The Fresh Loaf

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~40% Balcaskie Landrace whole wheat

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer

~40% Balcaskie Landrace whole wheat

Discovered the whole wheat flour I've wanted to try for a long time available in a shop last week, and decided to use it in one of my typical recipes, with approximately 40% of this flour, and rest strong bread flour (and rye starter). Formula: https://fgbc.dk/1l1g

Mixed all but a little reserve water and salt, left for around 30 min for fermentolyse. Then kneaded a bit to incorporate salt with remaining water, and did slap and folds until some development. Left to ferment warm, and did some folds a couple of times, then moved to a straight sided container, doing another fold for that. Left to fermented until about 50% rise, then gently preshaped, and then shaped. Retarded overnight. Unusually, it seemed like it actually grew a little in the fridge. Maybe it started warmer than usual? And this landrace flour is probably more fresh than a typical flour I get (milling date just about a month ago), could contribute too I guess.

In the morning baked. After scoring it started flattening a bit - and basically completely pancaked in the oven that two loaves even touched - but the oven spring surprisingly nicely saved it. Not the tallest loaves, but nothing embarrassing about them either.


Tastes really nice! Soft and slightly moist crumb, clear but not overpowering tang. On the edge when just starting to cut it was very open, but further in it was more even and not very open (the pictures are from the transition area, so most of the bread is a little less open than what you see here).

Comments

jl's picture
jl (not verified)

Those look pretty airy to me. How did you proof them? There's absolutely no flour on the crust. What sorcery is this?

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer

Thanks!

I'm not sure why there is no flour all on these ones actually, I applied a little new rice flour to the bannetons. But generally, once the bannetons get "seasoned" after a few times there is no need to add any, or barely any, flour most times, except for particularly wet doughs, and then you get very little flour on the crust.

(I proofed just in woodpulp bannetons (brotforms) in the fridge.)

Benito's picture
Benito

Really nice crumb Ilya for that 40% whole wheat.  I’m interested in the fact that you don’t clean out your bannetons after use, at least that is what it sounds like.  I always worry that the rice flour might go rancid over time so I also use a plastic brush and get the flour out and then put the banneton in the oven as it cools to fully dry it.  Am I correct in that you don’t clean out the rice flour after use?  You let the rice flour stay and ultimately you don’t add more rice flour over time?  Do you do anything else to dry the banneton/flour?

Benny

Ilya Flyamer's picture
Ilya Flyamer

I shake them out and just let them air dry. I also alternate which one I store upside down. I add a little plain flour to the loaves before putting into the bannetons, but otherwise don't really add rice flour anymore, or very little also just on top of the loaf. I used to add so much of it because I was scared of sticking, and also tried to remove what I could with a brush - always had really white flour-y loaves. Then I reduced it, and eventually just stopped adding more, or just add very little. Just this time I sprinkled some rice flour and then just rubbed it into the banneton by hand so it stays in place, but haven't done it for some time. When adding seeds on top, like I know you also like doing, that also prevent sticking very efficiently.

I don't think rice flour goes rancid, does it? It's very close to pure starch I imagine, without fats that can go rancid in whole grain flour... I was more worried about mold, but haven't noticed any signs.

I repeat just in case - these are woodpulp brotforms really, not rattan bannetons. Perhaps that is important? And I don't have and don't use any liners with them either.

Benito's picture
Benito

Yes you’re right, as soon as I typed rancid I thought that was the wrong word, mold yes that would be a bigger concern.  My banneton is a rattan one that might make a difference.

HeiHei29er's picture
HeiHei29er

Looks great Ilya.  Really like the scoring and bloom on that round loaf.  I agree...  absolutely nothing to be embarrassed abut on either of these loaves!