors!  When a thin spread of unsalted butter was added, it amplified both the sweetness and the lactic acid sour of the dough.

When I started making this bread, I expected it to be a first try and anticipated going through 5 or 6 adjustment before I got it “right.” Based on this first tasting, I now think I'll stick with this version. If I change it, it will likely be to add some solids – seeds, nuts, dried fruit and the like. I bet it would go well with dried figs and walnuts. 

David

Comments

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Thanks for posting this, David! It sure looks like a keeper. All is beautiful, and i like the crumb on the whole wheat. Mmm

The very best to you, as always

khalid

 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I appreciate your comments. I will be trying some variations in procedure, but I agree that this bread is a keeper.

David

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

NIce bake and love using more whole wheat these days. I have an abundance of kinds in the freezer so will have to give this one a try. As always your SJSD look fantastic. c

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

has to be tasty.  I'm not sure what that tiny bit of instant yeast is doing in there though.  Isn't it just getting in the way of the wee beasties, speeding up the ferment / proof and taking some of the favor that could be developed away?  For years we've seen bits of commercial yeast in all kinds of SD breads so there must be reason for it - just don't know what it is?  Love the demi's too! Well done and

Happy baking David

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

My understanding is that this practice makes fermentation times more predictable. FYI, my plans for this formula are to try 1) leaving out the IY, and 2) retardation in bulk à la SJSD rather than retarding the formed loaf.

In any case, I can't find any missing flavor for which to blame the IY. This bread has a lovely flavor. I had two slices this morning, one un-toasted and one toasted. It was very nice both ways with just a thin spread of sweet butter.

David

Ru007's picture
Ru007

I love a good looking healthy loaf of bread.

I really like the scoring, i also want to become a bit more adventurous and more away from my standard one long slash!

happy baking :)

 

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

If you try this bread, please let me know how it works for you.

David

msmith1035's picture
msmith1035

Followed your fine instructions.  Also added a few grains after the autolyse. (1 Tbs pumpkin, 1 tbs sunflower, 2 Tbs flaxseed, 1 1/2 Tbs sesame, 1/2 tsp poppy and 2 tbs rolled oates).  Produced nice tasty loaf.  Thanks

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

I planned to try this formula with seeds and nuts! You beat me to it. I'm glad you found it good. It's on my to bake list  for sure!

David