April 16, 2016 - 8:26am
Another Brit here (in Scotland)
Hello everyone,
Just saying hello. I have been baking bread for about 4 years and started making sourdough about 6 months ago. Currently I am having great results with 80% wholemeal bread and am experimenting with Spelt and Rye (separately)
I am a 'man possesed!' haha
Chox
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That banneton is far too clean - make more bread! :-)
Welcome...
-Gordon
(A Scot living in Devon)
Thank you, that will be the advantage of using linen cloths then ! ;-)
tasty. Why hydration are you using? Any crumb shots ? Germany to Scotland to Ireland to the US for part of my family. Welcome and Happy SD Baking
Hi Chox
Have you tried the Organic Scottish flour from East Lothian It makes really nice bread
I live in south west Scotland and bought it at a local farm shop I met the farmer there who grew and milled the wheat into the flour
Happy Baking
Liz
Can't wait to see what else you are baking!
Hi Chockswahey,
That looks like a very impressive loaf for 80% wholemeal flour. You must have a really nice vigorous starter and some very good gluten development going on. Please show us a crumb shot of this great looking bake and share the recipe.
Best wishes and happy baking,
Colin
Thanks everyone for your welcome and kind remarks. I post on another UK forum so it is easier for me to post the links to my original discussions regarding wholemeal.
A quick confession, the loaf in question was actually 70% (sorry)
https://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/topic/wholemeal-with-a-little-white/
https://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/search/wetter+the+better/
(how do I insert clickable links?)
Cheers
But how to edit a post?
I just realised that the previous links I posted were still in 'search' mode. These should make more sense :)
https://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/topic/hydration-percent-wetter-the-better/
https://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/topic/wholemeal-with-a-little-white/
I really don't get this fascination with high hydration loaves. It's just not British (dammit!) Sure - it's fashionable and trendy and the hipsters will pay for water + air, but it's not to everyones liking - take a high hydration and/or very open crumb structure loaf to any rural competition and you'll be disqualified on the first cut without as much as a taste - holes, glossy or not, are traditionally a sign of mis-shaping/proofing! (And the marmalade falls through the holes anyway)
Fortunately some events/competitions are starting to see the light here (as it were), but in-general the Great British public just don't get this style of loaf, having been brought up on "mothers pride" for several generations... (and 81% still buy Chorleywood bread process "bread")
Of-course I do live in ruralistan, (deepest, darkest Devon), far from the hipster & trendy crowd...
Saying that, my 100% wholemeal loaves (yeasted, overnight ferment) do come out at 80% and my half & halfs are 72% but most of my daily sourdoughs are 63% (if that).
Don't let my bletheing stop you baking though :-)
-Gordon
Hi Gordon,
I don't know if you read all of the links but I am in complete agreement with you :)
I have tried higher levels of hydration and I find the dough difficult to handle and the bread simply loses its shape!
Also (!) yeah, too many/too big holes and the butter and jam just fall through!
I have been away for a couple of weeks and forgot to mention my last tests/adventures!
They can be see here....
https://hobbshousebakery.co.uk/topic/wow-these-are-the-best-ive-made/
The upshot is that I now always feed the starter once late evening, once early morning, once early evening then mix,ferment, shape and into the fridge overnight. I have found that this really has the starter 'good and bubbly' and gives the bread just the 'right' amount of sourness.