Whole Wheat Sourdough Struggles
Hello All,
I have been working with sourdough for a while, and on most recipes, I have found that sweet spot where the bread comes out open and lacy, just the way I like it.
Lately though, my girlfriend requested I start making 100% whole wheat bread, for the health benefits. I thought it would be an easy thing to figure out, given my experience, but I'm struggling to find the right time/temperature parameters that lead to a consistent, reasonably open/soft loaf. I understand that I won't get the same great open texture that I get with majority white recipes, but I know there is a sweet spot to find.
I've been working with the following recipe:
300g whole wheat flour (mostly KA stone ground whitewheat)
250g water
6g salt
50g whole wheat starter
I simply mix everything but the starter, and let it sit while the starter gets ripe (4-6 hours), then mix in the starter, and work the dough until gluten is developed properly (5 min). Then, I stretch and fold each hour until its time to preshape/shape.
My problem is, I started at 4 hours fermentation time with 1.5 hours proof time, and was getting flat loaves. I reduced fermentation to 3 hours with 1.5 hours proof time, and was getting okay loaves, not very well risen, but not quite flat. Then, I reduced fermentation time to 2.5 hours with 1.5 hours proof time, and am getting flat, dense loaves again.
It seems like there's something I'm missing here. Anyone have experience with either whole wheat or whole wheat sourdough that could offer me some advice?
Thanks a lot!
both the bulk and final fermentation. 100% whole wheat is very very hard to do well. I tried it in August of last year with some success but frankly it was too bitter for my taste. Here's the link: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/57234/100-whole-wheat-100-hydration
Good luck
Hester
That bread looks awesome and just what I'm trying for.
Question: what temp did you do the 6 hour ferment? I have a proofer, so I usually set it to 80 degrees. Maybe that's too warm.
Also, I notice you used the fridge for the proof, and I see a lot of people do that. Is it very hard to get a good loaf without refrigeration? I only ask because my fridge is too cold, and I don't get a lot of activity when I place loaves in there.
Thanks a lot!
which is my house during the day was likely in the low 70s b/c it was August. Most of the time my house is in the mid - high 60s. It's not hard to get a good loaf if you leave it out. Just leave the final shaped loaf in a cool place in your house.
in my amateur and limited experience (and this happened to me recently), putting my dough in a place that's 80 degrees F rushes the dough in ways that I don't like. However, given that 100% whole wheat is likely to be bitter, rushing it might just be just the thing to partly compensate for that bitterness.
Long slow rise flavors sour...
Good luck and keep us posted
hester
From what I've read, it sounds like whole wheat has a sweet spot all right, but it's a narrower "window of opportunity" and therefore harder to find.
Just in terms of adjusting variables to see what happens, I see that you've kept the same 1.5 hour proof each time.
I'd also question the validity of the health claims regarding one type of bread vs another. I think if a person is eating enough bread that it vitally matters what kind it is, then that person is just eating far too much bread. I'd rather have two slices of excellent bread than six of sawdust.
That's because no matter how much I ferment it, the dough fills the proofing basket, and looks ready to bake within 1.5 hours. That's the main reason I'm having trouble here, because I can't really adjust the ferment/proof ratio.
And that may be so, but I eat a lot of bread. It is a cheap staple that is useful and tasty. I can tell a big difference when I eat whole grains versus a lot of white flour.
It is dmsnyder's take on txfarmer's method for achieving a light open crumb in a sourdough whole wheat bread. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/22987/light-and-fluffy-100-whole-wheat-bread
Paul
Many years ago I switched over to 100% whole wheat, and yes, you do have to get the timing right to get an open loaf. One suggestion is that since you are diving in 100% whole wheat, you start with commercial yeast, since the results are more consistent and more easily tinkered with. With starter, you have to factor in the strength of the starter which adds yet another complication.
Whether you are going to use commercial yeast, or starter, which is what I have been using for years, you probably would be well served to get a straight sided container for bulk proofing. Mix the dough the way you normally do, then put it in the container, pat it down as level as you can, and using tape and a magic marker, make a mark at that height. Then take it out of the container, put the container on a scale and tare it, then fill to that level and note the weight of the water. Now add another 75% of weight of water to the container and make another mark. You now know what a 75% increase in volume will look like. Then empty out the water, and then watch the dough over the next few hours and see how it reacts. Some recipes say increase in volume 30%, others say 50%, others say 100%, and 75% is probably as good a target as any. When it hits that, gently tip it over into the final proofing container and get an idea of how full the final proofing container is - making a mark is very tough since most final proofing containers are sloped. Then take it out, preshape, then shape, then put back into the final proofing container, and load the dough into the oven once you hit that 75% volume. If you find that it developed cracks below the score lines, let it proof a little further next time. If it decreases in volume while baking, next time put it in when it is closer to 50%. While it may take a long time to get airy loaves, you should be able to get some pretty good results in a few tries.
As to health, I have read studies that suggest using a starter will produce health benefits. The literature on whole wheat is more mixed, though I use home milled, and there is virtually no literature on home milled .