Make Bread Softer With a Scald/Yudane

I gave up doing bran scalds in my whole wheat bread a while back, as it didn't make much difference in my bread and I didn't enjoy all the fiddly sifting and messing about with it.  These days I just mix the dough and let it sit for half an hour to hydrate before I start kneading.

However, if I want an extra tender and soft bread I have started experimenting with doing a flour scald instead, which you can read about here: http://www.wholegrain100.com/making-yeast-bread-blog/converting-your-recipe-to-yudane

And here: https://www.marcelpaa.com/rezepte/tipps-und-tricks-zu-vollkornbroten/ This is in German but if you use the Chrome browser you can tell it to translate the page.

My current working version of how to convert a recipe to use a flour scald:

1. Increase the liquid in the recipe to minimum 75% of the weight of the flour.
2. Then set aside 20% of the recipe flour and an equal amount of the recipe water (by weight) to use in the scald.
   - Edit: 10 to 20% of the flour, based on info from Einfach Backen - Marcel Paa
   
3. Boil the scald water and pour it over the scald flour and stir,  then let it cool before adding it all back into the dough when you mix everything together.
4. Feel the dough after the final mix and add more water if needed or if it is meant to be a higher hydration dough.
5. Let the mixed dough sit for half an hour for the gluten and bran in the dry flour to fully hydrate before you start kneading.

Example of Scald/Yudane Method:

• Your recipe calls for 450 grams whole wheat flour. Multiply by .75 to get about 338 grams total liquid.
• 20% of 450 is 90, so you'll use 90 grams of the flour and 90 grams of the liquid in the scald,
• This leaves 360 grams flour and 248 grams water for the remaining dough.

Porridge/Tanghzong Method:

If using porrige method, make it using 3x the amount of water to flour. Then subtract 2/3 this amount water from the main dough. Overall hydration is increased with this method, but might need to be increased more since the water is so bound up in the porridge. Add some of this water amount gradually back to the dough after mixing if needed to correct hydration. - based on info from Einfach Backen - Marcel Paa

Example of Porridge Method:

Your recipe calls for 450 grams whole wheat flour. Multiply by .75 to get about 338 grams total liquid.

1. Set aside 45 grams of flour and 3 x this amount (135 grams) of the recipe water (by weight) to use in the porridge.
   
   
2. This leaves 203 grams water for the remaining dough.
3. Cook the porridge until very thick and all the water is absorbed.
4. Combine porridge with flour and remaining recipe water, and other ingredients.
5. Also measure out 2/3 the amount of water that went into the porridge, which may be needed to correct the hydration. In this case, 90 grams.
6. Feel the dough after the final mix and if needed, gradually add this additional water, 10 grams at a time, until the dough is soft, not stiff.
7. Let the mixed dough sit for half an hour for the gluten and bran in the dry flour to fully hydrate before you start kneading.

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