Another High extraction sandwich loaf
I have not made any bread blogs for a while now, as i was moving to a another apartment.
Yesterday, i saw a bag of sifted wholewheat flour (truns out to be a high extraction, as i was unable to get rid of tiny bran and germ particles through my sifter), and decided to bake PR's wholewheat sandwich loaf from it (Found in Whole grain breads book).
I prepared a BIGA, and a SOAKERin the morning 8:30 am, and headed for work. I used tiny amounts of yeast in the BIGA inorder for it to ferment slowly until i return home 8 hours later. The BIGA was fermenting faster than i had anticipated, and asked my wife to put it in the fridge, and take it out 2 hours before i return (Wives do come in Handy afterall! :P)
I have yet to try SF (subfuscpersona)'s suggestion on freezing the BIGA and then slowly defrosting it in the fridge 24 hours prior to the baking day. I'll try this method soon.
When i returned, i waited for the BIGA to Ripen, and Mixed all ingredients. I intensively mixed the dough by hand (ala bertinet) until i had a smooth silky elastic dough. moderate Window pane was possible with this dough. I devided the dough into 1.5Kg (for the Pullman look alike pan), and 1.3 Kg for the other pan (IKEA's) red pan.
I baked on a 40 minute 500F preaheated stone. For steaming, i used the wet towel method of Sylvia's. (My now reliable steaming method, thanks sylvia!).
The Pullman Loaf Crumb
The Regular Pan (IKEA's) loaf crumb
After having baked thrice with my two pans, I have come to a conclusion that The material used in my IKEA pan conducts and retains heat more than the silver deep pan (pullman lookalike).
The flavor is outstanding, thanks to the formulation of peter reinhart, and the freshly milled wheat flour. I also mixed in some extra bran wholewheat flour. The crumb is soft and rich, yet light. It toasts beautifully too. The aroma of the finished loaves is heavenly.
khalid
Comments
Beautiful bakes, Khalid! The crumb really look lovely, showing the proof that's it's properly developed and proofed. (Is the difference in colour between two loaves due to the lighting?)
1.5kg + 1.3kg dough is quite a lot of dough!! Do you have a large family....or your own army to feed? :p Kneading it a la Bertinet must've been a very good excercise!
I've yet used high-extraction flour. Can't get in UK, so I'll have to sift WW flour myself, I guess, but it's definitely in my 'bread-experiment to try' list, which had been growing at an unmanageable speed. I've been wondering how it's different from Hamalman's suggestion for improvising it by adding 10-15% white flour to WW flour. Any experience in that?
lumos
Thanks, Lumos. Yes, the first crumb picture was taken under a spot light, while the second was under a fluorescent light. The true color is somewhere in between. As to the dough quantity, i had a relative of my wife's over for a visit, and i wanted to satisfy his eagerness for a loaf.
High extraction flour is better obtained when your wholewheat flour you're trying to sift or mix, is finally ground. I don't advise you to go through my route, as i myself have pledged not to return to miling, and sifting. It is very tiring and creats flour dust everywhere (i'am not tidy). your best shot, is to buy flours that have fine bran particles such as indian wholewheat flours, and mix it with a good high protein bread flour to emulate high extraction flours.
Thanks for the tip, Khalid.
Indian wholewheat flour is something like Chapatti flour/Atta flour, isn't it? We were talking about it on Varda's threads on her great experiments with this kind of flour, as you might as well be aware, too, and it sounded like it's a different beast from our regular wholewheat flour, so I feel a a bit of trepidation about using it for making H-E flour. How about using a sifter with slightly less fine mesh? Do you think it'd help?
Your wife's relative must have a large stomach, then. :p I bet he enjoyed and appreciated such a treat! :)
lumos
Yes, Lumos, Indian Wholewheat flour is commonly marketed as: Chapati Atta. I'am sure it'll be just fine when used in wholewheat based recipes. It contains enough gluten to lift any loaf, but the quality of its gulten isn't as superior as bread wheat based Whole wheat flours. In other words, Atta does not exhibit the extensibility virtues that other Wholegrain flours do. It is not very thirsty either. Combine it with a good Bread flour, and you're as close as you can get to a high extraction flour.
