100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
I’m not sure but I think it might have been more than a year ago that I made a 100% whole wheat bread of this sort. I realized that I hadn’t even used my banneton this year yet so it was really overdue. Since I am out of practice I decided to keep the same formula as my last loaf more or less but wanted to use my Ankarsrum Assistent to develop the dough. As with my previous 100% whole grain hearth loaves that were successful, I sifted out the bran with my #40 sieve and then did a scald of the bran. This was refrigerated overnight. All the bran was added back to the dough after it was well developed. The dough was started at a lower hydration and then additional water was added by bassinage. In the end the hydration was about 90%.
The stiff levain was built and left to ferment overnight at 74ºF.
The next morning to the bowl of my Ankarsrum Assistent I added the water and then the levain. The levain was broken down in water and then the sifted flour was added and a short mix on slow speed was done until no dry flour remained. After 10 mins of rest at about 2-3 speed the dough was kneaded until at least moderate gluten development achieved. The salt was sprinkled onto the dough and then the hold back water was added gradually until it was fully absorbed. Next the hydrated bran was gradually added to the dough while the Ankarsrum Assistent continued to knead the dough until the bran was well distributed. The dough was then flipped out of the bowl of the mixer and a bench letterfold was done. An aliquot of dough was removed to measure the pH of the dough. I am aiming for a drop in pH of about 1.0-1.1 for shaping and then another 0.3 at the time of baking.
Then at 30 mins intervals coil folds x 4 done
Pre-heat oven 500°F with cast iron skillet in the oven and set up for open steam baking in anticipation of pH targeted baking.
30 mins prior to baking, pour 1 L of boiling water into metal loaf pan with Sylvia towel and place on baking steel on the lowest rack of the oven.
Once oven reaches 500ºF turn dough out of banneton, brush excess rice flour off, score and then brush with water. Transfer to oven. Pour 250 mL of boiling water into the cast iron skillet on a high shelf, high enough that the dough have fully bloom. Drop temperature to 450ºF and bake with steam for 25 mins. Then vent oven and remove all steaming gear and drop temperature to 425ºF. Bake for another 25-30 mins rotating as needed.
Comments
Very good oven spring for 100% whole wheat. Sifting out some bran and adding it back during the mix in was the key I think. Cheers.
I have a #40 mesh sieve and will give this some thought.
Thank you Gavin, I’m pretty happy with this bake especially given how long it has been since I’ve done any hearth loaves. I agree, developing the gluten pretty well before adding the scalded bran is likely part of its success instead of the bran interfering with gluten development. You should give it a try if you haven’t already.
Benny
Great looking loaf, Benny, especially for 100% WW. I agree with Gavin about the OS. A scald is good, but as a quick and easy alternative I have become a fan of sifting out the bran, whizzing it up in a blade spice/coffee grinder and adding it back in. I don't bother getting my graded sieves out, just use a fine kitchen sieve.
I also find that my new Krups spice grinder makes the bran much finer than my ageing Moulinex one.
Lance
Interesting idea Lance, I’ve never considered trying to make the bran finer. I’ll try to remember to try that next time, but I still like the idea of the scald and adding the scalded bran to the dough after it is moderately developed.
Benny
Sift and scald is probably better if there's a lot of bran like you had. Whizz up is handy if you are just using, say 20% WW.
BTW, what sort of % rise did you have for pH drop of 1.0?
I never get drops that big. It must be down to the yeast/lactic ratio in the levain.
Lance
Sometimes the aliquot jar doesn’t reflect what the dough seems to be doing, this was one of those cases. I was glad that I had the pH data to follow otherwise this probably would have over fermented. Typically for this formula I am seeing a 40% rise for the pH drop of 1.0. This is when I use my rye starter which does seem to produce more acidity. I’ll have to try this with the while flour starter and see how that goes as that one doesn’t seem to produce as much acidity.
Benny
It’s been a while since I have made a sour sourdough bread. This was moderately sour with the heartiness of the whole wheat. The crumb was surprisingly custard like. I was pleasantly surprised to see blisters on a 100% whole wheat loaf, I don’t recall getting blisters before on a 100% whole grain bread before.
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Bennie,
That's a nice looking loaf. I going to give the sift and bran scald a try the next time I make my standard WW SD loaves.
Tony
Yes Tony you should try the sift and scald for your high ratio or all whole grain breads. I only really had success once I started to try this. I’ll be very interested in seeing how it works for you.
Benny
Looking good, have a good time.
Thank you Abel, I hope you’re doing well too.
Benny
Nice to see this! It very much has your signature hearth bread look. You clearly haven't lost your touch : )
Thank you AG that is very kind of you to say. I hope you’re doing well.
Benny
If planned ahead enough id be tempted to try more than just a scald perhaps a simmer for a while to really soften up those bran particles, A day ahead and it could really nullify the brans abrasive edge i shall have to try this myself when my new red wheat arrives i will probably simmer and then drown it in the home brew stout for an overnight soak (Drunken Bran ) Well done Benny
Interesting ideas Derek. I’d have to increase the hydration for the bran higher than 200% since that hydration is fully absorbed by the bran.
Benny
Great looking crust and crumb. You certainly haven’t lost your touch.
Happy baking!
Ian
Thank you Ian, I’m glad that this turned out well. It was nice to have baked an actual sour sourdough bread which I realized I haven’t in some time.
Happy Baking
Benny
That's a beautiful whole wheat loaf. I really like the even, boxy shape of it.
Thank you John, much appreciated, I liked the overall shape of it as well, much better than a pancake LOL.
Benny
Impressive! I have been trying to bake 100% whole wheat SD bread lately, using the Anita's Sprouted whole wheat flour, and still need to find the magical formula...I think I might try your method tomorrow and scald the bran.
Thank you Gail, I’ve convinced myself that sifting and scalding the bran is the way to make this type of bread. This allows you to develop the gluten without the bran interfering with that step. Also scalding the bran really helps with softening the bran again so it interferes less with the gluten. Good luck, I hope you try the sift and scald method.
Benny
Could you tell me how long you bulked and then proofed your dough?
Generally I will follow the rise or pH or a combination of both. At a temperature of 82°F the bulk was 4.5 hours and final proof done at the same temperature was about 2 hours with an additional cold retard while the oven pre-heated. Hope that helps.
Benny