The Fresh Loaf

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Sesame Wholewheat + Red Gum Miche + 100% Wholegrain Spelt

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Sesame Wholewheat + Red Gum Miche + 100% Wholegrain Spelt

 

Peering over my computer monitor I can see it is still raining. My computer lurks in the smallest room in our house with a single window that allows a narrow view through to another room and then another window before a tiny glimpse of the outside world finally emerges. My computer cave seems so removed from the country roads under expansive skies that I was travelling on the week before.

Some free time that week had allowed me the opportunity to spend a time out of the city in Pittsworth baking wood-fired breads with my friend Laurie. I always treasure the time spent with Laurie and Rhonda and try to breath in as much country air as I can possibly hold before making the trip back to my city home.

 

 

 

 

Arriving home I wanted to further pursue the wholegrain baking I have been working on—freshly milled flour, high hydration dough and sourdough starters. I had picked up a bag of richly coloured organic unhulled sesame seeds while out of town and this was to be the catalyst for a delicious bread. I am continuing the practice of retarding the wholegrain dough in bulk. Not only does this control the fermentation, but it also allows for an extended ‘wet time’ … this is always a good thing when baking with wholegrains.

The roasted seeds mixed through the wet dough add flavour, texture and a softness that remains for days after baking. This is bread that tastes and feels as good as it looks.

 

 

 

 

 

Sesame Wholewheat

Formula 6 x 750g

Overview

%

Weight grams

Levain build – 3 hrs 26°C

 

 

Starter

50

93

Freshly milled organic wheat flour

100

186

Water

64

120

 

 

 

Final dough  24°C

 

 

Levain

20

369

Freshly milled organic wheat flour

100

1846

Water

109

1938

Salt

2.5

46

Unhulled sesame seeds roasted

18

320

Hulled sesame seeds

As needed

 

Total

 

4519

 

  • Mix final starter and leave to ferment for 3 hours at 26°C
  • Roast sesame seeds for 10 mins. Turn occasionally to redistribute.
  • Mill flour and mix with water (hold back 10% of water) and autolyse for 20 mins.
  • Add starter to autolyse then mix in bowl for 5 mins. Add salt and remaining 10% of water and squeeze through bread to incorporate (dough will separate then come back together) then mix and squeeze a further 5-10 mins. The dough is very wet but should start to feel some strength by the end of this mixing.
  • Add roasted sesame seeds at the end of mixing.
  • Place in a fridge at 4°C for 15 hours. I gave the dough three folds at 30mins apart.
  • Increase or decrease the number of folds depending on the strength of your wheat.
  • Remove from fridge. Divide at 750g. Preshape.
  • Bench rest 45–60mins. Shape and roll the dough on a wet cloth and then hulled sesame seeds. Proof in couche or narrow basket.
  • Final proof was two hours at room temperature. Watch the dough!
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C for 10 mins with steam. Reduce temp to 200°C then bake for a further 40 mins.

 

 

 

Laurie and I had a great bake in Pittsworth. For me it was an interesting experience going back and baking in a much smaller oven than I had been using at Chester Street. Size does make a difference :)

The day before the bake while the oven was full of fire, Laurie and I travelled out along straight flat roads to local biodynamic farmer Barry Bowden.  Barry is milling grains and selling flours under the name of Red Gum Milling. Laurie has been using Red Gum Milling flour for quite a few years now and I have always been a little jealous that he had such a great local resource at his disposal. Barry is an ingenious bloke … he has built his own milling and sifting equipment that sits within a large flour-coated shed on his farm.

 

 

 

Barry has been growing and milling all manner of biodynamic grains depending on the seasons and his clients requirements. His large industrial granite stone mill feeds into a rustic, almost steam punk looking sifter where two different streams of flour are produced depending on the screens he has in place. Even though the mill wasn't running at the time I found a bag of sifted bran and was impressed by the beautiful bran separation he could achieve. Puts my little Komo shredder to shame :)

 

 

 

I arrived back in Brisbane  a few days later with a few kilograms of Red Gum Milling’s ‘plain flour’and couldn't wait to bake with it. It is most definitely a high extraction flour, and although Barry couldn't give me an extraction level, I would guess that it was 80% or higher. It has lovely golden colour and fresh aroma but what surprised me most about this flour was its strength.

