I have been purchasing fresh and locally produced white Sonora wheat flour. I can’t figure out how to replace whole wheat flour with the Sonora wheat flour in sourdough bread recipes. The dough seems to come out too moist to shape, more like I have to almost pour it into the pan. What’s weird is that when I first started using it, I don’t remember that happening, ( would the wheat vary from year to year?). I am fairly new to sourdough baking, but feel like I’ve created a great active starter, just need advice on flours.
thanks!
Judy, The same flour but different batches or even purchased at different times of year may absorb water differently. Factors like the local humidity, or the humidity where it was stored as well as how old the flour was will affect the same flour. When you get a new batch of flour you might want to consider mixing it at a reduced hydration, say 5% or so and only add more water if the dough seems like it needs more. I’d way that your recent batch of flour is just not needing as much flour as your previous batches.
Thank you Benito!
By any chance, do you have experience using Sonora Wheat flour in bread baking? It looks like from my reading, that I should also be using maybe a hard winter wheat along with the Sonora wheat.
Hi Judy, being in Canada I am not fortunate enough to have access to Breadtopia’s wonderful selection of very interesting grains. I’ve never seen Sonora here in Toronto so have no experience with it. However, what I’ve read they do describe it as a soft wheat and what you describe in your experience with fits with that. Softer wheats don’t generally absorb as much water as a harder one.
It makes good sense to me your suggestion to matching it with a hard wheat. I’d also start at a lower hydration than perhaps you’re used to. Then after mixing if it feels dry or very tight you can easily add more water gradually until you think the dough feels right.