WanyeKest's blog

This is the latest addition to my daily bread rotation. The idea of building this formula is to create a sort of 'cookie cutter' formula, in which the black rice portion can be swapped with other gluten free flours (oats, buckwheat, bean flours, toasted bran, brown rice, etc) depending on what I have on hands. And also to prevent boredom. The goal is to create a dough that is rougly equivalent to dough made with 100% 10% protein white flour.

Theoretically the dough is stronger than APF dough, because all the gluten spent less time fermenting (all black rice went to levain, all 13% protein white flour is added during final mixing), hence less gluten breakdown. The black rice starter is a lot more vigorous than when it was still being fed atta flour. My typical formula involved 30% prefermented flour. But now even at 23% PFF, the loaf was overproofed at the same exact proofing time.

One thing that I found highly interesting, although the hydration is 75%, the tweak made the dough felt like 68% hydration dough, with all black rice goes to final mixing.

Overall: 75% hydration, 23% black rice flour, 3 stages levain, cold pot method, 50% hydration starter & levain, black rice starter.

Day 1

Mix 3 g 50% hydration black rice starter, 6 g black rice flour, and 3 g water. Ferment for 2 hours, then refrigerate.

Day 2

Mix previous levain with 24 g black rice flour and 12 g water. Ferment until mature.

Mix previous levain with 78 g black rice and 39 g water. Ferment for 2 hours, then refrigerate

Day 3

Dechill levain for 45 minutes

Puree levain with 305 g water for 10-15 seconds. Mix well with 370 g 13% protein white flour. Rest 20 minutes.

Mix well 11 g salt. Stretch the dough up using spatula north-south and east-west. Lift the dough up in the air using wet hands, S&F it north-south and east-west. Rest 20 minutes.

Repeat the wet hands S&F and 20 minutes rest until the dough resisting stretch. Usually takes me 1.5 hours or two. I never preshape after the last 20 minutes rest.

Shape and proof in parchment lined enameled pan. During the last 15 minutes of proofing, blow dry the loaf with standing fan.

Score and bake 250 °C for 45 minutes using baking stone.

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Taste Assessment

This bread has subtle literal sweet taste (the starter itself smells alcoholic, with literal sweet and sour flavor). The vanilla-ish flavor of black rice is perceivable. I couldn't notice acetic smell without trying hard. Flavor wise, this is a loaf I would confidently gift my picky Asian acquaintances without sounding like a snob trying to explain how to enjoy sourdough (lol). This bread pairs well with peanut butter and curry.

Note:

I prefer more extensible dough, because it gives me clearer signal on when to stop doing S&F. The dough was surprisingly too elastic for my liking. I'd do 80% hydration next time.

Line your pan with parchment VERY well. At this hydration (and higher), black sticky rice displays the reason why it earned it's name (I learned it the hard way. Three times. lol)

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In my previous blog post, I mentioned that the post will be my only post, simply as a 'gratitude' post for all the bread baking knowledge I've learned, allows me to eat healthier. Now to think that I have severe commitment issue, which hinders me from having hobbies those I can cling to in long term, maybe it's a good idea for me to write structured methods. The idea is, when I for some reason no longer feel like baking again, and somehow want to get back to it, I have something that I can directly look into without feeling overwhelmed.

Everytime I decide to learn certain bakes, I like to learn the classics first before going wild with experimentation. My first 30 something batches of (re)learning sourdough was pain de campagne. I like it for it's mild flavor profile and light texture. My go-to formula back then involves 20% whole wheat and 10% rye. The problems are:

1. Regular whole wheat only available in 5kg increments with short lifespan. I'm by all means not a hardcore hobbyist, hence not having the willpower to consume 5 kg bag of whole wheat in less than 2 months. Milling my own flour? Not a chance (lol)
2. I have zero reason for using rye. First, I'm not a sour seeker. Second, I couldn't notice what difference 10% rye makes in sourdough when it comes to flavor

I live in the tropics, so I was thinking, why not adjust the formula using ingredients those locally are more accessible. First, atta whole wheat is available in 2kg increment. Second, black rice flour is phenomenal for crust color. Third, oat flour is awesome when you want something mild but still in the realm of whole grains.

Speaking of black rice, I planned to always use it in my sourdough bakes, for the reason I mentioned above. It's just logical for me to put it in the earliest part of fermentation process; the starter. Besides that, starter has no role in dough strength anyway, so why not use some weak flour that I really adore.

Here is the method. In my fashion, weakest flour goes first, strongest flour goes last.

Overall: 85% hydration, 5% glutinous black rice flour, 15% rolled oat flour, 20% atta whole wheat, 3 stages levain, cold pot method, 30% prefermented flour

Day 1

Mix 3 g 50% hydration black rice starter, 6 g black rice flour, and 3 g water. Ferment for 2 hours, then refrigerate.

Day 2

Mix previous levain with 16 g black rice flour, 12 g oat flour, and 14 g water. Ferment until mature

Mix previous levain with 60 g oat flour, 48 g atta flour, and 54 g water. Ferment for 2 hours, then refrigerate.

Day 3

Dechill levain for 45 minutes.

Puree levain with 336 g water. Mix in 288 g 13% protein white flour and 48 g atta flour. Rest 20 minutes.

