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SFBI Teff Miche - 1.5kg

breadsong's picture
breadsong

SFBI Teff Miche - 1.5kg

Hello, I was poking around the pastryna.com website, where they make available back issues of their magazine.
I was delighted to find an article written by my SFBI Weekend Baguette class instructor, Frank Sally, on baking with Teff (in a WFO):
http://www.pastryna.com/DigitalEdition/Digital_NA_10_1.html (The SFBI Teff Miche article starts on page 26).
(David, if you're out there, this one's for you!)

I wrote Frank and asked permission to post the formula here, and he agreed and kindly offered a modified version which I tried baking this weekend.
With so many thanks to Frank Sally and SFBI!!!

I used Bob's Red Mill Whole-Grain Teff flour; that website notes "Whole Grain Teff (Tef, T'ef) an ancient North African cereal grass, is a nutritional powerhouse. It is the smallest grain in the world (about 100 grains are the size of a kernel of wheat!). The germ and bran, where the nutrients are concentrated, account for a larger volume of the seed compared to more familiar grains."

I tried to create "cereal grass" with the scoring:


 

*Added to post: As a result of Larry's question below, I went back to the pastryna.com article to re-check the baker's percentages.
In the article, in the formula for the Teff levain, the baker's percentages for Starter and Teff flour were switched.
I am embarassed to say I failed to notice this as I blithely went along, entering the information for calculation in my spreadsheet.
Here is the bread as I made it (and the formula restated below, as it was intended to be made!):

SFBI Teff Miche       1500 Desired Dough Weight in grams       <----      
                 
  From pastryna.com 2010.1          
  Baker's Percentages Weights Baker's
Ingredients Dough Starter Teff Levain Dough Starter Teff Levain Total %
                 
Bread flour 1 1   688 76   764 98%
Teff flour     0.1     18 18 2%
Water, boiling (65%)     0.52     94 94  
Water, 70F (35%) 0.65 1 0.28 448 76 51 575 85.55%
Salt 0.027     18.6     18.6 2.38%
Sourdough Starter   0.4     30   30 3.84%
Starter     1     182    
Teff Levain 0.5     345        
                 
                 
                 
Total 2.177 2.4 1.9 1500 182 345 1500  
    (1) (2)          

Restated formula (1500g loaf):
 

 

Starter

Teff Levain

Dough

Total

Bread flour

7.5

 

688

696

Teff flour

 

182

 

182

Water, boiling

 

94

 

94

Water

7.5

51

488

507

Salt

 

 

18.6

18.6

Sourdough Starter

3

18

 

21

Starter

 

 

 

 

Teff Levain

 

 

345

 

Total

18

345

1500

1500


 

(1) Starter: Mix to 70F, ferment 12 hours.

(2) Teff Levain: Pour 65% of water, as boiling water, over teff flour & mix to make mash.
Cool to 70F. Add remaining 35% 70F water.

When mixture is at 70F, mix in Starter. Ferment at 65-70F for 12 hours. (My Teff levain was starting to recede after 7.5 hours; I carried on with the mix at that point).


 

(3) Dough: Place flour, water, salt in bowl. Mix to very strong improved mix, medium soft consistency.

Mix in teff levain until incorporated.

Bulk ferment 1.5 hours with 2 evenly-spaced SF's. (I let the dough ferment for an extra ½ hour).

At end of BF, dough will be very sticky and full of gas.

Divide into 1.5kg pieces. Bench rest 20-30 minutes. The dough will become loose and flat.

Flour proofing basket with rice flour. Shape and retard 12-15 hours.

Brush off rice flour, score for even expansion, bake with steam 500F 25 minutes, then additional 35 min. (I found in my oven, that I had to bake in a reducing oven to so the loaf wouldn't get too dark. After 20 minutes, I reduced to 460F, then to 440F after another 20 minutes for the remainder of the bake).


This was a very wet, sticky dough and the stretch and folds did wonders (dough just after mixing, then just after the final shape):


The scored loaf, then the result in the oven:



The loaf is cooling now, and crackles are starting to appear. The most wonderful aroma has filled the kitchen. I want to let the loaf cool a good long while, but I can't wait to taste it & see how the crumb turned out!!!
from breadsong

Submitted to Yeastspotting!

Comments

wally's picture
wally

is exceptional breadsong!  I first took it to be a stencil, in fact.  Just a feast for the eyes (and stomach as well I'm sure)!

Am I reading correctly that the dough is at 85% hydration?  That's high even for ciabatta.

Nice bake,

Larry

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hi Larry, I'm so glad you wrote right off the mark and asked your question about hydration. I didn't notice the pastryna.com article had a misprint for the Teff levain baker's percentages...I've updated the post for this. I did wonder how I was going to manage 85% hydration, believe me, and at that point I should have gone back and really doublechecked the math!  Thanks for helping me catch this!
from breadsong

wally's picture
wally

No less impressive at 78% hydration, breadsong.

Larry

susanfnp's picture
susanfnp

Wow, what an incredibly beautiful miche! 

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Thank you so much!


from breadsong

louie brown's picture
louie brown

breadsong, that's as beautiful a decorative scoring job as I've ever seen. Congratulations on something that's original and gorgeous. I'm sure the loaf will be as tasty as it is good looking.