Sifting isn't a solution when you're dealing with wholewheat flour that contains coarse bran, as all the germ and bran are retained in the sifter, i think.
Thanks, again, Khalid!
Yeah, I'll stop being such a chicken and try with sifted WW flour sometime soon. It's just that my 'bread-to-bake' list is really getting so long, I don't know which one I should try next.....So difficult to make up my mind, I usually end up baking my regular ones, in the end....:p
Nice looking loaves!
I have switched over to Sylvia's steaming method as well and I really like the reliability of it.
It seems as though you have adapted to your new kitchen quite nicely!
Nice baking Khalid. Hope you are all settled in to your new apartment. Does that mean a new oven, too? Glad to hear that your wife can also be handy at times. :)
All the best,
Syd
Hi Khalid,
A lovely lightness about the crumb of your loaf. I can imagine the freshly milled flour makes it very flavoursome too.
Does your wife read your blog posts?? Methinks you might be in big trouble if she does!
Very best wishes
Andy
and as I'm sure you're aware, husbands come in handy as well :) That was a good break to come upon the high extraction flour and you made good use of it. I like the shape of the loaf made in the Ikea pan so that's a good tip. I am also intrigued by your response to Lumos about simulating high extraction flour with a mix of Indian flour and bread flour. That may be exactly right as far as ash content but I wonder about the taste. Atta, at least, is very distinctive and dominates other flours tastewise. But I certainly agree that it is too much of a pain to mill by hand. -Varda
Sorry for butting in, but....
That's another reason I'm still a bit hesitant in trying Atta flour in breadmaking....a bit worried my bread tastes like...chapatti..... Any thought from you two, the Atta experts?
Hello Khalid,
What beautiful loaves from your freshly-milled flour, and well-kneaded dough!
Your hard work certainly paid off.
:^) from breadsong
Thank you Askfolks. Very reliable and risk free, that steaming method. I adapted to my new kitchen fast, soon as i've been allocated the "Bread corner" :)
Thanks, Syd. I'am just about settled now, thank God. I brought my trusty oven with me. No new ovens for rental apartments.
Thank you , Andy! The enrichments and fresh ingredients did wonders to enhance the flavor. Alas, i won't be able to replicate this High extraction at will, as sifting is such a laborious task. My wife isn't interested much in Blogs, nor internet for that matter.I'am thinking of asking her to feed my starter once before i reach home in order to accomodate three feedings in a day. :)
True, Varda! I liked the Ikea Pan result too.Atta is unique in being milled by stone, which increases the starch damage. This translates to a perfect sweetish dough suitable for non-fermented flat breads, but certainly an overwhelming addition to any recipe in terms of flavor. To avoid that, i have tempered my atta wheat by adding moisture and reduce starch damage while milling. Try playing around with Atta, in different percentages, and give us your feedback.
Thank you, breadsong!
Great info on how Atta is milled and its effects to the resultant bread. Thanks, Khalid. No wonder chapattis made with atta and with WW are so different. A few of my long-term mysteries solved! Thank you! ;)
Another high extraction loaf and another winner! Excellent baking Kahlid, and as I mentioned on your last bake the symmetry of your tinned loaves is outstanding, showcasing your skill in fermentation and molding.
Cheers,
Franko
Khalid, when I join the bright side I love the kind of bread that you achieved. What about trying with a reasonable amount of branless rye flour? (at least 25%). It looks very soft and promises to be very tasty.
Thank you Franko! I appreciate your comments alot.
Thanks Nico. I'll try that someday.., thanks.
Nice bake Khalid?
Is the pan in this link the "Ikea red pan" you are referring to?
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90133053
I have been considering purchasing it myself.
Thanks.
Yes, Mrfrost, it is precisely the one. it is a bargain, if you ask me, go get it!
Thanks again.