Adjusting recipes for fresh-ground wheat berries
Hello, I'm new to the forum, though I've been baking for several years, primarily no-knead breads, both yeast and sourdough.
I recently acquired a used electric grain mill. I purchased wheat berries at Natural Grocers in Denver and baked Ken Forkish's Overnight 40% whole wheat bread with good results. I then looked around for a better and cheaper source for wheat berries and found a farmer in Colorado who sells into the Denver area. Bought both heritage and non-heritage wheat from them.
My first batch rose very quickly in the first rise, and probably over rose. I presumed that the fresh-ground wheat provides more 'fuel' for the yeast than does flour that's older.
The Forkish recipe calls for 3/4 tsp yeast for 1,000 grams of flour.
On the next batch (baked this morning) I cut the yeast back by a third to 1/2 tsp.
The first rise was still a bit quicker than store-bought whole wheat, but slower than my first attempt.
The bread came out well.
My question is: Any other tips when using fresh-ground whole wheat flour? Any ideas to slow down the rise other than cutting back on the amount of yeast?
Thanks in advance.