Went out my comfort zone and baked a bread with 50% wheat flour. It was a honey wheat recipe on the wheat flour bag. I modified it for sourdough. The flavor was good it had a beautiful spring but the crumb was drier than I like. It called for milk and oil which I’ve never used. I think next time I’ll leave it out. I have used honey in my bread before and wheat. Never this much though. Thoughts ?
You used milk and oil, two things added for a more moist soft crumb, yet its drier then you’d like so you’re thinking if leaving them out next time?
Don’t think that’ll solve anything.
I wouldn’t think so either but other than all the wheat. It also seems to have gotten drier after a couple of days. It’s not so dry it tastes bad jus crumbley
Have you considered trying a tangzhong?
No I have not, probably because I don’t know what it is. Usually only use flour liquid and yeast. Sometimes spices, honey or molasses and that’s it. I guess I’m boring but that’s what the wife and I like
I should mention I only make freeform loaves. Maybe the wheat needs more liquid. My standard is 70% more or less. This dough actually seemed a little droopy. I was worried since it started to spread on the stone but the boys rallied and got a nice spring
What is your recipe and method and we’ll try and tweak it for a soft loaf.
Well the night before I added 1cup SD starter to 1 1/2 AP flour and 234g water. Cover and ferment overnight. Then I remove 1cup of that to reserve as my starter. Then I added 234g 1% milk, 1/4 cup honey 2 tbs olive oil and some salt. I mixed that dumped it on my board and worked it for awhile adding a bit more water between folds. Put that in a bowl and let it rise. Rose a bit more than I wanted but I was busy. Anyway did some folds and put it in a proofing bowl in the fridge I think about an hour. Dumped it on the board slashed it and put it in the 520° oven. Nice spring, finished up. Tried it next day. Not my best offering although my wife liked it
Oh also second ferment got the rest of the flour another 3 1/2 cups split 50/50 wheat/white bread flour total 790g flour 468+g liquid (milk and water)
That’s not my usual way of doing things. The overnight ferment made a huge amount of starter for the final dough. I imagine the final dough was very quick. No autolyse and quick ferment would mean not enough time for the flour to hydrate.
Care to try another recipe? Its more simple but its from The Perfect Loaf which is a very good site with lots of nice recipes. The steps are more in line and balanced for a good outcome.
I consider it more of a pre dough. I can slow the second fermentation down by keeping it cool which is what I generally do. Like I said my regular loaf no or alot less wheat comes out fine. Previously I’ve added rye flour during the overnight ferment the just a little wheat for the second ferment.
I see this is for a soft loaf of bread which is not what im looking for. I like a more chewy bread like a NY rye
I thought you wanted a soft crumb. For a chewy crumb you need strong bread flour and high hydration.
Something like a Tartine country loaf but use a bread flour of 13% protein + but preferably 14-15%. The hydration is high enough to get a chewy crumb. It has 10% wholegrain too.
You know that may be it. I usually use a 13% bread flour but right now I can’t get it so some of the white was all purpose which I just looked is 10% the bread flour I have is12.7% and I think the wheat is 12.7%
I think you’ll still get a nice chewy texture if you follow some rules…
Keep the wholegrain at 10% or less.
Go for smaller amount of starter and a longer ferment.
Aim for at least 70% hydration.
Incorporate an autolyse with no starter nor salt for 30 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
That should help you get the texture you want.
Have to work with what I have since sometimes I can’t get any flour. I do have barley malt flower I save from milling barley malt maybe I can add that don’t know how much protein in it
See my reply above. Leave out the barley malt flour for now and see what kind of results you get with the tweaks I’ve given you.
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Ok I’m going to to start a loaf tomorrow. I’ll let you know the results. Thanks
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Working on this now. Not sure I did the mixing for the autolysis correctly. It was pretty dry with all the flour. When I’ve done an a-rest before I’ve never added all the flour for it.
At 10% or less wholegrain 70% hydration shouldn’t be too dry. See what the dough is like after the autolyse and add in extra water when forming the final dough if you think it needs it.