The Fresh Loaf

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The latest bag-end adventure

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

The latest bag-end adventure

I made Bag-End Levain for the bread shop yesterday. I did end up with one loaf left (it's in the freezer now) so if no one buys it I will slice it and post photos of the crumb (and comment on the taste). For now though, I'm happy the way it turned out. One never knows with dumping in whatever comes to hand!

This one had a blend of flours:

  • about 50% bread flour
  • about 30% a blend of whole spelt and sprouted spelt
  • the rest a combination of 7-grain flour and whole coarse rye flour

and a porridge with cracked wheat, steel-cut oats, barley and black rice. Somewhere along the line I messed up my formula so not only was there about 80% water to flour, but the starter was 100% hydration and the porridge was wet (well, damp anyway), so the total hydration ended up pretty high!

After mixing in Max (the big mixer) for a bit, then stretching and folding a couple of times I was actually quite pleased with the reasonably firm dough structure, considering the hydration. Into the fridge for an overnight bulk ferment.

In the morning it shaped well into tight balls. I felt pretty good about it so after proofing for a couple of hours in lined baskets I even baked it on the stones (loaded with wooden peels) rather than in the cast iron pots. The loaves did spread pretty flat on the stones but had some spring and the burst to the crust was nice.

The baked loaves smelled very nice and would probably benefit from sitting for 24 hours before slicing, with the porridge content. Seemed nice and moist, and not too dense. I think I'll go fix my formula though - a little too hydrated for me!

Comments

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

up:-)  Has to taste great with the multi-grains and porridge etc.  Well done and

Happy baking.

Reynard's picture
Reynard

Taste as good as that one looks, then I think you're on to a good 'un ;-) With all that wholegrain going on, maybe a sploosh of beer would go nicely in the formula too...

Sometimes random recipes end up being the best, a bit like the soup made at the end of the week with whatever's left in the fridge LOL

Truth Serum's picture
Truth Serum

Hope you remember to post a crumb shot!

Lazy Loafer's picture
Lazy Loafer

Whoops, good thing I save photos of all my breads! Here it is...