The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

XXX - Little Salkeld Multigrain Sourdough |Trial 2

lumos's picture
lumos

XXX - Little Salkeld Multigrain Sourdough |Trial 2

Baked another batch of Multigrain sourdough using Four Grain Flour Richard (Ruralidle) kindly gave to me.   For this batch, I incread Four Grain Flour to 33% (=the proportion to main dough flour.  About 27% including levain) and used Dove's Organic Bread flour instead of Waitrose Leckford Estate strong flour.  Also I doubled the amount to make two loaves.  Dove's flour (12.5%) is lower in protein than Waitrose's Leckford Estate (13.6%),  so I did a few extra S & F to make sure gluten development is sufficient enough, but other than those changes everything else stayed the same as the first bake (link).  And this is how it turned out.

I was a bit worried if it'd become heavier but the texture was quite similar to the first batch, but with deeper flavour and slightly increased natural sweetness.   I really liked the first one but I definitely love this one better.   So naturally, the next trial is going to be 50% Four Grain flour.

Watch this space! :)

 

Comments

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Stunning looking bread lumos,

Crust, crumb, gringe ... all stunning!

Cheers,
Phil

lumos's picture
lumos

Thanks, Phil!  You're very kind. :)

Syd's picture
Syd

Lovely baking Lumos. What is in that four grain flour?  You go a nice rise and a nice open crumb for 33% whole grain.  Doesn't look heavy at all.  You could definitely try for 50%. 

Best,

Syd

lumos's picture
lumos

Thank you, Syd. :) 

According to their website, it's "Stoneground Wheat Flour with Cracked Rye Flakes, Barley Flakes and Oat Flakes." It also says the flour makes "a solid loaf full of flakes," so I was a bit worried increasing it to 33% might make the loaves heavier but I was pleasantly surprised the texuture didn't change that much.   Just increased flavour. Lucky! :p

I'll definitely try 50% next time. 

Isand66's picture
Isand66

Beautiful looking loaves.  I have to save this one to try.

Ian

lumos's picture
lumos

Thank you, Ian.  Yes, please try. Thoroughly recommend it. :)

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

They bloomed stunningly.  The crumb and crust looks equally lovely.  I think the percentage of flour blends used looks and sounds delicious.  What are the flour combo's used? 

I have tried a 12 grain blend back in 08 on a blogged PR Italian loaf and it was delicious..the crust was red.  King Arthur flours, finally has back a 9 grain blend that is a little pricy..but in the long run..for me anyway, cheaper than buying so many flours to blend.  You have a nice friend to gift you the flour blend.

Sylvia

lumos's picture
lumos

Thank you, Sylvia. )

They bloomed stunningly.

To be perfectly honest, it might have benefited with a tiny bit longer with proofing.  Maybe another 15-20 min or so.  I might have not get a grigne like that but I think the crumb would've become a little more open.

I used the pre-blended flour Richard (Ruralidle) kindly got it for me, from a small watermill in Lake District, northwest of England; stoneground wholemeal-based flour with added flakes of  cracked rye, barley and oat.  So it's not really 'blended flour' in a strict sense maybe as rye, barley and oat are only there in flake-form rather than ground. 

9 grain blend sounds intresting and 12 grain blend sounds even more intriguing.  What are in the blend?

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

Longer proofing might have resulted in a less open crumb...I think you have hit the sweet spot in these loaves, they are lovely!

I suspected your flour blend was extra special :)  

The one I mentioned with nine grain blends had wheat, high fiber sustagrain barley rye, oats, amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum, and teff...the 12 grain blend I used way back when also had brown rice, spelt, and corn.

This reminds me of all the odd and ends flours, and grains I have stashed in my freezer that need used up! 

Sylvia

 

 

lumos's picture
lumos

Never heard of sorghum or teff.  Interesting.  

This reminds me of all the odd and ends flours, and grains I have stashed in my freezer that need used up!

LOL  it reminds me of wonderful dosa (Indian rice flour pancake) my friend's mother taught me when she was over here from Mumbai. Dosa is usually made of ground rice flour,  but she put all the pulses in the cupboard which she wanted to use up and ground them with rice.   I think it had 7 or 8 kinds of pulses.  Just an improvised recipe but it tasted great! 

