33% Whole Wheat Rustic Artisan Bread

Hello loyal follower(s)

    On April 29, 2011 Mr Nut's blog was about a marbled bread that was 33% whole wheat.  The result was  an unexpected, but great outcome.
    Last Sunday 5-15-11, Mr Nut tried again to develop a 33% whole wheat artisan bread.  The problem was that delaying the fermentation of just the whole wheat dough and afterwards trying to combine it with the rest of the dough would of required Flat Paddle or the Dough Hook (too much mixing).  Either way the large and varied air hole would be gone.  The less mixing, the more varied the air holes.  Thus this time  all the ingredients were mixed and then subjected to delayed fermentation.  Then the dough was placed on a heating pad and left to ferment for 12 to 18 hours.

At this point the bread was done baking in the Dutch Oven for 35 minutes and the internal temperature was 186℉.  It then baked for another 10 minutes, at that time the internal temperature was 198℉.

Top view, at 198℉ you would think the bread was done.  However, Mr Nut would refer you to the blog of May 11, 2011 about Grilled Lamb Chops, where a short article from Cook's Illustrated was presented.  "Internal temperature is less useful than appearance as a sigh of a well-baked loaf".


This bread needed more baking, notice how pale the crust was.

Bottom view should be more chestnut colored.

The crumb looked good and tasted good, but still a little more baking would make the crumb even better.

The adjustments are reflected in the following recipe.

À bientôt,
Mr Nut

33% Whole Wheat Rustic Artisan Bread 

Revised July 9, 2011

Yield two seven inch rounds each about 1 1/2 pounds

European style: (Crisp-crust; large air spaces)

Inspired by Jim Lahey’s My Bread and 

Cook's Illustrated website (Published September 1, 2003 )

Modified for a Cuisinart stand mixer, with speeds from 1 to 12

        Finally, Mr Nut found (in Canada) the perfect sized cast iron Dutch ovens. They are 3.3L or 3.48 quarts.  The most important measurement was the inside bottom diameter, which was 6.75 inches. The inside top diameter was 8 inches and the depth was 4.5 inches. 

       This recipe provides freedom of choice with timing and techniques.  It is possible to start this bread anytime of the day and modify or delay the fermentation time to meet your schedule.  

    Bread flour is wheat flour minus the germ the bran leaving only the endosperm. The endosperm contains the two proteins needed for making gluten. Vital Wheat Gluten needs to be added to help compensate for the smaller amount of gluten-forming proteins in the whole wheat flour.

     By using delayed fermentation with the dough (3 to 10 hours) the bran in the whole wheat softens, which decreases the tearing of the gluten sheets.  Long fermentation at room temperature eliminates kneading and allows for the yeast to work its magic.  

The following (optional) natural healthful ingredients are added to improve bread volume or taste. 

Sea Salt, which contains additional minerals for better gluten development.

Dough Enhancer: self explanatory (see blog from April 5, 2011). 

Wheat Gluten: It helps improve the rise and texture of the bread.

Fresh Rosemary: A natural antioxidant, acts as a preservative and flavorer.

     

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour ( 10 ounces, 280g)

1/4 cup vital wheat gluten (1.25 ounces, 35g)

4 cups (20 oz, 560 g) flour bread flour

1 tablespoon Sea Salt

1/4 cup Dough Enhancer

1 teaspoon instant dry yeast

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 2/3 cups 40-50℉ water (21 fl ounces)

1. Mixing: In the mixer bowl using the Chef’s Whisk at speed one, mix the blue ingredients.  Change to the Flat Paddle Blade on speed 1 and add the cold water.  Keep mixing to a minimum. 
2. Delayed fermentation: Move the dough to another bowl.   Spray the top of the dough with oil, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate  the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Make the time fit your time schedule. Caution:  After the delayed fermentation you may want to place the dough on  a heating pad and allow it to return to room temperature quicker.
3. First fermentation is at room temperature (equal or greater than 72℉) for 12 to 18 hours. Again, make the time fit your time schedule, even 12 hours is workable.
4. Deflate dough:  Gently press down on center of dough to deflate. Holding edge of dough with fingertips, fold dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky. Turn bowl quarter turn; fold again. Turn bowl and fold dough 2 more times (maximum of 4 folds). Remove the dough from the bowl and form a round.  Cut the dough into two pieces and again form rounds.
5. Second Fermentation: Set out two 15-inch square of baking parchment paper. “Form fit” the parchment paper into a skillet or bowl just slightly smaller in diameter than the Dutch oven to be used. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray, then generously dust them with flour.  Place the rounds into the center of the parchment papers.  Smooth out and round the surface to form a round shaped, domed loaf; they may be sticky, so flour your hands. Generously dust the dough with more flour.  Tent the bowl with nonstick spray-coated foil, or a large bowl.  Let it ferment for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the dough doubles from the deflated size.   
6. Preparing the oven: About thirty minutes before the end of the second fermentation, place the “Dutch oven” type pots in the oven on the rack just below the midpoint of the height of the oven and preheat the oven to 450℉ (takes about 20 minutes).  If you have a pizza stone, place it on the lowest oven rack ( makes a heat sink). NOTE: If you are using a hard-anodized aluminum Dutch Ovens, you may want to adjust the temperature down  to 425℉, and maybe decrease the baking time. This recipe is based on cast Iron pots with  base diameter of 6.75 inches, which will yield two pound and half loaves. 
7. Baking: Treat the parchment paper as a sling and carefully lower the dough with the parchment paper under the dough, into the HOT Dutch ovens. Bake on the middle rack for 50 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven lids.  Lift the loaves from the pots using the parchment paper as a sling, and remove the parchment paper and place the loaves on the middle oven shelf on a piece of aluminum foil.  (If the top is well browned, cover it with foil.).  Bake until the crust is a rich chestnut color, and the internal temperature of the loaf is about 200- 205℉. (about 25 to 35 minutes longer).   Note: the appearance of the loaf is more important in determining the doneness of the loaf than the internal temperature (from Cook's illustrated magazine, May-June 2011 page 31).
8. Remove the loaf from the oven and place them on a rack to cool thoroughly. Don't slice the bread until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour.