Fall Multigrain Sourdough

Well, it’s fall and the hearty breads are calling.  This turned out to be a fun one with some elements new to my multigrain loaves. 

I have a new toy!  I got crackin’ on some rye berries with the cheapest burr coffee grinder I could find (I couldn’t bring myself to try using the good coffee grinder I already have).  I made a coarse rye meal to use in place of the rye flour that would normally have gone into a loaf like this.  I can tell this thing is going to get a workout.  It’s not up to making actual flour or large amounts of anything, but it is perfect for tinkering with any whole grain that strikes my fancy.

The other first for me was the millet and quinoa.  I don’t know what took me so long but they both worked beautifully and have a flavor different from the usual seeds and grains I use.  The only catch is getting them to just the right softness.  On my first attempt at this I gave them a hot soak by pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit overnight.  This didn’t soften them as much as I thought it might.  They were visually striking in the bread but a little hard on the teeth, at least until the bread was bagged overnight.  For the loaves pictured here they were fully cooked.  That made the bread easier on the dental work but the grains weren’t very noticeable.  Something to tinker with.

And then there is the hydration.  I give the dry weights of the millet and quinoa in the formula as a starting point, but the results can vary widely depending on how cooked the grains are and how much water you manage to squeeze out before adding them to the dough.  The dough pictured here was very, very wet. 

So this isn’t the most precise formula you will ever come across.  That’s kind of the point, though.  This is the sort of bread I won’t ever make exactly the same way twice.  The whole fun of multigrain is grabbing whatever sounds good and seeing what happens! 

I can’t really give a detailed method for the same reason – it’s different every time. 

This is not one of those subtle, delicate breads.  No matter how it comes together it will have loads of flavor and texture.  Perfect for the season!

Marcus

I got a chance to get out on my bike with the camera and catch the last golden bit of fall.