Add 12 g salt, mix well. With spatula, stretch the dough north-south, then west-east. With wet hands, raise the dough in the air and do S&F north-south then west-east. Rest 20 minutes.

Repeat the double S&F and 20 minutes rest until the dough resisting stretch. Usually takes me 1.5 hours or two. After the last 20 minutes rest, you may preshape the dough.

Shape, and proof in parchment lined enameled pot. Proof a bit longer than you would with banneton for fluffier texture.

The last 20 minutes of proofing, blow dry the loaf with standing fan. Score, spray the dough with water, lid on.

Bake 250 °C for 45 minutes.

I noticed whenever I use oat flour, I get better volume despite closed crumb (I'm not open crumb seeker). And more tender crumb too.

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Taste assessment

I always toast my bread before eating. After being toasted, it's soooo fluffy with thin shattery crispy crust. That's the wonder of oat and blow drying instead of flour-dusting pre-scoring. As any bread I've made with > 10% oat in the levain, it has slight vegetal taste, reminiscence of cucumber. The acidity is mild. There is slight acetic smell when untoasted, but it's gone after toasting. In my opinion, it pairs well with fish, also anything citrusy.

Notes

High hydration is necessary if oat flour is involved, otherwise the scored surface will have torn and shredded look instead of nice spherical surface

At first, the dough feels a bit slacker than 75% hydration APF dough. But it will get nice and elastic eventually.

I always puree my stiff levain for 15 seconds before use regardless the type of flour used, never had problem (keep in mind I never use more than 30% prefermented flour)

There is no reliable way to judge ripeness of the second stage levain. First, black rice has strong aroma. Second, no significant volume increase. Cracks might occur. Usually my atta starter takes 4 hours to ripe, so I fermented it for 4 hours

This starter is a lot more vigorous than the last time it was still being fed with atta flour. I might have to cut the prefermented flour from my usual 30% to 20-25%

Peace and love,

Jay

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Long time lurker, first time posting (and will be my only post)

Never thought I will get back baking sourdough again. Or bake anything. I love baking, but no longer have as much time as I used too. Since I decided to get serious about getting in shape, I am very careful about things I eat. I constantly trying to figure out ways to sneak in more protein into my food. And I want real food.

I eat enough legumes, but not enough grain protein to balance those out. I was hooked with black rice, but grew tired of it. So I thought, maybe this is an opportunity to get baking again. As for cakes and pastries? I bake them to my heart's content, and donating them to charities. A win-win solution!

So I lurked around TFL once again to re-learn everything I've forgotten. My goal always have been creating mild loaves with 40% whole grains at most, without compromising texture too much. Since I only care about nutritional aspects of sourdough, I don't put too much effort on cosmetics. And to achieve my goal, several things I always do:

1. Putting my weakest flour in the beginning of fermentation, and strongest flour added during final mixing. Which means, I use whole grain starter
2. I use 50% hydration starter and 50% hydration levain. Levain made in 3 stages, with refrigeration between stages.
3. Bulk and final proofing done on same day. By bulk, I mean only time needed for S&F. I want mild flavor, time is my enemy..

Pardon my broken English :D Oh I never measure temperature, but where I live, it can get somewhere between 26 to 38 degree celcius

Overall: 80% hydration, 40% whole wheat, 20% sunflower seeds, 30% prefermented flour. Cold pan method

Day 1

Mix 3 grams 50% hydration whole wheat starter, 6 grams atta whole wheat, 3 grams water. Ferment for 2 hours, then refrigerate

Day 2

Mix previous levain with 28g atta whole wheat and 14g water. Ferment until mature.

Mix previous levain with 108g atta whole wheat and 54g water. Ferment for 2 hours, then refrigerate.

Day 3

Dechill levain for an hour.

Puree levain with 312g water for 15 seconds, then mix in 288g 13% protein white flour, 96g toasted sunflower seeds, and 48g atta flour. Rest 20 min.

Add 12g salt, mix well. With spatula, stretch the dough north-south, then west-east. Then lift the dough up in the air with hands, S&F north-south then west-east. Rest 20 minutes.

Repeat S&F and 20 min rest until the dough resisting stretch. Usually takes me 1,5 hours or two.

Shape, proof in enameled pan. Blow dry the risen loaf (I usually use standing fan for 15 minutes). Score.

Bake with baking steel, 250°C 45 minutes.

Taste assessment

This bread tastes and smells chocolatey, and sweet too. The acidity is so subtle, but complements the chocolatey flavor in a beautiful way.

Note:.

I do cold pan method because it allows me to properly proof my loaf for fluffier, more palatable texture. I'm not fond of rubbery texture that comes with underproofed, banneton method

I feel soaking the seeds makes the bread taste bland. So I don't do that.

Because of atta, be careful with shaping. You'll want to shape it tight, which is easy, but when it's time to seal the seams, don't over spin it. It will turn from tight elastic dough to puddle in a blink of an eye. I learned it the hard way lol

I do high hydration not for cosmetic purpose. I feel higher hydration gives better stretch and fold feedback. It gives clearer signal on when to stop doing S&F.

Thanks TFL :D

And no, I'm not vegan lol 

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