About to Sprout
Loafers,
I'm about to embark on sprouting whole rye berries to use in Tartine 3's Rene's Rye, which calls for whole sprouted grain, not flour therefrom. I bought whole rye and wheat berries at a bulk store. I believe nothing has been cleaved from the grain. I have reviewed DAB's primer (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/43798/sprouting-and-malting-primer)
1. Did I buy the right berries?
2. Should I chit or sprout for use as whole sprouted grain (vs. sprouted flour)?
3. I don't have a grain mill or dehydrator, so for now I'm using the sprouted whole grain. Any advice about avoiding spoilage, and what to do with excess sprouted grains?
4. How much weight does the soaking add? The Tartine recipe calls for 525 G; I don't want to waste.
Thanks!
I've made a few loaves from Tartine 3 and others with sprouted grains. As long a you have whole berries they should sprout just fine. I have found that around 300g of dry rye berries will be enough for the breads in T3 with minimal excess, and in my case the sprouts are usually ready within 48-60 hours from starting the initial soak (your results may vary). Anything extra could be refrigerated for a couple of days, but they don't last too long. I've used the sprouted grain without dehydrating (that's how I interpreted the formula). The breads are delicious, but quite dense, so I usually cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices.
Hope this helps.
-Brad
Thanks very much. That's very helpful.
I don't have any Tartine books (but live close enough to go there with regularity), but got the idea to try this recipe by listening to an interview from a couple years ago on the KCRW show Good Food (http://www.kcrw.com/news-culture/shows/good-food/burrito-bracket-kosher-restaurant-roundup-chad-robertson). He speaks with reverence of his romance with these hearty European breads; it is quite inspiring.
If you got your berries at Rainbow Coop they will be fresh, and the fresher the berries are the more uniformly they will sprout.
I don't get to Tartine Cafe very often myself, but I do enjoy watching the bakers handle the dough and form the loaves in the late afternoon.
-Brad
I live in the East Bay now, so I got these at Berkeley Bowl, although Rainbow, Tartine, and of course, Lucca Ravioli, are on my short list every time I come to SF on the weekend. I'd kill to be able to work with Tartine's bread bakers for a week. Their morning buns are also the best pastry on the planet.