I'm pretty happy with my current daily bread, enough that I'm trying to figure out all the little hacks and tweaks to make it as perfect as possible. I bought 50# of Kernza after trying some fabulous prepackaged smaller quantities, and while the bulk version did not have the same marvelous floral notes as that one smaller batch did, it has a wonderful nutty flavor and these loaves end up just a wee bit sour, nutty and sweet. I add a fair bit of flax for more omega 3 and to help with low gluten from Kernza grain. The loaves are quite small, because I'm primarily baking for one and since I officially crossed over to diabetes, I can only eat so much bread, even when it is as fiber-filled as I can make it.
Mill together to fairly fine wheat
185 grams Joaquin oro hard red wheat
100 grams Kernza
Add to food processor along with
180 mL water
And pulse several times to wet the flour but not necessarily a smooth dough.
Separately, stir together and let thicken
18 grams flax, freshly ground
30 mL water
After 30 minutes of autolyse, add these to the food processor
1 teaspoon salt
A scant 1/8 teaspoon dimalt:ascorbic acid:all purpose flour mix [1.3 g ascorbic acid with 6.5 g dimalt mix plus 7.8 g all purpose flour to dilute it enough to measure it out]
The flax gel prepared above
60 grams refreshed starter
And briefly process, adding extra water as needed for a soft smooth dough (about 40-50 mL). Knead just a bit by hand to be sure any harder lumps are worked in.
Place in a bowl, transfer to proof box set at 90 degrees and let rise a couple of hours. Turn out, knead/fold a couple of times and set to refrigerator overnight.
Return to proof box, let rise, gently knead/shape with just 2-3 more turns, then proof open in flour/fabric lined 'banneton' [improvised from a deep fryer basket and bit of old sheet to fit my mini dutch oven (1.5L)] while preheating the pot & oven to 475° (at least 30 minutes, longer if the dough needs it).
Flip out *gently* onto strip of floured parchment. Use this sling to place the loaf in the heated dutch oven.
Cover and bake 475°F x 15 minutes.
Remove lid & drop temp to 425°F for 10 minutes.
Pop it out of the pot and place directly on oven rack. Drop temp to 350°F and bake another 15 minutes. Bake to 210°F internal temperature.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2rti61i][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54786490877_6af32b1b12_z.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/2rti61i]Oven SPRING![/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/debunix/]debunix[/url], on Flickr
I created a photo essay on my Flickr for an earlier version of this bread with a different flour mix (hard white wheat without the kernza), but the results are very similar with the kernza/Joaquin oro,nice rise and crust but slightly gummy crumb.
These loaves are so nice now that I’m working to really try to perfect the recipe: the bread comes out with just a hint of sourness plus really nice nutty whole wheat flavor. I've already played with saltolyse vs autolyse, different time/temp steps for the baking, and using or skipping my home-made bread improver. And because my low-gluten loaves came out so flat if the sides weren't supported, I searched and searched and found some fabulous 1.5 quart dutch ovens that are just right for one of my loaves (my previous generic loaf starting with 500g wheat was too much for these little pots).
*I’m using my own starter that I began with the Pineapple Juice Solution from Breadtopia & Peter Reinhart, but starting with, and consistently refreshed with a fresh milled emmer:barley 50:50 blend flour.
It’s a remarkable starter, the best I’ve ever had. After refreshing to make a loaf, I cover it with a thick layer of the emmer:barley flour, and I just leave it in the refrigerator in a glass wire-bail jar, sealed. I open it up the night before I want to use it, stir the covering flour and some fresh filtered water into it, and keep it room temp overnight, or in a proof box if I want to use it a little sooner.
I suspect the barley is a big part of why it is such a very happy riser.