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Thank you so much for your very nice compliments - so appreciated!
from breadsong

dmsnyder's picture
dmsnyder

Breadsong, that is the most beautiful loaf. The scoring pattern is spectacular. But, if the loaf hadn't been perfectly shaped and proofed, it wouldn't have worked as it did.

If you absolutely have to slice it, at least take an impression of it so you can have it cast in bronze and put on a pedestal or hung on the wall.

David

breadsong's picture
breadsong

David, I'm blushing for two reasons: first, for your very kind words, and second, for my error in not spotting a publishing error on pastryna.com (please note, I've provided a restated formula as a result, in the post). 
Thanks again so much and I'm really glad you like the miche!
from breadsong

LindyD's picture
LindyD

If there was a bread Olympiad, that miche would take the gold, Breadsong.

Awesome creativity!

The TFL SFBI alumni have certainly been making their instructors proud.

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Lindy, Thank you so much, this is such a compliment! from breadsong

Franko's picture
Franko

I think it's time you seriously looked into opening up your own bakery breadsong, considering all the amazing breads and pastries you produce in a weeks time. I'd love to be the first customer! Beautiful and unique scoring, as well as the dark rich crust colour make your loaf a real pleasure to look at. Can't wait to see the crumb shot along with everyone else. Well done!

Franko

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Franko, Thank you very much! The crumb shot is up.
I've often thought of working in a bakery, perhaps for the sheer joy of having access to the equipment
(those ovens, maybe even a sheeter?!)    :^)
Thanks again! from breadsong

GSnyde's picture
GSnyde

Both in the bread baking and the intricate scoring.  

If it tastes half as good as it looks, it'll be a masterpiece in all respects.

Glenn

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Glenn, Thank you - looking forward to tasting tonight with dinner.
I was very happy with my firebrick "baking stone" for this job; there's good crust color which I hope will taste good!  from breadsong 

ananda's picture
ananda

Hi Breadsong,

There are some challenging techniques in here, made all the more difficult if the instructions contain an error as well!

A really lovely end result; I'd like to join Franko in the queue.   However, it's a bit of a way to travel for me to get there!

Please post the crumb shot when you get chance

All good wishes

Andy

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Andy,  Thanks so much!
Re: Franko's and your comment re: customers - I have never sold bread but was able to barter some in exchange for some cherries from a grower up country last summer. I think I got the better end of the deal!
I must say the customers that buy you and your students' breads must be very happy indeed!
(The crumb shot is up.)
Thanks again, from breadsong

MadAboutB8's picture
MadAboutB8

Fabulous looking loaf, Breadsong.

I love how you score the wheat grass so beutifully too. That's a real piece of art.

Sue

http://youcandoitathome.blogspot.com/

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Thank you so much, Sue!

ehanner's picture
ehanner

To chime in with the others above. You certainly have ample talent in multiple disciplines. Perfect in every way.

Eric

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Gosh Eric, that's awfully kind of you to say.
Thank you so much!!! from breadsong

Syd's picture
Syd

Beautiful loaf Breadsong!  The scoring is stunning.  And it is not easy to get that right.  You have to have the loaf proofed to the perfect time for the scoring to open just the right amount.  Underproofed and the scoring will open too wide, overproofed and it won't open enough.  Excellent job!

regards

Syd

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Syd, Thank you so much for writing!
Re: Proofing, it was a guess on my part as to what to do after the loaf had retarded (15 hours).
Here's a picture of the dough before it went into the fridge:


During its 15 hours in the fridge, the dough had risen another inch of so - proofing during the cool down I suppose?
It was a big dough ball - I guess it took awhile to slow down.
Based on that, and because I thought this wet dough might be easier to score while cold, I scored and baked the dough right out of the fridge with no further proofing.
I read though on David's recent post (see here) that it's OK to bake small loaves cold from the fridge but big ones should warm up for awhile before baking.
I think this would be considered a big loaf?
I think I just got lucky that there weren't any blowouts - I was worried about baking right out of the fridge!
Thanks, from breadsong

longhorn's picture
longhorn

That is absolutely gorgeous!

And I bet it tastes good too! Wish I could smell it!

Jay

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Jay, Thanks so much! Hope all is well with with your Bleu Cheese bread!
from breadsong

ww's picture
ww

Hi Breadsong,

Just saw this. Dunno which is more beautiful - the scoring on the bark-like crust or the lovely gelatinized crumb, hmmm... BRAVO!

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Thanks, ww!

Gertrude McFuzz's picture
Gertrude McFuzz

Thank you for posting this formula.  I love a good Miche, and I really love teff flour.  I feel like this is a stupid question after all of your corrections, but I just want to confirm that you used 18 grams of teff flour, but the actual formula calls for 182 grams?  

I started prepping this last night, and the boiling water over 182 g of teff does not in any way make a mash - more like a damp powdery flour.  I'm just hoping this is the way it's supposed to be.

Thanks, Gert

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello Gert,
Yes, I did make my levain with only 18g of teff flour, after not noticing the inversion in baker's percentages between starter and teff flour in the published formula.
I haven't made this bread a second time, according to the original formula, but really want to (looking forward to how this bread will taste!).
I'd love to hear how yours turns out, and hope your levain hydrated correctly after everything was added in.
The formula's author did send me another version of his formula where he upped the hydration in the levain to 100% (boil 65% of water, mix with teff flour to make a stiff paste, add remaining 35% water (cold), cool to 70F, ferment 12 hours at room temperature.)
from breadsong