The Fresh Loaf

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Experimental weekend

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Experimental weekend

It was an experimental kind of weekend.  Two loaves that I've been wanting to try and had a window of opportunity.  Really happy with one and mixed results with the other.

First up...  100% Whole Grain Spelt with RYW
Started with milling 460g of spelt berries on my Mockmill with the stones adjusted so they were just touching.  Flour was sifted with a #40 screen and the bran collected.  When I was done, I had 396g of flour and 60g of bran, which surprised me a bit.  That works out to about 87% extraction.  Does that sound about right?  25g of the bran was used in the levain and the remainder was used in a scald.  The hope was the bran would be softened in both cases.  I used my "sour" RYW and the aromas during fermentation were WONDERFUL!  Can best describe it as a rich buttery smell with an acetic sour tinge.  Basically, buttermilk...

Levain
101g   Spelt flour
25g     Spelt bran
126g   RYW

Soaker
35g    Spelt bran
35g    Boiling water

Final Dough
294g   Spelt flour
147g   RYW
21g     RYW (Holdback)
8.4g    Salt

1)  Prepare levain the night before and ferment for 10-12 hors at 78 deg F
2)  Prepare soaker 2 hours before final mix and let cool on counter
3)  Combine all ingredients for mix.  Let bench rest for 30 minutes to hydrate flour
4)  Bassinage in the hold back water (I used about 10g of the hold back)
5)  Bowl folding to develop the dough.  Kept folds to a minimum to not overwork the spelt gluten.
6)  Bulk ferment at 76 deg F with light bowl folding every 30 minutes.
7)  Preshape and bench rest 15-20 minutes
8)  Shape oval and final proof at 76 deg F for 1.5 hours
9)  Bake with steam at 460 deg F for 1 minute and then set oven for 425 deg F for 15 minutes.  Vent oven and bake at 425 deg F for until done (15-20 minutes).

Mixed results...  The flavor of this bread is really nice.  Had a slice with some butter for dinner last night.  Very happy with that.  But...  Was hoping for something a little more open.  I know it won't be open and airy with 100% whole grain, but this one is pretty dense.  Much more like a whole rye.  Not sure if I was too gentle and didn't develop enough gluten or it was too much bran at 13% or a combination of both.  The progress through bulk and final proof was very nice, so I don't think it was a lack of fermentation.  There just wasn't much spring.  Sliced and ate some before I got any pictures.  :-)


 

Next up...  Troy's Breakfast Bread
I've started making a multigrain breakfast bowl lately and like the flavor.  Decided to add it to a loaf and see how it turned out.  Really happy with the loaf.  The corn meal aroma definitely comes through and the rolled oats give the crumb that nice soft texture that you'd expect.  For me, this is the perfect bread crumb.  Bread made with a biga type preferment.

Biga
120g   Bread flour
65g     Water
0.4g    ADY

Soaker (Porridge)
24g    Rolled oats
12g    Corn meal
6g      Hulled millet
5g      Flaxseed
5g      Chia seed
5g      Roasted Sunflower seed
4g      Finely chopped almonds
92g    Boiling water

Final Dough
220g   AP flour
20g     Bread flour
40g     Whole Wheat flour
142g   Water
8.8g    Salt
2g       ADY

1)  Combine biga ingredients and ferment at 72 deg F for 10-12 hours
2)  Prepare soaker the night before and leave on counter top to cool
3)  Combine all ingredients for final dough (except salt), biga, and soaker.  Mix until flours are just hydrated.
4)  Fermentolyse for 30 minutes
5)  Fold in salt during first set of bowl kneading.  Bassinage another 1-2% hydration as well.
6)  Four sets of bowl kneading with 10 minute rests to develop full gluten.
7)  Bulk at 76 deg F until doubled
8)  Preshape and rest for 15-20 minutes
9)  Final proof at 76 deg F (1 - 1.5 hours)
10)  Bake with steam at 460 deg (1 minute) then drop oven temp to 425 deg for 15 minutes.  Vent oven and continue with bake at 425 deg F until done (15-20 minutes)




Comments

Benito's picture
Benito

I generally find that using the #40 sieve gets me about 85% extraction as well with my store bought stoneground whole grain flours if I am thorough enough with sifting.  For your spelt loaf, did you add the bran scald with the flours?  I think the advantage of doing the bran scald is that you can add it after you’ve fully developed the gluten and by adding it late, the bran will not interfere with the gluten development.  100% whole spelt is really challenging and I actually think you did well considering that I think you added the bran with the flours.

I can see why you’re happy with the second loaf Troy, it looks amazing and must be quite delicious with the complex porridge you’ve incorporated into it.

Benny

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Thank you Benny!

I knew I should have looked back on your 100% spelt bake! I did add the bran scald at mixing instead of folding in later.  Do you laminate it in or simply fold it?

Good to hear your typical extraction with a #40.  Gives me confidence the Mockmill setting is about right.

The second loaf was a bit of a whim, but definitely happy with it.

Benito's picture
Benito

I also help the poor gluten quality of spelt out by adding some VWG.  I add the bran scald during a series of folds, I haven’t been doing laminations for a while now.,

Benny

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Thanks as always Benny.  Appreciate the insight and tips!

Another Girl's picture
Another Girl

Whoa, whole grain spelt with YW is really throwing caution to the wind. I kind of like that "In for a penny, in for a pound" mindset. Honestly, I think it looks pretty good for 100% whole spelt, especially considering you married it to YW, which is also a bit of a wild card (at least in my highly limited experience). Did you find that the YW had any effect on the spelt dough, perhaps changing the way it handled or felt? 

The porridge bread looks and sounds delightful. The rich blonde color is very inviting.

–AG

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Thanks AG!

The YW was pretty active.  The levain was very active after about 10 hours. Bulk was only about 4 hours to reach 75-80% rise.  Final proof was about 1.5 hours and the banneton was filled .  I thought I was in for a great loaf, but it just didn’t spring much.  Just a small bloom.

First time using 100% spelt so I don’t have any comparisons for how the YW impacts the dough.  My only observations… The aroma during bulk was really good and buttery.  Also, the dough felt pretty strong.  It didn’t spring but it didn’t spread either.