September 4, 2010 - 10:14pm
5-Grain Levain from Hamelman's "Bread"
Today, I baked Hamelman's "5-grain Levain" from "Bread."
Various TFL blogs have featured this bread. They can be found by searching the site. The recipe was posted by fleur-de-liz here: Eric: Hamelman's Five-Grain Levain. She was a very active contributor to TFL at the time I joined and an inspiration to me. She encouraged me to bake this bread for the first time way back when. It is, indeed, among the most delicious breads I've ever made or tasted.
David
Share
Comments
Hi David,
My Level 5 students made this bread a couple of years ago. I think we had to adapt the soaker ingredients to what we had available in our stores.
Yes, it's a great formula and is so moist on account of water levels using the soaker.
Great job.
Best wishes
Andy
I've never had the cracked rye for which the formula calls. I've always subbed pumpernickel flour. I do have some rye berries now, but I didn't want to crack them.
As you say, this is a very moist bread and, between the effects of the levain and that of the soaker, it has amazing keeping qualities.
David
Spectacular crust color David. Enjoy the loaves!
Your 5 grain levain looks wonderful David. This is the bread that convinced me I needed to purchase the book "Bread" by Jeff Hamelman. I did and have been a respectful follower of the author ever since. The complex flavor of he 5 grain makes it one of my favorites also. Great post as usual.
Eric
I just ordered Bread and can't wait for it to arrive! Thanks for the preview.
David,
There was a time in the late '60s (you were already a medical student), when my friends could utter no better compliment than the single word: "Psychedelic! (always followed by an exclamation point or several). The exclamation was applied to any object or concept that produced joy, whether sensory, emotional or intellectual. And there was much joy among those "freaks" (a word with positive connotations in those days among those people).
The pattern of the brotform and the scoring on those loves is totally psychedelic!!
In other words, a joy to behold.
Glenn
Hi, Glenn.
I kinda missed out on popular culture 1965-76 being otherwise occupied. Thanks for the historical update.
The popular expletive I remember best is "Far out!"
San Francisco, 1969: One night when I was an intern on call in the ER, a young adult male was brought in with a policeman holding each arm. He was not unhappy. He was obviously fascinated by that which only he was seeing. Every few seconds, he would shout, "Far out!"
The nursing aides got him into a bed and got out his wallet, looking to find out who he was. They found his I.D.. One said, "Hey! He's active duty army!" "Far out!," said the other. A few seconds later, more I.D. was located. "Hey! He's an M.P.!" The aides looked at each other and spoke in chorus, "Faaaar out!"
David
Radical, dude! Fabulous levains, David :)
http://www.yourdictionary.com/idioms/far-out
David
Everything about them says flavor and healthly. I love the fact that you can pick and choose your favorite grain/seed combo. Yumm!
Sylvia
David
Yum! David, Great looking loaves.
I'll try my luck at this poplular recipe!
thanks
Do make it. I'm sure you will enjoy it.
David
Great looking breads, David, I just got my Hamelman book and feel inspired to try it soon!
if you use rye meal (Pumpernickel flour) instead of cracked rye, you need a little less water. The bread will be a little denser, too. In one of my German sandwich breads this difference was quite noticeable. But I think with an airy bread like the 5-grain levain it doesn't make too much difference.
Karin
Hi, Karin.
I've always just substituted g for g and used the same amount of water called for in the formula. The only difference is that I use cold water rather than boiling water. After 12 hours or more soaking, there is no free water in the soaker bowl. In fact, it often looks like it is still thirsty.
I expect you will find "Bread" a joy to bake from (and to just read). Don't neglect to read the introductory chapters and the introductions to each chapter from which you make recipes. The formulas themselves are rather telegraphic and assume you have assimilated the introductory materials.
I'm looking forward to seeing your baking from Hamelman.
David
David, You inspire me. Pam
Hi! My name is Pam. You may have seen me lurking around the site off and on all summer. We started a project at the beginning of the summer-a new baking center for me. After three weeks of having my kitchen torn up, I thought I'd lose my mind. When it really got crazy, I would wonder WHY I did this and wonder if I'd made a BIG mistake. But, I would get on this wonderful site and your passion for bread carried me through. It was nice to know that there were lots of folks out there that didn't think building a baking center was nuts! It was finally finished last Friday. THis is my first blogging experience and I need to figure out how to send pixs, but I can hardly wait to show off my first loaf of bread from "the center".
Thanks again for all the great pictures.
Pam
David: I sure will - and probably also make sure what TFL people said about one or the other breads from Hamelman so that I can take that into account.
I got a wonderful bread baking book from Germany with very intriguing looking loaves, and there it is the same - they just assume you know what they mean. At least I (hope I) figured out now how to emulate the German rye types, mixing white rye with whole rye flour in different percentages - I will comment on that progress, too.
Pam: Tearing out an unsufficient kitchen is definitely worth it, we've done that several times (in different houses).
The difference of working in a place put in by somebody who either lived in the 80s (beige vinyl and "get-down-on-your-knees-and-rummage- cabinets) or never cooked or baked in his life (cutesy looking but everything arranged to make actual cooking awkward and tedious plus inefficient appliances) is dramatic!
Karin
I just got my copy of "Bread", and will be trying this recipe this weekend. I hope it turns out as good as yours!
Now....the quest to find cracked rye. I have located rye berries in bulk. Could I crack them myself? Maybe mortar and pestle or a couple of blasts with a coffee grinder?
Keith
Hi Keith, Let me know what you find out about wheat berries. They were all I could and sure hope I can turn them into cracked wheat. Pam
Karin, I had no idea how how much this addition would change the work flow in my kitchen... so much better Does hanseata have anything do do with the Hansiatic League (sp)?? My history is pretty shaky. Pam
Keith: I tried cracking rye or grinding it with my food processor and with pestel and mortar - it's not really working, rye is too hard. Luckily I have a wholegrocer who supplies me with cracked rye - but no other cracked grains.
For coarser grinds of spelt, barley and wheat I invested in a small handcranked grain mill (Wonder Mill Junior) which works quite well (I would not advise trying to grind fine flour with it, though, one cup would take 10 minutes and some ellbow grease).
Pam: You are right, I am from Hamburg which was a member of the Hanseatic League.
Karin