100% Organic Whole Wheat, Levain, & No Knead?
Hello,
This is my first post on The Fresh Loaf forums. I am so excited to get to know a community of expert bread bakers. I am a beginner bread baker. I have only attempted 3 loaves a bread, all of them done this week. I was inspired by the Netflix television series, "Cooked". There were four episodes; "Fire", "Water", "Air", and "Earth". The episode, "Air", was all about bread baking; why levain was superior to yeast starters and why 100% whole wheat flour was superior to white flour. So I just had to start making this bread and I was also inspired by no knead bread. I am wondering if no knead bread is possible with levain and 100% whole wheat. Please, I need your help.
So these are the three loaves I've made so far. They taste great but they all have problems. The first loaf was my first and I was just a clutz. I didn't care so much. The major problems all three loaves have is that there are not a lot of air bubbles inside. The bread is dense and heavy, almost doughy still. It seems like the moisture got trapped inside the bread and did not evaporate enough.
So roughly, even though I made a few changes, here is my technique: 3 cups organic whole wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tablespoon levain, 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt. I mix together and let it rise, covered in seran wrap for 12 hours. I then scrape the dough out of the bowl onto a floured work surface. I gently flatten the dough and fold in the four sides. I let it rise a second time for 2 hours. I pre-heat the oven to 450° with a covered glass pyrex pot inside. After the 2 hours I put score the dough and put the dough in the hot pyrex, lid covered for 30 minutes. I then take off the lid for 10 more minutes until crust is golden and crunchy.
I was hoping that you guys would give me some advice. I think the cracks on the sides of the bread, especially the last one, was because I didn't score the bread enough so the moisture could not escape? I am sure I am doing other things wrong too. I would like to continue to make this 100% whole wheat bread but have it light and fluffy inside. I do not want to cut it with white flour or use a yeast starter. I also don't want use other things such as beer, honey, or sugar. I would like to achieve light and fluffly 100% whole bread by just changing my technique only. (The last loaf was made with 100% einkorn whole wheat flour. I read that einkorn does not have as much gluten as modern whole wheat flours.) Your help will greatly be appreciated.