I started with a rough hydration level of 75% but quickly had increased this to 85% … this probably still wasn't enough. The finished bread was pretty chewy and the crumb was tough but delicious. Perfect for spreading butter :)

 

 

 

I have been baking a lot of wheat breads of late and I need to start diversifying. Spelt has been a long time challenge of mine, and although I have baked successful white spelt breads on a hearth, I find they are usually to dry for my liking. For me, it’s actually the colour of the spelt bran that is most appealing—rusty coloured bran that peels off nicely even in my little Komo mill.

The nicest spelt breads I have eaten have been baked in tins—and this seemed to fit nicely with my current method of baking wholegrain breads using lots of water. The tin supported the slack dough through it's final rise and pushed it further upwards during the bake.

This has been my go-to bread all week … I cannot get enough of it! The crumb is soft and moist—hardly comparable to the dry crumbly feeling that some breads seem to have.

 

 

 

 

 

100% Wholegrain Spelt

Formula 2 x 1350g tinned loaves

Overview

%

Weight grams

Levain build – 3 hrs 26°C

 

 

Starter

50

93

Freshly milled organic wheat flour

100

186

Water

64

120

 

 

 

Final dough - 24°C

 

 

Levain

20

245

Freshly milled organic spelt flour

100

1224

Water

100

1224

Salt

2.5

31

Total

 

2724

 

  • Mix final starter and leave to ferment for 3 hours at 26°C
  • Mill flour and mix with water (hold back 10% of water) and autolyse for 20 mins.
  • Add starter to autolyse then mix in bowl for 5 mins. Add salt and remaining 10% of water and squeeze through bread to incorporate (dough will separate then come back together) then mix and squeeze a further 5-10 mins. The dough is very wet but should start to feel some strength by the end of this mixing.
  • Place in a fridge at 4°C for 15 hours. I gave the dough three folds at 30mins apart.
  • Increase or decrease the number of folds depending on the strength of your wheat.
  • Remove from fridge. Divide and preshape.
  • Bench rest 45–60mins. Shape and proof in tins
  • Final proof was three hours at room temperature. Watch the dough!
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 250°C for 10 mins with steam. Reduce temp to 200°C then bake for a further 60 mins.

 

And it seems the word is out on the street that I am baking at home again … and this has meant quite a few ‘home sourdough’ have been baked for friends and family.

Happy baking to all ... I know I am!

Cheers,
Phil

Comments

pmccool's picture
pmccool

The miche is particularly appealing, though I wouldn't turn any of them down if offered!

Good to hear that you had a change of scenery.  That often helps clear the mind, as well as offer a different perspective.  Maybe even erased a bit of oven envy?  ;)

I'd love to get my hands in the Red Gum flour.  It makes such a lovely loaf, as attested by your photos.

Any ideas about what may have caused a bit of compression of the spelt crumb in the zone nearest the tin?

Thanks for your post.

Paul

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hi Paul,

Hoping to be cured of oven envy soon ... I am waiting :)

The spelt compression only seemed to be right in the middle of the loaf where I cut it for the photo ... doh! ... Perhaps a proofing issue ... I will need to bake it a few more times to get a feel for it. Overall the crumb feels pretty spot on ... I am also having a few oven issues at home which may also be a factor ... I am investigating.

Cheers,
Phil

wolfetan44's picture
wolfetan44

1. Where do you get your spelt berries?

2. What setting do you mill with for bread flour on your Komo?

Thanks! :)

varda's picture
varda

but your sesame loaf is just spectacular.   It begs to be eaten.   Wonderful pictures too.   Love the light.  -Varda

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thanks Varda,

I have been very lucky with the lighting ... we have had overcast and rainy conditions for the past few weeks ... luckily every time I pulled out the camera I had a break in the weather.

