In Defense of Whole Wheat
100% whole wheat is all I have ever baked with, so I have been through some rough times. It can be open and light with some experience. Do not fear whole wheat! Just use a hydration no lower than 78% and perform a two-hour autolyse no matter what.
I am constantly reading books and blogs that say one can never get too much spring from all whole wheat, or that it will never be that open and light—not true. Just wanted to chime in and say something in defense of whole wheat. If an awful baker like myself can open up some whole wheat bread, then anyone should be able to work it out even better.
I noticed recently as I tested out 75% vs 78% hydration that the two are very different. I now use 75% for normal sandwich bread and 78% for everything else. Thanks Derek!
Below is 78% hydration. 75% on the last photo.
Below is the 75% hydration. Only 3% difference but noticeable.
Below is typical 70% for whole wheat. Whole wheat hydration is different than white flour, so a 75% hydration white flour recipe might actually be 78-80% if whole wheat was subbed.
"FLOUR ABSORBENCY
As noted, whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour. Therefore, if you increase the ratio of white flour in a recipe, you’ll need less water to achieve the same dough consistency. Conversely, if you increase the ration of whole wheat flour, you’ll need to add more water to achieve the same consistency." Ken Forkish, Flour Water Salt Yeast
Nice work. I also use 100% whole wheat most of the time, though I concede that on the rare occasions that I use white flour, I get much better oven spring with the white flour.
is an interesting study for sure. However I think both flours can spring equally but one must watch for proofing times and fermentation activity. White flour is going to go slower than whole wheat, so its possible you just aren't used to the incredibly fast times whole wheat proofing can be.
It's also a trade-off;
I have gotten the best oven spring by barely proofing, maybe ten minutes minimum but the cost is gas bubble size and reduction in flavor from said bubbles and their compounds.
That said, whole wheat doesn't ever really have the same issue as lacking flavor as white flour, since whole wheat has much more character and acids in the flour itself.
Overnight proofing, preferments and all the techniques to enhance flavor probably never applied originally to whole wheat, but straight doughs made from white flour. This is all speculation on my part.
I sometimes use a commercial ww bread flour (Roger's Coarse Whole Wheat) that is a processed flour with extra bran added back in (and I suspect most of the germ taken out). Sometimes I use a whole grain whole wheat from a local farmer, and sometimes I use organic Red Fyfe that I hand mill (stone ground) myself. They all behave differently. Which kind do you use for your lovely high-hydration bread?
We buy 50lb sacks of Giusto's WW Fine grade, high protein, each week.
I used to use Bob's Red Mill but switched when we found 50lb sacks of the giusto's. Much finer than Bob's, literally.
Nice work!
Like so many things, practice gets you there...it took me a while to get here:
I usually use hydrations in the 90's for 100%WW, which can be pretty fun (again with some practice)
Those loaves show skill, well done.
Any hydration beginning with 9 scares me
is what I use if going into pan for sandwich bread and 90% for one going into a basket but it depends on how much of the grain is sprouted too. Whole wheat will never be as open a white bread with the same hydration - think ciabatta at 80% hydration and AP flour. Way more open than your WW bread but yours is very nice for a WW bread for sure. Folks that don't get a more open crumb with their WW breads are doing a combination of different techniques, with different hydration and different skill levels. Many folks prefer a more closed crumb for sandwich breads so stuff doesn't fall through them and their crumb is just as soft and moist - without the holes. Thankfully we can tailor our bread to what we each like and, after a bit of practice, get it to come out that way.
What you want and what kind of flour determines the hydration level required.
Happy baking
thanks for commenting. You were one of 3 bakers that helped me with recipe development a few years ago, and I think you guided my baking in a wood oven that is not meant for bread! Mini Oven was also a major help at that time.
You speak from experience and wisdom, so I can just agree with whatever you say. In the beginning years I was using 90% hydration and Mini helped me dial it down to practice with more realistic numbers for success. Not sure I want to go that route again.
White flour breads invariably has more of a webbing throughout, but I wonder why.
I took a break from the wood oven due to time constraints and frustration from losing the air temp every time I wanted to load the oven, the Il Fornino is the perfect design for pizza though. We decided to build a real full dome wood oven sometime in the years ahead. In the meantime I am getting used to indoor ovens and dutch oven baking.