Forkish Saturday 75% Whole Wheat Bread
On Friday afternoon, we left for a weekend at the NJ Shore. I had no idea what time I'd be home on Sunday and did not want to try and figure out a way to pre-plan my loaves for a Sunday bake. So, I mixed up some pizza dough and stuck it in the fridge, figuring we could eat it for lunch or dinner on Sunday.
We wound up getting back home before 10 a.m., and so I decided it was time to try the Saturday 75% Whole Wheat Bread by Ken Forkish. This is a same-day, commercial yeast loaf, which for some reason he kicks up to 7% whole wheat. Perhaps, this is because a same-day bake requires more whole wheat in order to obtain the flavor that a lack of pre-fermented dough delivers.
In any case, I used 750 grams of Prairie Gold White Hard Spring Wheat and ground it up into flour, mixed it with 250 grams AP flour and 800 grams of water, autolysed for 30 minutes and then added 18 grams of salt and 2 grams or so of yeast.
The dough rose nicely in 5 or so hours. I divided it and wound up with two long strips of dough, folded it top to middle, bottom to middle and then pre-shaped into boules, bench rested 20 minutes then shaped alla Tartine and proofed seam-side down until ready.
The loaves came out looking pretty good:
I cut into one of them an hour or so later, and it tasted okay. Not the best thing since sliced bread, but pretty good. I think it improved as it cooled. I made grilled cheese last night and had a peanut butter sandwich this morning. The bread is good. It is not my best bread, but it is nice to know that, in an emergency, I can turn out a loaf of bread the same day that I decide to bake one.