Cheers,
Phil

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

Phil.  Amazing as usual.

What is your technique for crusting the loaves with sesame seeds?  I simply rolled my shaped dough in a pile of sesame seeds carefully.  Perhaps there's a better way to evenly coat a large area of loaf?

Love the idea of a 100% spelt loaf.  I want to try that one.

John

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hi John,

My techniques sounds the same as yours, though I do roll the shaped dough piece on a damp cloth/towel before rolling in the coating. This helps the coating to stick.

Give the spelt a go ... you may need to reduce the hydration depending on your flour.

All the best,
Phil

Song Of The Baker's picture
Song Of The Baker

I forgot to mention that I give the loaf a light mist of warm water prior to rolling in the seeds.  It seems the damp towel trick produces better results.  Thanksfor sharing.

John

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Love all of them.  Have  been putting a mix of coarse ground flax and sesame seeds in everything it seems lately. make the bread so nutty and healthy too.  Just as good for flavor as Toadies. All the breads are exceptional and er will have to make them with the flours at had to get an idea of how they taste,

Happy baking Phil

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hey dabrownman,

I have missed the toadies bandwagon ... we had the sesame wholewheat toasted with scrambled eggs this morning ... GOLD!

hmmm ... I have been meaning to bake with some flax seeds ... 

Cheers,
Phil

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

bake!  It will have to be a 100% whole grain; wheat, spelt and farro with Toafies and ground flax and sesame seed SD adn nYW bake at a  higher hydration for a tinned samdwich loaf.

Think we will sift ouit the bran for a sclad/soaker with the Toadies and seeds.  That way we can autolyse the extracted flour for a couple of hours and slap & fold it to develop the gluten.  Then we can stretch and fold the bran/toadie/seed seed scald/soaker into the mix later without damaging the gluten too much.

Cheers & Happy baking

Juergen Krauss's picture
Juergen Krauss

Beautiful post.

Certainly your happiness speaks out of that spelt crumb!

I have to try these!

Juergen

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thanks Juergen,

I definately had a smile on my face when I sliced open the spelt bread ... very pleased.

Cheers,
Phil

yozzause's picture
yozzause

Hi Phil

Just lovely everything, bakes, photography, scoring and  your post all wonderfully good.

So is the flour available for sale anywhere around Australia or do we have to come across to Queensland ?

Queensland seems to have turned out some outstanding bakers /photographers  both yourself and Shio Ping who we unfortunately haven't heard from in a long while.

kind regards Yozza

PiPs's picture
PiPs

G,day Yozza,

I have not seen the Red Gum Milling flour anywhere apart from an organic market a few years ago. I think Barry is  just milling for his clients requirements.

Could just be the Queensland sunshine shining on our crusts :)

I am honoured to say that Shiao-Ping was a customer of mine during my brief stint at Chester st ... I have never been so nervous selling a loaf of my bread as I was that day. I hope to keep in contact with her when I get started on my next chapter.

Cheers,
Phil

yozzause's picture
yozzause

I remember reading your post saying that Shiao Ping  had been a customer at Chester St and i thought then it would have been great getting critical acclaim from such a notable source. 

Living in the same city would be to big an opportumity not to have occasional bread swaps, i have promised to bring over a nice red for her husband when i finally visit the other side, not a Margaret River red but a shiraz from Frankland in the Great Southern Region probably a Harewood,  a winery at Denmark (WA) who sources most of their Shiraz grapes from my cousin's vines at Frankland, something that is not widely available!.  

regards Derek

Mebake's picture
Mebake

Art, and science couldn't be any happier, Phil! you have managed to mingle those two into perfection.

Love that spelt loaf!

All the best to you,

-Khalid

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thank you Khalid,

You are to kind ...

