20221020 Simple 100% whole-wheat bread with CLAS
Please see here and here to learn more about concentrated lactic acid sourdough (CLAS).
Thanks to CLAS, I can make delicious 100% whole-wheat bread with freshly milled flour in just a few hours without using fat, dairy, sugar, eggs, or vital wheat gluten!
Ingredients
A.
90% fresh white whole-wheat flour ground in the Vitamix, 450g
10% white whole-wheat flour from WW CLAS, 50g
15% water from WW CLAS, 75g
B.
55% water, 275g
C.
2% salt, 10g
0.3% yeast, 1.5g
D.
8% water, 40g
Total dough weight ~900g
Mix
I find the windowpane test unnecessary and usually skip it when mixing whole wheat dough. Instead, I check the dough's elasticity occasionally by tugging it during mixing. I consider the mixing done once it feels extensible and isn't stiff anymore. This method helps me create tall and airy 100% whole-wheat bread without using any enrichments or additives.
Mix the dough using the Zojirushi bread machine, programmed for 10 minutes - for the first 3 minutes, the paddles are just stirring gently to bring the ingredients together, and in the remaining 7 minutes, the kneading begins.
1. +A, start the machine
2. gradually +B until a dough forms; continue to mix
(1st 10-min cycle)
3. +C, mix to incorporate and develop gluten
4. once the dough feels strong, start drizzling D
(2nd 10-min cycle)
5. continue to mix and gradually +D until the dough can barely absorb more water.
(3rd 10-min cycle)
Bulk ferment
32C x 120 mins
The dough doubled.
Shape
with wet hands
fold the dough ~4-6 times into a log
dump into a 9x4x4 Pullman lined with parchment slings
Prove
33-34C x 45 mins
Bake
Preheat to 535F
Lower to 482F once loaded
482F x 10 mins with steam
392F x 30 mins w/o steam; cover the top with foil if it becomes too dark
unmold
392F x 15 mins directly on the stone, or bake longer until it taps hollow
That's it!
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How to make whole-wheat CLAS
ground wheat malt: 25g
Whole grain wheat flour: 75g
Water T. 45°C: 140 ml
Vinegar (5% acidity): 10 ml
Fermentation temperature: 38°C±2°C
Fermentation time: 24-36h
Hydration: 150%
End pH: around 4
To refresh wheat CLAS
1:7 (wheat flour in CLAS: new wheat flour), no vinegar needed
150% hydration@38+-2 C x 12 hours
I usually make about 500g of CLAS at a time with 200g of grains. It stays in the fridge until I need it to bake, and I stir it thoroughly before use. I usually warm it up with one of Zo's fermentation features while I prepare the remaining ingredients. When I've used up most of the 500g of CLAS, I refresh it using the 1:7 ratio to make another 500g, give or take.
I set up a water bath (~low 40s C) in the Instant Pot, support the container with a trivet, and use the Instant Pot's yogurt feature to make CLAS:
Then cover it with the lid.
P.S. 20230722
I can also make CLAS in the Zo using its 'Rise 3' feature because it operates within the same temperature range as a yogurt maker. I can either take out the bread pan, place the container with CLAS in the bread machine, supporting it with a trivet, or ferment the CLAS directly in the bread pan.
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How I develop gluten for whole wheat dough
https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/68309/how-i-develop-whole-wheat-doughs-gluten
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The mixing is complete.
It develops very strong gluten even without autolyse. CLAS rocks!💪💪💪
Just sit back and watch the dough rise. Easy peasy!
Ta-da!
Comments
Or, are those different things you are adding?
10% whole-wheat flour from CLAS, 50g
15% water from CLAS, 75g
Questions on CLAS:
How much CLAS do you make at a time?
Do you keep it in the fridge?
I'm guessing it settles over time. Do you stir or shake it before use?
Do you remove from the fridge the night before? Or simply use warm enough water?
Hi, Gary:
How much CLAS do you make at a time?
200g grains, ~500g CLAS
Do you keep it in the fridge?
Y
I'm guessing it settles over time. Do you stir or shake it before use?
Stir thoroughly before use.
Do you remove from the fridge the night before?
N
Or simply use warm enough water?
Ideally, I should let it come to room temperature naturally, but I rarely do that. I usually warm it up in a warm water bath.
P.S. Or warm it up with one of Zo's fermentation features while I prepare the rest of the bread's ingredients.
Yippee
Superb Yippie!
Benny
Looks great Yippee!
Thank you, guys!
Yippee
Hi Yippee,
I really find it inspiring to see what a fine clas bake can be like!!
The color and shape make it so appetizing.
Thanks for all the details on how to mix.
for your kind words, but I attribute a large part of the success of this bread to CLAS, so the credit goes to Rus.
Yippee
Hi Yippee,
This recipe is my favorite!! We have the bread almost daily at dinner.
I tried 4.2% (down from 5.3%) whole grain wheat malt and 95.8% hard red wheat. ( 20/475; but may try 18,16,14...)
There are swirls that you can see (maybe I didn't uniformly mix the wheat and wh malt flours after grinding them),
but overall the malt seems to lighten what I was getting. I will keep working on it. The 30 min zoji mix was so helpful.
You were right that I would love using clas!!
PS Now I know about the swirls!- I floured the table when shaping instead of using wet hands.
So glad I could help! Go CLAS!💪💪💪
Yippee
Yippee, this bread looks great! I've been watching Rus Brot's videos and want to try CLAS (and his ryes), but haven't been able to find a source for wheat or rye malt yet so I'm going to start with the maltless version.
I've never done sourdough, but I have a friend who does and it is a lengthy, laborious process that starts a week before he bakes. This appearrs to be a great alternative.
Hi Precaud,
You and Rus make it in glass containers. I have a neat little 1L yogurt maker with stainless steel pot. Will that work?
I don't see why not if you are sure the acid is not reacting with the metal.
Do I really need to get a PH meter? I'm very much into tools but the little PH meters look pretty iffy to me, needing constant calibration.
The readiness of CLAS can also be judged by its taste and smell, but I haven't done it that way. You don't have to rely on a pH meter's reading if you trust your senses.
Do I understand correctly, you make CLAS the day before you plan to bake, in 1:7 proportion to the final dough weight. Is that correct?
NNN
I have been using CLAS straight from the fridge to make high-quality bread with good results. As I told Gary above, I usually make about 500g of CLAS at a time with 200g of grains. It stays in the fridge until I need it to bake, and I stir it thoroughly before use. I usually warm it up with one of Zo's fermentation features while I prepare the remaining ingredients. When I've used up most of the 500g of CLAS, I refresh it using the 1:7 ratio to make another 500g, give or take.
I've never done sourdough, but I have a friend who does and it is a lengthy, laborious process that starts a week before he bakes. This appearrs to be a great alternative.
Using CLAS, I can skip all the tedious prep work and produce a fabulous wholesome loaf in no time - this is the biggest selling point of CLAS for me.
Yippee
Hi,
I use this ph paper to check clas.
I don't really need it but I like looking at the color of the paper strip after 12 or 18 hr when I am refreshing.