 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

multigrain bread.  The crumb, crust and slashing are very good!  Very good bake lumos as ususl.

lumos's picture
lumos

Thank you, dabrownman! :)

sam's picture
sam

Hi lumos,

I also love the way your crumb's turn out.   Perfect ratio of large-to-medium-to-small holes, and without any dense pockets.  I think it shows a proper fermentation, without under or over doing it, and spot on handling of the dough.

Well done!    I am jealous.   :)

 

 

 

 

lumos's picture
lumos

Thanks, gvz!

LOL I'd say no need to be jealous of me at all as you're constantly pumping out beautiful loaves with gorgeous crumb! :)   As I said to Sylvia above, I think it could've done better with another 15-20 min of proofing to make the crumb a little more open actually...........but then Andy might say I'm too much of a critic of myself, again. :p 

sam's picture
sam

Hi lumos,

For me, I used to think that a lot of massively huge holes was a good thing, and I did accomplish that goal, but for what?   I tried to put spreads on it, and it all just drops through.   Too many too large holes in not for me, in my opinion.   But it's all personal preference, there is no right or wrong.   :)    These days, I think a good distribution of some large, some medium, some small holes are ideal, without any dense pockets.

I think your bread today is perfect, for that criteria.

 

ananda's picture
ananda

Hello lumos,

setting yourself such exacting standards is what helps to drive you to continually improve.   However, these loaves just show what a great baker you already are.   Aiming for a more open crumb when using Watermill flour is almost unreasonable!

They are lovely.

Best wishes

Andy

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

Oh!  and such a marvelous crusts!   

lumos's picture
lumos

Thank you, Andy and Mini.  :)

........... OK, I confess. :p  It was really a tiny weeny bit underproofed.  The result of finger-poking test was the level I would normally have left another 15 min or so, but I needed to use the oven after baking the bread, so I started baking it.   Those slices in the photo look OK but the slices from the middle part of the loaf weren't as open as those, though I must admit they were dense either.   So probably just about 15 min longer it needed to proof.   But it's OK.  The middle part became my husband's sandwiches and he's not as fussy as me! :p

I'll bake 50% Four Grain Flour loaf earlier next week..... to see how unreasonable I can be! :p

Salilah's picture
Salilah

Very nice - I love the way the double score opens out...
I'll have to give this a go - thank you!
S

lumos's picture
lumos

Thanks, Sali! :)

Double-scoring on a long oval loaf like this has been my standard for a while now.  So standard even when I'm determined to score differently for a change, my hand moves automatically to make double-scoring and it's too late to do anything else when I notice it and all my breads look the same!    Need to bread the habit one day.....:p

bertie26's picture
bertie26

Hi Lumos

They looked so beautiful I felt it is a sacriligde to slice them open, I know what you think, I am going to try this as well and as I said before you inspire me with your lovely looking bread. I have a lot to live up to. bye 

Albert

lumos's picture
lumos

Hi, Albert. Thank you!

Really interested to hear what you think of the flour.  I just had a few slices this morning for breakfast and it really tasted good.   I think it benefits from a tiny weeny bit longer baking time, like 3-4 min probably.   It brings out the flavour the grains better. 

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Lovely, Lumos! very beautiful breads with increased grain flour. The grignes opened nicely too! Was it dove's farm (organic?) it is pricey here at spinneyes.

lumos's picture
lumos

Hi Khalid. Thanks!

Yes, it was Dove's bread flour I used for this.  Had never used it before but I think the flavour is quite good.....though I prefer the aroma of Waitrose's Leckford Estate flour better.  Can you get it over there?

 

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Leckford estate? can't say i have seen one, though spinneyes and waitrose outlets in Dubai are introducing New british flours, which are expensive too.

lumos's picture
lumos

Leckford Estate Strong flour looks like this, if you come across in th new outlets.  It has relatively high protein level (13.6%) , so it's easy to handle and also it has nice aroma.   

 

hansjoakim's picture
hansjoakim

What fantastic loaves you're baking, lumos! Those are truly tremendous - perfect cuts and lovely crust and crumb. Does it get much better than this?

lumos's picture
lumos

Thank you for your very kind words, Hans. I feel so flattered I'm blushing....;)    I learned a lot by following your blog for a long time.  You've given me a lot of inspiraton. Thank you.