I love that spelt loaf to!

Cheers,
Phi

Our Crumb's picture
Our Crumb

Candidate items for the hopefully-someday-to-be-opened Brisbane bakehouse Phil Mills?

;-)  Well, we can dream...

Picture pretty as ever.  And thanks for the formulae/processes too.

Tom

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hi Tom,

Ha ha ... Phil Mills is some way off ... nice idea though :)

Would absolutely include the sesame and spelt breads on the bread list!

cheers,
Phil

ananda's picture
ananda

Outstanding Miche Phil,

is it really possible that your breads get better with every post?

All good wishes

Andy

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thank you Andy,

I always like to see room for improvement ... keeps me on my toes :)

All the best,
Phil

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Hi Phil,

I had to wonder as I looked at your loaves - a world apart yet my bakes for this week include a loaf with sesame seeds (inspired by Khalid) and Juergen's 100% Whole Grain Spelt (It is a favorite of a wonderful friend of mine who turns 87 on July 5).  A coincidence yet no plans for a miche so just baker's luck :- )

I am glad to know you are still sticking with the 100% ww and finding out all of it's secrets.  I am surprised that your loaves handle 20% leaven.   I generally use 15% but then I allow an hour of room time before putting my doughs into the refrigerator.  (In hot weather they go straight into the refrig.)

  Wondering what difference you find in doing your short autolyze?

I use a DLX to mix my doughs initially and, due to it's design, I have to add my leaven to my auto. time so it technically isn't an autolyze but I then add all the flour (salt in the summer time) after-which it then sits for an hour prior to additional ingredients being added.  I let it sit primarily for the gluten development.  Dough needs less kneading time following this time plus it allows me to determine if I need to add more flour or water as a final adjustment since ww takes longer to absorb the liquids.

Enough questions from me.

Love your photos as always and the loaves are outstanding.  The bar has been raised once again.

Take Care,

Janet

P.S.  I am continuing to practice with bold bakes and all of the people I give bread to are responding with resoundingly positive remarks about the results so thanks for the 'shove' in that direction.

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hi Janet,

Strange indeed ... perhaps the world is saying that you need to bake a miche ;)

20% levain is working nicely ... I try to keep the dough temp spot on and it goes straight into the fridge after mixing. This should work nicely in Summer also.

They way I look at the autolyse for these breads is just for initial water absorption. If they are going to spend 15 hours in bulk then I don't see the benefit of a long autolyse before hand. I use a short autolyse just to make the intial mix with the levain easier. I always autolyse without the levain. These are not the easiest of breads to mix by hand and it is hard to feel the strength developing until they are folded in bulk.

Glad to hear you are baking a bit 'bolder' ... so much flavour to be found there!

Best wishes,
Phil

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

So now I ask why you jumped the leaven up to 20% with whole grain bakes?  I know in the past you were using only 13% at times with your 'old' bakes that included sifted ww.  Only thing I can think of is that you have increased it to add strength to the dough due to the high hydration levels you are using in these loaves.  Or are you doing it for the extra flavor it imparts?

Take Care,

Janet

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Hi Janet,

The increase in levain is due to the harsh cold conditions of my fridge ... If I had slightly more control over the temps I would probably decrease this. Your also right about the strength factor, but I keep the builds so short I am a little doubtful about how much effect they would have in the short term. The long duration in bulk makes for this.

cheers, Phil

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Makes sense.  

 At 100% HL I have to ask how on earth you handle the dough in the morning since, with lean doughs, they do get slacker as they ferment overnight - at least mine do.  At that HL I am afraid I would get loaves that I have labeled my 'Frisbee' loaves - flat....Only time I go that high is when I add dried fruits that I don't soak prior to being added to the mix.

How cold does your refrig. get?  Sounds like it is almost like a freezer : O.  We just got a new refrig. and it is set at 38°F/3.5°C which is cooler than our previous one.  Doughs have done fine though I do allow for a room warm up time of about 3 hours prior to shaping and proving.....New equiptment always alters a routine.....

