April 17, 2020 - 6:32pm
100% Fresh Milled Whole Wheat Poolish Bake - Lean Dough
This was a 100% whole wheat lean dough leavened with a poolish. I used my basic 100% whole wheat same-day sourdough method but substituted 150 grams of poolish for the sourdough starter. The flour is 440 grams of hard red, and 110 grams of spelt, twice milled, no sifting.
I proofed it a little less than usual and got more oven spring than usual, so that was neat. It has a nice light crumb, a crisp crust, and tastes great. I was really happy with how it came out, although I wonder if scoring it deeper would have resulted in it springing apart at the score, rather than next to the score.
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A beautiful bake
In happy with the bread but puzzled by the way it sprang open right next to the score. Have you seen that happen?
Jess,
I would have said that it's a sign of under proofing, but that loaf is perfectly proofed, so I'm going to say it's either that the cut was too shallow, or the oven was too cold. I have this happen when the oven temp was cooler - I think the crust sets up before the center of the loaf is hot. It's not a big deal. That bread is just perfect and must be making some wonderful toast and sandwiches.
-Sumi
That is a great bake Jess, I love the crumb. I think I score it a bit more deeply but of course it is hard to tell without a photo of it prior to baking. In any event, good job with 100% whole wheat.
Benny
Hi,
I am glad to see your great crumb from a dough with poolish!
I am just trying poolishes with lean whole wheat loaves.
You are sure right on the description "nice light crumb, a crisp crust, and tastes great".
My experiments are with 65% of flour in the poolish and am varying the amount of bread flour in the doughs for the non-100% whole grain eaters in the family!
Can you tell me how many hours you are resting the poolish? I am just going by what I see on Youtube pizza poolishes- 24 h and then a second long rest , both in the refrig. On one YT , there is a laminate after the dough mix before the 2 refrigerator rests. it is a bit of trouble but the crumb is so nice!
Thanks for showing your neat bread-freshly milled, 100% , lean!
Hi, thank you for the comments. Hm, this bake was so long ago I don't remember the details.
If I had to guess, I probably made the poolish from yeast and fresh-milled flour, and refrigerated it overnight. The next day I probably used warm water and more fresh-milled flour for the remainder, and let it hydrate for a half hour before mixing it with the polish and fermenting it at warm room temp on the shelf over the stovetop.
I almost never refrigerate / retard the main dough. I'm too impatient and my fridge is too full. I use a poolish to get some sourdough-like depth of flavor without having to use a starter or having to put the main dough in the fridge.