Lucy’s 5 Grain Sprouted Practice Sourdough Slash Bags with Scald
When you make baguettes once or twice a year, they can only be considered a way to practice shaping and slashing or as Lucy calls them – Practice Slash Bags. This version also has 20% 5 whole sprouted grains in the mix consisting of: wheat, emmer, spelt, rye and Kamut in keeping with Lucy’s love of all things sprouted and multigrain when it comes to bread.
We also included a 140 F, 30 g baked / scald of sprouted MG flour with a bit of red and white malts as has been Lucy’s recent addiction. The idea was to increase the flavor, sweetness and the moisture, texture and softness of the crumb. The water was topped up at the end of the 2 hour bake to make the scald 60 g total before it was added to the autolyse.
We usually like to use the lowest protein AP flour available, in the 10 -11% range in keeping with the French traditional flour used but we ran across some AP unbleached flour in Sprouts bins that is supposedly 12% protein and decided to use this flour and see how it worked for baguettes instead.
We also like to make baguettes because, with a little wine, cheese and charcuterie, we can transplant ourselves back to any outdoor cafe in Paris for a fine afternoon by the pool - if not actually along the Seine. As an added bonus, we also get to use our favorite double baggie bamboo form for the long, cold proof in the fridge.
The first thing on the list to get done was the sprouting of the whole grains which was started early Tuesday morning by soaking the grains in water for 4 hours before putting them in the sprouter for another 24 hours. Wednesday morning, we dried the sprouts in the dehydrator at 105 F and ground them in the Nutrimill.
Once the whole grains were turned into flour, we used them to feed 6 g of our 6 week retarded rye starter to make the levain over (3) 4 hours stages. After the total 12 hour levain build we retarded the levain for 24 hours in the fridge. Thursday morning we started the baked / scald which took 2 hours in the mini oven
The only whole grain flour in the dough were the sprouted ones in the baked/ scald which were now completely hydrated at 100%. Thursday, in the late afternoon, the autolyse of dough flour, water and baked scald was started and completed in 1 hour. We sprinkled the Pink Himalayan sea salt on top of the autolyse so we wouldn't forget it.
After dinner, once the levain warmed up on the heating pad during the autolyse, we added the levain to the mix. We did 8 minutes of slap and folds and then 2 more sets at 12 slaps and folds each before 3 sets of stretch and folds from the compass points were done. All of the gluten development was done on 20 minute intervals and finished in 2 ¼ hours
Once finished the dough was rested before being pre-shaped, rested, final shaped, loaded into the cloth and rice floured lined bamboo mold, bagged in a used trsah can liner and immediately placed into the fridge for a 21 hour retard.
Once removed from the fridge the next day, the dough was allowed to warm up for an hour before BO Betsy was fired up for her 550 F preheating. 45 minutes later the Mega Steam went in and, 15 minutes later, the dough was un-molded onto parchment on a peel, slashed and loaded into the bottom stone as the oven heat was reduced to 480 F.
After 10 minutes of steam, the Mega Steam was removed and the temperature reduced to 425 F with the convection fan on this time. 10 minutes later the baguettes looked and tested 208 F and considered done. They were left on the stone, oven off with the door ajar to further crisp the skin.
They sprang and bloomed poorly under steam but blistered and browned up nicely once the steam came out. The ears never formed for some reason.... and that reason was because the dough was over proofed . 21 hours was about 9 hours too long I’m guessing.
Since this is the first time we have used sprouted whole grain flour and a baked scald in baguettes, we can’t wait for these to cool so we can taste them. Expectations of a more healthy, better tasting and aromatic baguette are running pretty high…..The crust was thin and crisp and,as time went on, a bit chewy. The crumb wasn't as open as we would like but 20% whole sprouted grains with a 21 hour cold retard was too much and the the bread was over proofed. Still, it is the best tasting SD baguette I have ever had - nothing even close! I will give up the holes for a fine tasting baguette like this one every time. Next time we up the sprouted grain to 25% and cut the cold proof to 12 - 14 hours and get it in the oven before the dough over proofs. Hopefully, the taste will hang around and the holes get a bit larger. i haven't even put butter on this bread yet - and might not :-)
When puff paste is used for the top of an apple pie the pretty decorated edge disappears in the puff
SD Levain Build | Build 1 | Build 2 | Build 3 | Total | % |
6 Week Retarded Rye Sour Starter | 6 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2.31% |
Whole Sprouted Multi Grain | 6 | 12 | 24 | 42 | 12.14% |
Water | 6 | 12 | 24 | 42 | 12.14% |
Total | 20 | 24 | 48 | 92 | 26.59% |
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Levain Totals |
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Whole Sprouted Multi Grain | 46 | 13.29% |
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Water | 46 | 13.29% |
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Levain Hydration | 100.00% |
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Levain % of Total Flour | 13.29% |
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Dough Flour |
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12 % Protein Winco AP | 300 | 86.71% |
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Total Dough Flour | 300 | 86.71% |
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Salt | 7 | 2.02% |
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Water | 195 | 56.36% |
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Dough Hydration | 65.00% |
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Total Flour w/ Starter | 346 |
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Water | 241 |
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Hydration with Starter | 69.65% |
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Total Weight | 654 |
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% Whole Sprouted Grain | 20.21% |
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Scald / Bake is 24g whole multigrain flour and 3g each |
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of red and white malts and 30 g of water - 60 g total. |
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Multigrain sprouted flour is equal amounts of kamut, spelt, rye, wheat and emmer | |||||
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Hydration with baked scald is 72% |
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Lucy says not to forget the salad
Comments
Is that something that is commercially available or was it a serendipitous find when you didn't know you were looking for it? Either way, I like it and want something like it for my own experiments.
