Chazuettes

Baguettes

Whole Wheat Worries

I recently purchased a bag of flour from a local farm that had more chaff than usual and have been struggling with making whole wheat loaves. After sifting the flour, I wound up with about half of it being unusable germ and bulk that would only make a thick loaf for soup or hardy sandwiches. For the airy breads I want, I've had to use a mixture of King Arthur unbleached all purpose and the bulky whole wheat. I found that between 13 and 17 percent unsifted whole wheat was a prime mixture for a full and somewhat uniform crumb. 

The Solution is Dillution

200 grams ripe starter

557 grams water

865 grams white

138 grams unsifted whole wheat

18 grams salt

In a bowl was mixed 543 grams of water and the full starter. Then, pre-combined flour on top and gently mixed with a wooden spoon. Let mixture sit for an hour and added 14 grams of water and all the salt. Folded every hour for 3 hours and let sit covered at 60 degrees(f) for 9 hours. Spread on floured surface, quartered, shaped, and sit in floured couche for 2.5 hours before throwing into a 500 degree(f) oven with water thrown on the bottom. Baked until golden brown. Smothered with local raw butter, sprinkled with salt and cracked pepper, delicious.