March 10, 2016 - 7:21am
Wholemeal hydration
I made some bread a few years back with mixed results. I live in Goa, India. You can't go out and buy what you want for cooking etc. You have to make do. I've decided to have another go,(monsoon coming in June so more time to play) and I've bought a Kenwood mixer with a dough hook (800W) in the UK. I've made a wholewheat mix before and I was wondering what hydration you experts recommend. I'm thinking a wetter dough might be easier on the motor. Cheers
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100% whole grain bread, in Arizona, at 100% hydration today that is going in a tin. I make mine by had though since the mixer is horrible at making whole grain breads. Just not enough umph!
Welcome and happy baking
ie. mix the flour & water and leave covered for 2 hours or a little more. That's the thing I've learned (mostly from the good folks here) about dealing with 100% wholemeal flour. I'm currently at 80% hydration with no plans to go higher (Shipton MIll or Marriages organic stoneground wholemeal flours)
-Gordon
I'll probably start with 50 or 60% wholemeal. Also I found a mixed grain flour here. Yes I'll be mixing the flours and water and also using a poolish. I haven't used a machine for mixing before, so I'll have to read up on that.
OK... it looks like it's all gone wrong. I'm trying a no knead with a quarter tsp active dry yeast. I used this yeast 2 weeks ago. I started it at 6 am and it's had 12 hours now. Doesn't look like anything has happened. I'm in Goa, India, about 30 C indoors. If I buy some new yeast tomorrow, can I just add? I'm thinking of bunging the mix in the fridge now.
Update. I started a little yeast, sugar and flour with warm water and it's alive.
I left it overnight and there had been some activity. I had a few blips but sort of got some bread out of it. I'm going to try adding 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar next time, a bit less wholemeal flour and slightly lower oven temp. The bottom burnt a little! Taste isn't bad I want a bit more rise.Cheers...
Thanks, I'll take a closer look at that later.
I did do a final shape and rise for 2 hours. The dough was a bit sticky for shaping and I've decided to lower the hydration next time. I'm going to lower the atta % as well. Salt in the original was deemed too low so I went higher. Maybe come down a bit, 2 tsp, say. I didn't preactivate the yeast as they said it didn't matter over the long fermentation time. I was surprised it took so long to "work". I read that the vinegar helps the process but don't know anything about the chemistry.
Yes thanks. Makes sense. I'll lower the salt and hydration. Should make the yeast's and my work easier!
What does the vinegar do?
I saw a video, Bittman revisited Lahey with a quicker method but Lahey put him straight. He used 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar to speed up his process.
I thought with the temperature here, I would see some action sooner. The recipe talks about 12 to 18 hours. Maybe my salt and wholemeal, rather than white flour, slowed it.
Yes, I agree, it was a bit rash. I wasn't thinking. I made a couple of notes this morning and scribbled 1.5 tsp for the next attempt.
Around here atta means durum atta.
Can't see anything on the packaging. It's by Aashirvaad. Just says Superior MP Atta. Presumably MP is Madhya Pradesh. Says 11.8% protein per 100g.
http://www.aashirvaad.com/Aashirvaad-Atta.aspx
There's also Atta with Multigrains. 9.1% mixture of defatted soya flour, oat flour, psyllium husk powder, maize flour and Bengal gram flour.
Started one 7am and it's doubled by 1pm, so I've fridged it.
115g rawa
115g maida
200g atta
1/4 tsp yeast, dissolved
1.5 tsp salt
300ml water + 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar.
Probably leave out the vinegar next time. Most likely the salt was killer before.
Took it out of the fridge at 04.50, and went back to bed! 06.15 did a fold and rest 15 mins. Shaped it and left it for 2 hours. Looked OK so put in the preheated Le Creuset for 30 mins lid on and 15 lid off. Looked OK. Hollow sound, crisp etc but not enough rise and later when I cut it the crumb was too tight. Must get more rise. Taste is OK but not sure yet. Oven was on 210C but as I said earlier it's hotter. I found the oven thermometer and put it in for the last 15 mins when I took the lid off. Ouch! it was 250c!!
I think maybe the fridge messed with it. Also I'll try an extra fold and maybe longer rise next time.
Maybe increase water a little as well.
Yup, timing. That was the problem at the start. Too slow, and now faster than expected, so I'll try to time the next one differently. I thought refrigerating would slow it but obviously too far gone already. We'll see. No panic!