Whole Wheat soaker
I've been messing around for a while trying to make the most tasty whole wheat sandwich bread. I've tried PR's epoxy method, which is time consuming and results in low oven spring. I've tried a direct-mix simple 2-proof method which doesn't develop a lot of flavor. Last night I tried the Tassajara basic recipe, which has techniques I've not tried before. First, you make a really wet sponge that rises for 45 minutes. Then you add the salt, fat, and rest of the flour, mix, and second proof. It calls for two more proofs after that before baking, though I just did one. I was REALLY impressed with the oven spring, flavor, and strength of this bread. Has anyone else used a wet sponge for whole wheat? It seems like it strengthened and flavored the bread much more than Reinhart's method. Here's what I ended up with:
-Peter