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Question about water roux

MattBaker's picture
MattBaker

Question about water roux

I just made some plain white rolls using the water roux and they've lovely and soft but I have some questions

 

I  make bread 60% hydration, so 500g flour, 300ml liquid

 

Using the  water roux method I put 5% of the total flour (25g) and 125ml and heated it to make the paste

 

 

I then added it to 

 475g flour  175ml water

 

As you can see it equals 60% hydration is that right?

 

Most of the recipes call for egg so it's difficult to know much hydration the bread using water roux method. I wonder if any of the water gets lost in making the roux I wouldn't think so at that temp?

 

Either way it came out lovely and I'll be using it often.

 

 

 

Also if you were to make a part wholemeal part white flour how would you go about that?   Lets say 200g wholemeal, 300g white.  Could you just make the water roux with white and add it to the wholemeal? 

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

I think you worked everything out just right. A Tangzhong (I think this term is more correct) is used for a softer crumb. There's no reworking out the hydration of the recipe as you've taken some of the flour (5%) and some of the water (5x the weight of the flour), made the Tangzhong and added it back in. The flour and water in the recipe doesn't change. There might be less water after making the Tangzhong due to evaporation but it's so minimal you won't know the difference. It won't make the dough feel any different. In fact it might make it feel a bit more hydrated.

I've heard strong white flour is best suited but you can make a Tangzhong from any flour (with gluten) and I think they all work well. The last one I did was wholegrain Einkorn and it worked a treat. If you have a recipe for 200g bread flour + 300g white then use 5% of any of the two flours. So it'll be 25g of bread or whole wheat flour or a mix.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

or water roux from any flour containing starch (gluten doesn't matter) as what is being made is a starch gel.  Roasted flours included.  

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

I've only made it with gluten flours. I stand corrected.