Take Care,

Janet

PiPs's picture
PiPs

I work quickly when the dough comes out of the fridge.

I don't let it come to room temp and find it is reasonably easy to preshape. I use the "scraper in the hand" method that you may have seen the likes of Chad Robertson using to round the preshape pieces. I round them pretty tight and then let them relax for 30mins/for up to an hour ... I am looking for the dough to start pancaking.

Then I shape ... and you have to shape tight. That's probably the hardest thing to explain with text on a screen .... I want to see lots of tension in the dough so I know that it will spring and open up in the oven.

My fridge is around 4°C ... colder than I would like ... though it is warmer than the cool room I had at Chester Street ... that was around 2°C

If you are happy with your dough there may be no reason to increase your water content ... and if you do, perhaps just  increase it by 5% increments.

Cheers,
Phil

Janetcook's picture
Janetcook

Hi Phil,

Well, my loaves just came out of the oven.  I am pleased with the results though I only took mine to 92% HL (but my spelt leaven was 70% so maybe I did hit 100% :)

Shaping while still cold made it very easy to do.  Not sticky at all though I did have to work to get it to hold it's shape. Interesting in that my loaf has the same tin line yours has.  I am thinking that is due to being too determined to shape it tight so I took it a bit too far.... I baked 4 loaves and not all did this so who knows.  A bread mystery.  All did spring very nicely in the oven. 

My temps. were a bit lower than yours.  I did start out at 475° but dropped down to 375° after 10 minutes and then down to 350° after 15 minutes.  Just wasn't sure how my Cadco would do and I know you have said your oven leaks a lot of air.....I could have stayed higher and I could have put the loaf back without the pan for awhile too to get better color throughout the loaf.

Like you I love the golden color spelt creates.  Really lovely looking loaves.

No crumb shot until someone here cuts into the loaf I am keeping for us but no one is here and who knows when that will happen so I am posting just a loaf shot.

Thanks for the inspiration to bake with the HL higher.  Wasn't as frightning to do as I had imagined.  My last and only attempt  at doing this was when I just started baking and knew nothing at all.  I tried an overnight bulk with spelt with high HL and woke up to complete goo the following morning.  Since then I keep my HL in most loaves below 80% unless there are add-ins that absorb water.

Now to see what happens with my ww lean loaves.  That is more of a challenge due to no pans.....

Take Care,

Janet

And now the crumb shot:

Open and moist and half the loaf is gone :- )  Birthday loaf will be picked up shortly by my friend and I am anxious to hear how she likes the change since this in one of her favorite loaves.....

I would love to hear if you get this loaf to hold up as a hearth loaf.  I will await your results before I try it.  At this point I need the security of the loaf pan - kinda like training wheels on a bicycle * - }

PiPs's picture
PiPs

NICE!

Looks great Janet ... personally I like the tin line ... want the bread to have a bit of personality :)

I have made another spelt bread today with raisin and coriander .. no post on this one ... but found the dough really easy to handle ... I might try a hearth bake with it sometime and see how I go :)

Really excited that the bread worked out for you ... hope we get to see a crumb photo

Cheers,
Phil

Lavanyashah's picture
Lavanyashah

This looks amazing.  I am curious if you also use freshly milled flour.  I don't have a mill and am wondering if I can acheive similar results with store bought flour.  

Thanks, Lavanya

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hi Phil,
As I read through your post, scrolling down through the photos, it's like turning pages in the most beautifully-produced bread book I've ever seen.
:^) breadsong

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thank you breadsong,

Glad you enjoyed the pics :)

Cheers,
Phil

 

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hi Phil,
The breads are stellar, and grateful that your photos capture them; your writing captures the background - where the grain came from and how the bread was made.
Wonderful reading!
:^) breadsong

 

evonlim's picture
evonlim

lovely.. as always. just curious is it 100% hydration in both dough? 

evon

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thanks evon,

Yep that's right ... Both the wholegrain breads have a final hydration around the 100%.

