Although I’m not running out of bread yet, I wanted to see how things turned out if I made a 100% WW SD pan loaf with 40% prefermented flour. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t have the loft of my other recent bakes which includes up to 50% whole wheat, but it baked up pretty well although it didn’t get much of an ear. I haven’t sliced it yet so cannot comment on the crumb which I expect to be moderately denser than I’ve been able to achieve with less whole grain.
For 1 loaf in a 9x4x4” Pullman Pan
Overnight levain build, at 74-76°F about 10 hours to rise 3x.
In the morning add salt to water and dissolve. Add levain and mix.
Add flour and knead until good gluten development, I will use my Ankarsrum Assistent and mix until a good windowpane is achieved about 12 mins.
Remove dough from the bowl and do some slap and folds. Next set up aliquot jar.
Bulk fermentation at 82ºF.
End bulk when aliquot jar reaches 40% rise.
Shape the dough into a batard and place in buttered Pullman pan. Optional, sprinkle poppyseeds on the bottom and sides of the pullman pan.
Shape and allow an initial final proof warm until 100% rise in aliquot jar, start oven preheat 425ºF preparing for steam bake.
Allow the dough to rise until within 1 cm of the rim of the pan and then bake immediately or about 130% rise in the aliquot jar.
Once oven reaches 425ºF score top of dough and then brush with water. Optional sprinkle with seeds and then score. Transfer to oven and bake with steam for 25 mins. Vent the oven (remove steaming gear) rotate the pan and drop temperature to 350ºF. Bake for another 30 mins rotating as needed until browned. Remove from the pan and place directly on the rack baking for another 5-10 mins to firm up the crust if desired.
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Wonderfully meticulous shaping and appearance.
Very curious to know what you think of this when you eat it, if you'll like the whole-wheat wholesomeness or not!
Just this morning my son was asking for a wholewheat bread, and I pulled out the "Benny WW 2.0" enriched bread recipe from my book and started preparing the sweet stiff levain for that. Quite a different kind of bread to the one above with its TZ, milk, butter, egg...
-Jon
Thank you Jon, you are always so kind. This will be quite a different bread to eat than the one you are prepping which will be lighter and fluffier and with dairy flavours. This one should have a much more chewy texture and full on whole wheat flavour. I’ll slice it later today for dinner and should be able to report back. These type of breads are so much more low effort compared to the milk breads with their tangzhong and add butter to the developed dough.
Benny
Nice work Benny. I haven't been game to try a levain whole-grain pan bread. Yours look good enough to eat. It took me a few attempts to succeed with Debra Winks 100% whole-wheat, but eventually nailed it with lots of advice from her.
Cheers,
Gavin
Thank you Gavin, I think I prefer the milk breads when going 100% whole grain. The dairy flavours and touch of sweetness better balance the flavor for me. However, this did bake up quite well.
Benny
Nice work Benny. I haven't made a 100%WW in some time. I'll have to put WW back into my 'Le Pain Quotidien' rotation.
Tony
Thank you Tony, it had been a while since I baked a 100% WW bread as well so it was overdue.
Benny
The crumb isn’t too shabby for the this loaf given its 100% whole wheat makeup. I will admit that I forgot to have the boiling water ready when I put the pan in the oven. So adding only warm water to the cast iron skillet may have dropped the oven temperature a bit and compromised the oven spring a bit.
I was wondering if pouring only-warm water into a preheated cast iron pan could warp the pan--which led me to a regrettable incident where I put an old, much-loved pan that had decades of grime on the outer sides, into the self-cleaning oven. Seemed like a good idea and it worked in getting the outside back to smooth, clean metal. The pan never sat flat on the stove again. ☹️
Ouch! My steam pan is an oval cast iron baking dish. It was never expected to stay perfectly flat, and I haven't had any problems while pouring tap water into the rocks that sit in it even when preheated. I don't think I would have sacrificed one of my skillets.
TomP
I have two skillets. One is an abused cast iron that lives in the oven for steam baking and its surface is quite damaged, I don’t really worry about that one. The other is in excellent condition and well seasoned that I use when I need it to cook something.
Yikes! When I first saw the bread it startled me for a moment it looked burnt or covered in ants! Then I remembered some artists like to shock us. It also reminded me of the air quality issues that have been coming from your direction. I know it’s hard right now but how about something more cheerful next time:)
A 100% WW lean dough in a pan sounds like a good place to test how the high PFF would perform. I have been using it lately and one of my loaves went stale sooner than normal but that may have been related to the rain and humidity we have been blasted with when it isn’t smoky.
Happy baking
Don't doubt rain or humidity - it will make a difference. Enjoy!
Ok Don, I can see how you might think that, now I can’t unsee it. Have you found that high pff% helps with the crumb, curious as to what other bakers have found if they’ve tried it.
Happy baking.
Benny
Using the higher PFF with some success and trying to put a blog together which doesn’t come easily to me. Family medical issues have taken most of my spare time and participation here and elsewhere lately.
Don
Sorry to hear about the family medical issues Don. I’m glad you’ve tried the high pff% and are having some success with it.
Benny
In the 3rd edition of Hamelman's "Bread" he includes a 100% whole wheat sourdough bread, which he calls Workday 100% Whole Wheat. I have a link to the formula and some notes on increasing the hydration from 80% to 85%:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F9_WtuDY5QgAXz8nKgQi6OLm_3lU6vc-8SCtTIXC9Qo/edit?usp=sharing
The Workday name comes from the way he designed the formula so that all the work is done before or after working hours.
That looks like a nice slow dough and yes it would fit quite well into someone’s day.
Benny
I thought I had posted the crumb photos, but somehow didn’t. Here’s the crumb, pretty happy with this.
Benny
That’s a thing of beauty especially for a 100% WW!
Thank you Ian, I appreciate your comments.
Benny
"Here’s the crumb, pretty happy with this" - Oh my, yes!
TomP
Thank you Tom.
Benny
Lovely crumb. I’m almost at 100% home milled flour. The next Pullman will be 100%. The kids love the high grain Pullman bread! I was surprised as they love the Challah but their palates are pretty sophisticated as far as baked goods. Will post when I get it made.
I never use the mixer so I won’t get quite that airy a crumb. You certainly have a great technique. c
That’s wonderful that the kids love high whole grain Caroline, I’m sure I didn’t as a kid. I’m looking forward to seeing your next pullman with 100% home milled flour!
Benny
I’ll be making a large batch of dough for pizzas for the weekend and the kiddos will be milling flour for that. And stretching/ pressing the dough. They go to a pizza restaurant near their home that gives them extra dough to play with while they wait ! Better than crayons and paper lol.
A wonderful WW loaf! I love the crumb, very good fermentation and technique!
Thanks so much Sparkfan.
Benny