When to add Porridge— how to calculate?

Baking Techniques
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I have been using the Forkish method with perfect results. Frankly, I’m afraid of screwing with the method, but I want to add some porridge and not sure when I would do that and how to calculate how that effects water etc.

I see the Tartine method, I’m just trying to figure out how I might best incorporate some porridge into the Forkish system, I wish he would have done that in his book…

2

bengoshi,

I’ve been doing some tests to determine the full hydration levels of various soaker ingredients both with using room temperature water and boiling water. That could also apply to a porridge as long as the water loss is controlled. Once I’m through with my testing I’ll offer a complete list of hydration levels. But, if you’ll tell me what ingredients you plan to put in the porridge, I can tell you pretty close what the hydration % of those ingredients would be for them to be fully hydrated. Once the expected hydration % of an ingredient is known, then the amount of liquid to fully hydrate it can be calculated (grams or ounces of ingredient times the hydration %). Then you can add some water above that to make it easier to make the porridge. That amount of extra water would then be subtracted from the water you normally use to hydrate the dough (although you shouldn’t add more extra water than you normally use to hydrate the dough). Clearer than mud, I hope. :slight_smile:

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Here’s my oat porridge recipe that comes from trial and error. Important to note, I make solid-not-runny oatmeal lol

I get a kick out of the memorable numbers

440g bread flour
330g water
220g oatmeal cooked in milk
80g starter
1.5 tsp salt

I mix all in at once and it is a wet dough.

3 Likes
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Beautiful, and beautifully photographed, bread, Melissa. That should be on the cover of a book.

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I’m on it! Thanks so much

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Aw thanks! You gotta know that was a one-shot wonder, and other times have taken 10 photos to get one mediocre photo lol

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Hi Melissa (and everybody else!)

I’m very interested in doing a porridge loaf, but based on my current spelt & khorasan standard loaf rather than wheat flour, as its easier for my partner to digest. However, my guess is that this will result in an even denser loaf than normal. Do you have any advice?

Thanks in advance!

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I’m sorry, I somehow missed this question.

I think spelt, khorasan, and oat porridge would be delicious. I think if spelt dominates the ratio, you can get some loftiness to the loaf. Not that spelt is a gluten powerhouse, but I tend to get nicely aerated loaves with it.

Did you end up making a porridge loaf and how did it go?