33% Whole Wheat Artisan Bread (Revamped)

Hello loyal follower(s),

We have now been back at St George, UT for ten days and have been gradually returning to our normal routines.  Which means it is time to make some bread
My choice was the recipe from May 17, 2011 which was revised July 9, 2011.  One glaring error still remained which called for baking the bread for 50 minutes, which I hope was just a typo.  Anyway, there are changes that need to be made, that reflect what I have learned in the last year and half.
    First of  all, when rereading the book; My Bread by Jim Lahey, it finally came  through that he did very little deflating of the dough, thus leaving many air pockets in the dough which would translate into large irregular bubbles in the bread.
    Secondly, the concept of delayed fermentation is a neat idea but impracticable because it takes hours for the dough to warm up after refrigeration before you start the 18 hour fermentation. I decided to skip that step this time.
    Thirdly making two loaves at a time creates a problem when the dough is  split into two loaves.  I tried to separate the dough immediately after the 18 hour fermentation, and then form round without deflating the dough.

This was one of the loaves ready for a second fermentation without deflating the dough before forming a round.

This was the second loaf, notice the open spot which I think was from some of the air bubbles in the non-deflated dough.

After the almost two hours of the second fermentation, the loaves were placed into the hot Dutch ovens and then placed into the 450℉ oven for thirty minutes.

After thirty minutes the loaves were removed and placed on a piece of aluminum foil and baked  for another 20-25 minutes our until the internal temperature was 200-205℉.  Notice the foil on top of the loaves? It keeps the top from becoming too dark, use your judgement.

Voilà! the finish loaves.  Some people would prefer a darker crust than shown here.  I like the light crust.

Just look at that great crumb.  That was what I was seeking all along for the past two years.

But  by deflating the dough I was removing the bubbles I was seeking.







Why am I making bread again after declaring myself gluten intolerant in July  2012?  Because my intolerance of gluten was greatly exaggerated, I seem to handle gluten OK now.


Revamped recipe follows:

À bientôt, Mr Nut

33% Whole Wheat  Artisan Bread 

Revised Sept 22, 2012

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.

     Optionally, delayed fermentation can be used (3 to 10 hours) which  will soften the bran

 in the whole wheat and 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

about 2 1/2 cups cool 55-65℉ water (20 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 just enough cool water  to yield a firm but workable dough.  Keep mixing to a minimum. 
2.  I usually omit this: 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 before beginning the fermentation process.
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.

1. Create the two loaves:  Gently remove the dough (in one piece) from the bowl on to a floured working surface. Cut the dough into two pieces and form  rounds. 

1. Second Fermentation: Set out two 15-inch square of baking parchment paper.   Generously dust them with flour.  Place the rounds into the center of the parchment papers.  Generously dust the rounds 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.   

1. 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).  This recipe is based on cast Iron pots with  base diameter of 6.75 inches, which will yield two pound and half loaves. 

1. 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 30 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).

1. 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.