I was running out of wheat to grind up and make bread with so I got 50 pounds of wheat from the local mill. This is a wheat that I had never used before and I figured I had better find out how the flour compared to the flour I had been making. When I was grinding the flour it felt harder than the wheat I had been using. There is also a really nice aroma to the flour after it is made. The flour made a really nice looking loaf of bread and seems to me it will even take more water than I have been using so next loaf I will increase the hydration to see if it can handle it.
The first evening I made up the first build of the preferment like this.
| First Build | Grams | Percentage |
| Starter | 15.22 | 50% |
| Flour | 30.44 | 100% |
| Water | 15.22 | 50% |
| Total | 60.89 | 200% |
The next morning I made the 2nd build.
| Second Build | Grams | Percentage |
| Starter first build | 60.89 | 47.37% |
| Flour | 128.54 | 100% |
| Water | 64.27 | 50% |
| Total | 253.69 | 197.37% |
I waited eight hours and combined the flour, water, salt with the preferment.
| Dough Formula | Grams | Percentage |
| Flour | 1014.76 | 100% |
| Water | 913.28 | 90% |
| Salt | 18.27 | 1.8% |
| Preferment second build | 253.69 | 25% |
| Total | 2200 | 216.8% |
The water and preferment were mixed together. Then I went off and ground up my wheat into flour, about 30 minutes. I mixed in the flour until it was a shaggy mass, then let it rest 50 minutes. The salt was then added and the dough was finished mixing. I did three stretches of the dough an hour apart. Then the dough was put into the refrigerator over night. The next day I took the dough out and started heating the oven up with my cast iron roasting pan in it. When the oven got to temperature I put the dough in with the lid on. I cooked the bread at 460°F for 47 minutes with the lid on and 13 minutes with the lid off. I have already had a little nibble of the bread and it seems to be good. The crumb shot will be added after I cut the bread.
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I got a crumb shot of the whole wheat loaf. The crust is thin and crunchy with a nice soft crumb. There isn't a lot of big holes in it so it looks dense. I think maybe a little bit more water and I'll get the more open crumb I had been getting. The taste is very nice and different from the other wheat that I had been using. The 50 lb bag cost $11 so I guess this will be my source for wheat. The next Blue Cheese loaf is out of the oven and will be tested tomorrow. I'll upload pictures then.
Of your grinding set-up
Of your access to interesting grains/flours
Of your access to an incredible range of cheeses
Of your boundless quest for quality foods
But, thankful that you are sharing it all with us, albeit virtually and via recipes. Thank you.
TP I'm flattered. I'm really just having fun in what I'm doing and enjoying sharing it with people who find it interesting.
Wow... You have it all don't you! Wine, cheese, a grinder, great California Bread, almond butter & figs!
Thanks for sharing Duane!! I will look forward to your cheese adventures...
Terri
And why do you always have weights measured to 2 decimal places, rather than whole gram amounts? Don't get me wrong - this is not a complaint or criticism! Just wondering... :)
Cheers
Ross