Whole grain bread: ugh… a dense and heavy sticky brick – open crumb? Impossible! Well…not here at #brotokoll – all we can say to these prejudices is: „Once upon time …“
Stay tuned for a fabulous whole grain pleasure – the only thing you might ask yourself after having baked this loaf is: who the hell caught the last slice?
Mock`n Roll Series
A whole range of experiments has been finally completed and the tantalizing waiting time for you is over! Here we go with the first recipe of this still young year!
#brotokoll proudly presents the already announced Mock’n Roll Series! Either with just a small portion or even (like in this brandnew recipe) 100% whole grain. These recipe series are full of aromatic fireworks and surprises!
We are the Millers – join the journey!
Is there a difference between whole grain and whole grain? What kind of maybe unknown but healthful components can be found in freshly milled flour? And how comes that someone decides to build houshold mills? I found a real entrepreneur for all my questions – the Prince of Milling and King of Mock’n Roll: Wolfgang Mock. You missed the interview? Check THIS out!
Whole grain & Open Crumb
“But crumb! What big holes you have,” said Roasty Little Bread Riding Hood
Open Crumb in a whole grain loaf is not achievable! Who said that?
There are some important parameters we have to take care of, in order to end up with an airy whole grain loaf:
- Sourdough/Levain: same as for any bread where we hunt after an Open Crumb, we need a levain with a strong leavening power – also the levain amount ist crucial (but you will be surprised how small the required quantity actually is)
- Extended Autolyse: if you choose to knead by hand, a longer autolyse is generally must – as for whole grain, I made the experience that an even more extended autolyse than normally, (up to 4-5 hours at room temperature) favors your whole grain Open Crumb adventure
- Dough strength: Whole grain dough tends to relax easily. Therefore, we have to adapt our stretch & fold cyclus (including lamination) in order to stabilize the loaf’s shape and to maximize oven spring (credits: Trevor J. Wilson in his Open Crumb Mastery)
- Gluten development: Bran and germ seem to „disturb“ the dough during the gluten development process (which starts already during our extened autolyse) – you’ll figure out how we’ll handle that in the recipe below!
- Bulk fermentation: last but not least, it requires a perfect timing for interrupting and stopping bulk fermentation in order to avoid an overproofed whole grain dough (which is fermenting way faster than doughs with a lower or no portion of whole grain)
Roasty Little bread riding hood – with a peppered crumb
And this is what our whole grain fairy tale is made of:
Red wheat (an ancient wheat – available at Bon’gu) which contributes to a beautiful play of colors and a mouthwatering nutty aroma.
Einkorn delivers a really crunchy crust.
The roasted bran, germ and pearl barley in combination with wild Indian Assampepper are the perfect ingredients for a roasty bread symphony.
I am pretty sure about what you will scream out loud after having tasted this new steak-sandwich-suitable smoky crunchy #brotokoll highlight:
Mock’n Roll !!
Enjoy this fairy tale! Happy baking with Roasty Little Bread Riding Hood!
P.S.: don’t miss even more hints, tricks and recipes in our #brotokoll workshops! You’ll find all related infos in the event calendar HERE ! Some of the ticketing websites are in German. If you have any language troubles during the booking process, please contact me HERE.
Use your levain at an age of 5 hours (let it rise at an ambient temperature of 25 degrees Celsius).
I highly recommend using the same flour for building the levain, as you are using it for your usual sourdough feeding. Check out my sample feeding-schedule in the recipe "Lime story"
32g Einkorn
32g Pearl barley
At first, roast the pearl barley for a couple of minutes in a pan (without oil) - don't do that too long, otherwise the taste will get a quite bitter note. Let the barley cool down - now mill it together with the remaining grains (Red wheat and Einkorn) at medium level (example - Mockmill: level 5). Repeat this milling procedure at the finest milling level (Mockmill: level 1). Now, sift your freshly milled flour. Roast a third of the remaining bran and germ in a pan, mill it together with the remaining bran and germ at the finest level possible (Mockmill: level 1) and leave it aside.
215g Water (cold)
Mix all the flour with the indicated amount of water, let the dough rest well covered for 4 hours at room-temperature (Autolyse). I would recommend you to start the autolyse roughly 1 hour after you startet with building your levain.
65g Levain
7g Salt
All milled bran and germ
Add your levain to the autolyse dough and mix it by hand for 5 minutes (follow the instruction-video in the basics-section: Basics | Open Crumb - Sourdough Series | Kneading). Now add all the bran and germ an gently knead until everything is well incorporated. You may add some water if the dough appears to stiff. Cover the dough and let it rest for 25 minutes. Now add the salt and knead another 2-3 minutes. Put the dough into a greased container and let it rest well covered for 30 minutes at an ambient temperature of 25 degrees (the temperature should stay at that level during the whole bulk fermentation).
Moisten your working surface with water, release the dough onto the surface and perform a strong set of stretch and folds (but remember that this dough is more delicate than a breadflour dough!). Return the dough into the greased container and let it rest for 30-40 minutes. Moisten your working surface again with water, release the dough onto the surface and laminate (follow the instruction-video in the basics-section: Basics | Open Crumb - Sourdough Series | Lamination). If you go for the "spicy" option of this recipe, sprinkle now the crushed Assam pepper onto the dough. Once finished the lamination, return the dough into the greased container and let it rest for 45 minutes. Lightly stretch and fold and let the dough rest for another 45 minutes. Repeat the light stretch and fold and let the dough ferment until it achieves a volume increase of approximately 30-40%. and let the dough rest (Just in case your dough was still not strong enough to hold it's shape after the second light S&F, perform another set of light S&F, 45 minutes the second folding).
The indicated recipe quantities are for 1 loaf of 570g.
Check out my sample levain-building timetable at the recipe Lime story.
The whole selfmilling process is a really amazing and special experience. Why? Because from choosing the grains until the final bread - it is all in your own hands. Moreover, you will see that you will enter a totally new flavor world! If you don't have a mill at home - take the chance to get freshly milled flour at a health food store - or, as an alternative you can certainly use already milled wholegrain flour for the recipe.
Do you have specific questions or issues? Contact me via the contact form. I am happy to help you.
2 comments
Do you soak the bran after sifting, and do you mill it more than once to get it even and fine?
Hi Nikolai! No, in the specific recipe the bran was not soaked, but milled twice to get it fine! Cheers, Alex