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I ordered the Kernza, not understanding that it was actually the grain😁 – I tried using a mortar and pestle, and it couldn’t even crack the grain in half. So, I used a coffee grinder instead, ground in very small amounts, and after three 30 second spins, the flour was an interesting combination of very fine to very small pieces. I’ve used it twice this way, and each time, the opinion has been the bread was really, really good. So far, I’ve only used 100 g n a 600 g recipe (see pic – blend of white bread flour (300 g), Khorasan, Yecoro Rojo, Kernza (100 g/ea)), and now I’m wondering: is the flavor the grain itself or from using freshly ground grain? If the latter, then I am seriously considering milling my own flour!
Wow that is a lovely loaf! I’m so impressed that you tackled home milling with a mortar and pestle and then a spice grinder. That’s awesome dedication. I think kernza does have a pretty distinctive flavor and
aroma, and freshmilling, like with spices, means it’s all more potent.
I wrote this article a few years ago about the benefits of fresh flour and some of the fun ways to use a home mill – if you want possibly some more “pros” on the side of getting a grain mill.
I just used my Kernza to make a 100% Kernza hearth loaf (I used the recipe for Einkorn hearth bread and substituted Kernza for the einkorn, and used my einkorn sourdough starter). I ground the Kernza in my kitchen-aid grinder attachment and it got really hot. Had to reduce the fineness and sift out the bran after. After the stretch and folds, I let it sit for a few hours at room temp then put it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I checked it and saw no expansion so I left it on the counter all day while I was at work. When I came home it had expanded a bit. I baked on a stone at 500F for 15 minutes and then 450F for 25 minutes. Nice shape - didn’t collapse like einkorn does. We’ll see how it looks and tastes inside tomorrow.
That is an amazing loaf. Look at the ear! It is really helpful to know that the einkorn recipe, with it’s Vit C and no final proof, works so well with this grain. How was the flavor and crumb?
The flavor was good, similar to the einkorn I think but right now I’m very congested so it’s hard to taste, but family members report a similar flavor to einkorn. I didn’t add any vitamin C, actually. Totally forgot. The crumb was dense and moist - I might go for a lower temp and longer bake next time.
Ok now that I can taste again, I’d say it tastes a lot like rye. I made a 100% French rye bread before (no caraway) and the flavor was very similar. The sour note from the culture is adding the part that tastes like einkorn (which it is).
Nice! That looks well fermented. I’m guessing the grassy notes are the flavor overlap in rye and kernza. The shreddy bits from slicing remind me of my all-rye breads too. I don’t usually get much sour from einkorn–terroire and process probably play a role in that. I forgot to ask before, did you remill the bran and add it back to the flour?
No I didn’t. So this is sort of like a bolted flour except I just used a very fine strainer that I use in the kitchen, it’s not a sieve of known mesh. The flour is quite light when dry but it became dark on mixing.
First try:
Taste: Added a wonderful aeromatic taste to the bread, comes through after a chew or two.
Details: Bolles 35%, Yecora Rojo 40%, Kernza 25%, Hydration 82%. Standard ferment, shaping and rise. My kneading consists of 4 rounds (every 30 min or so) of pulling the dough out of the fermentor and holding it in both hands as a ball and then doing repeated ‘rolls’ of the outside ‘edge’ into the bottom of the ball, alternating hands, turning the ball a bit each time. I do this until the dough feels firmed up and starts showing ‘stretch marks’ but before tearing. (Note: I score across the loaf because it gives a rounder oval shaped slice, which we like.)
This looks beautiful and what a crumb! What do you think of the flavor?
We find it to be a very nice ‘accent’ or addtional ‘depth’ to the bread’s wheat flavor. We like really like it and certainly are appreciative of having this grain to work with, both for our own enjoyment and to do a little part in helping sustainable agriculture.
Second: Kernza 35%, Bolles 30%, Yecora Rojo 35%. Dough felt a little gritter in kneading, didn’t firm up quite as well. Loaf was a little denser crumb.
And Third: Kerna 45%, Bolles 25%, Yecora Rojo 30%. Dough felt much grittier in kneading, didn’t take much kneading before starting to tear when stretched. Denser crumb again but great, definite flavor we really liked.
It is interesting to see (and I’m sure feel) the difference with more and more Kernza. Those loaves look lovely. How high of a percentage of kernza do you think you will take it?
Think I’ll go to 50%. Let you know how that goes. We’ll see if that percentage remains a good, functional ‘daily’ loaf.
This loaf looks and sounds great. I’m amazed at the loft you got with these two low-gluten flours.