These are made with freshly milled flour milled from white winter wheat. The wheat has a fairly high protein level and can absorb a reasonable amount of water ... Don't get me wrong though ... It is still a very slack dough :)

all the best

Phil

annie the chef's picture
annie the chef

Hi Phil

Those loaves looked beautiful and delicious. I can imagine how delicious when scrambled eggs are on sesame toasts.

These breads are definitely on top of my baking list.  I still haven't decided whether to get the flour mill so I will use Four Leaf's 85% Light Flour with 80% hydration as usual.  Since there are lots of sesame seeds in the dough, is that the reason, apart from the freshly milled flour being used, the dough required 100% hydration?

Your pictures are magnificent as usual and thanks for the formulas.

Annie

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thanks Annie,

The sesame whole wheat flour was milled from Four Leaf Milling grains ... So we are on the same track :)

The 100% hydration formula is something that I have read about from a baker called Dave Miller in California. He is using freshly milled flour as well. The high water content thoroughly saturates the flour and allows it to bake out thoroughly. Richard Bourdon who runs the Berkshire Mountain Bakery has a favourite saying “You would never cook a cup of rice in half a cup of water.”

I have noticed a big leap forward in the quality of my wholegbread baking since following these ideas.

cheers, Phil

annie the chef's picture
annie the chef

I think I will have to practice on very wet dough more often if I want to bring my bread to the next level. Of course, I have to freshly mill the flour too.

Look forward to reading your new post.

Annie

Floydm's picture
Floydm

Beautiful, Phil.  May I feature your post on the homepage for a bit?

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thank you Floyd,

I would be honoured ...

Cheers, Phil

SylviaH's picture
SylviaH

What an outstanding bake!  All are superb...I'm unable to pick a favorite.  Thanks for sharing all with the added plus of your gorgeous photos. 

Sylvia

PiPs's picture
PiPs

Thank you Sylvia,

I am hard pressed to pick a favourite also ... They are all delicious!!!

cheers, Phil

golgi70's picture
golgi70 (not verified)

Lovely loaf Phil, 

I agree the toasted unhulled sesame throughout the loaf really brings great flavor as I made a Sesmae sour (didn't look this good) as one of my Farmers Market bakes.  I didn't coat the outsides in seeds as I had none left but I thought it would be super cool to have a line of seeds right where the ear would raise off the loaf.  That would take precision as for putting them on and a perfect score.  Much easier to just coat the whole thing.  I guess this guy out in Chico has you inspired to work with very high hydration doughs.  I gotta go check out his bread.  

As previously stated buy someone else, yes if you put together a bread book I'd also like a copy

Woinderful Baking as per usual

 

Josh

Wingnut's picture
Wingnut

Well what can I say that hasn't already been said?! Absolutely cracking bread mate! I myself have never cared to try a Miche, but that crumb looks bang on, I might just have to give it a go!

Cheers,

Wingnut

jkandell's picture
jkandell

"I am continuing the practice of retarding the wholegrain dough in bulk. Not only does this control the fermentation, but it also allows for an extended ‘wet time’ … this is always a good thing when baking withwhole grains." 

What does the long bulk retard do to the flavor? It's not too sour (the nemesis of whole grain)?

PiPs's picture
PiPs

I wouldn't say that they are overtly sour. A balanced loaf if I catch it at the right moment :)

The biggest trick is getting the dough temp right so it is fermented to the correct point by the next morning.

blackhatbaker's picture
blackhatbaker

Those loaves look amazing. Just spectacular. The miche had such a beautiful crumb color.

Mjanson's picture
Mjanson

how do you transfer the final dough from the basket to the baking pan? When I do it, the dough collapses and there is not enough of an oven spring to bring it up again. Do you bake the sesame whole wheat on a baking stone or in a clay vessel?