The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Whole Grain Sourdough Bread. 1

Joseph's picture
Joseph

Whole Grain Sourdough Bread. 1

Hello Fresh Loaf!

I've been perusing the online world of Bread Baking for about two years now in my quest for good bread. I have found the value and flavor in whole grains and true Sourdough breads, the purity of lean doughs and the beauty of artisan bread.
Sadly, I have noticed that almost no one anywhere makes, and posts about, bread as I like it:
FWSY, 100% W.W., Artisan, Sourdough.
After many trials and errors, I have found my footing in the baking arts and feel that, though 'blogging' is NOT my thing and I hardly spend time online, I owe it to the baking community to give people like my the chance to find some info on this kind of bread.

Here is my first post; my hundredth loaf, fresh out of the oven.

Ingredients
   1.8 oz    Starter: 100%H Sourdough, Fed separately on same as below, ~1 oz kept in mason jar in fridge
   8.0 oz    Flour: Hard Red Wheat KAF
   6.8 oz    Water: Cold, Filtered
   1-2 tsp  Salt: Fresh Cracked Sea Salt

Progression
Friday ~7:00      Levain: Take Starter (Abuelito) out of the fridge
Friday ~19:00        Feed Starter 0.3 oz Water and Flour each
Saturday ~7:30     Feed Starter 0.3 oz Water and Flour each.
                              Mix 8.0 oz Flour and 6.8 oz Water to autolyse in covered bowl
Saturday ~19:30   Put 1.8 oz Starter on top of dough, fold once
                              Put some salt on top, gently stretch and fold once in another direction
                              Put some more salt on top, gently stretch and fold until incorporated decently, 12-18 times
                           Bulk Ferment: Cover, leaving a little bit of room to breath.
                              Feed Starter again and put in fridge for next week
Sunday 8:30          Stretch and fold dough 4 times, once each direction, in bowl
             8:45       Preshape: Move dough to counter, fold 4 times and place seam side down
             8:55       Shape: Gently tighten, tucking dough underneath
             9:00          Place same side up in proofing basket. I line a loaf pan with damp paper towels. Cover
             11:30        Preheat oven, with whole Dutch Oven inside, to 450F. Uncover Loaf
             11:45        Once heated, transfer bread, seam side down into D.O.. I put it on the lid. Score, put ice cube
                              in with it, cover, place in oven.
                                  +30 minutes: Uncover. Reduce heat to 425 F.   +15 minutes: Remove from oven

I have a very active starter here in the sourlands despite all the cold I put it through
Inoculation: ~11% final dough weight. Salt: IDK, probably about 1 b%, I tend to go light on salt, will experiment
Ferment: 13 hours at room temp. 68 F. Proof: 2.75 hours at room temp. Baked for 45 minutes

---After 5 hours

Texture: Gummy, moist, cooked through. Crust not hard. Smell: Slight sour notes and nonsour smells. Taste: Plain, no tang. Nice robust wheatiness
Fermenting: OK, could use more. Needs better combining.
Proofing: Underproofed.

Comments

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Thanks for sharing Joseph that looks a pretty fine loaf that you have made for us and very good first write up well don on both accounts 

regards Derek

AlisonKay's picture
AlisonKay

Thanks for sharing this. I am working on whole grain, do as little as I can, sourdough breads. I am in England and my recent concentration is on a UK-grown wheat. It is low in protein, so a challenge.

Your loaf looks nice.

I initially shyed away from salt, but I have found it really helps my doughs to have the full 2%. I think experimenting with it, as you said, would help. Have you considered sifting out your bran and soaking it? That one step, although additional work, has made a huge difference to my 100% whole wheats.

Do keep sharing, I'd love to follow.