dollar Thursdays and thought it would be a good bread form. I'm nio sure what is was supposed to be originally but 2 bottles of wine or a double row of bagels fit it too.
Happy baking
I always read your and Lucy's posts, and am in awe of this bread; however I am intrigued by the Himalayan sea salt - tell us more. Cheers Nici
in the bins at Sprouts and a larger, coarser more narly grain variety in the bins at Winco, I saw a guy on TV using blocks of this salt for a wall in a tree house where a lady was going to put her cosmic, crystal natural healing business. Here is the low down on it - its not from the Himalayan mountains bit from Punjab. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himalayan_salt
Glad you liked the bread.... it is very tasty fr a white bread.
Happy baking
Your bread bakes, documentation thereof, knowledge, and writing style never cease to put a smile on my face.
"The ears never formed for some reason and that reason was because the dough was over proofed" - too funny :) This seems to be the week of overproofing for a few of us!
Amazing looking baggies.
-Gabe
Over proofing does seem to be making a comeback! Somehow we managed to put these in the bamboo form seam side down rather than seam side up. I thought about flipping them twice to get the seam side down on the peel for slashing but, after flipping them once to seam side up, the bottom looked pretty good so we slashed the seam side instead. I don't know if that made any difference in not having any ears. I figure at 1 or two baguette bakes a year, we might figure them out in another 10 years or so - but maybe not:-)
Happy Baguette Baking Gabe
For a 65% hydration baguette, they sure look good. Nice blistering, shaping and the interior features a nice crumb for a "low" hydration dough. Nice to see someone else in these parts futzing around with a cold proof. But the duration does seem pretty drastic for a non bulk retard. Overproof may be a culprit, but I wonder if the scoring was too meek for a lower hydration dough. I'm not seeing a consistent overlap on a few of the ears, but not enough of them to be the culprit.
Anyway, for Lucy's semi annual baguette fling, I'm sure that she's happy with the output herself.
alan
was 65% but once the 100% hydration levain was added to the mix the hydration was 69% and once the 100% hydration bake/ scald was added the final total hydration was 72%. I think if I would have baked them straight out of the fridge with no warmup the ears might have been better but we will never know. A long cold bulk ferment or proof is pretty common now a days for baguettes if you take txfarmer's 36 Hour SD and David Snyder's SJSD baguettes as models to shoot for.
Probably part of the over proofing is due to the extra enzymes in 20% whole sprouted flour and the baked scald with the white malt where the temperature was too low to kill off the extra enzymes. The enzymes made plenty of sugars for the wee beasties to eat and the result was a very fast proof - even in the fridge. So unlike the models that didn't have these extra enzymes where an 18 or or 21 hours cold retard was no problem, it was way too long for this formula. We will test it out again with a 12 hour retard and see if that works better.
The scoring wasn't too good either. As you note, not enough overlap and the blade was not cranked over shallow enough but they were scored at the 1/4" depth mark - maybe a little more. There might have been too much steam though. We will only use 1.2 Mega steam next time.
You know as well as anyone what these failures do to a baker on a baguette quest. I wasn't on one before this bake but another shot to try to perfect this recipe is required - they taste way, way too good not to look just as delightful
Happy baking Alan
What is this and how would i do it? Why would i do it?
the baked scald is 20 g of AP flour and 5 g each of red and white malt with 30 g of water id baked at a low temperature, not over 140 F, for 2 hours so that the starch cracking enzymes in the white malt and the flour are not deactivated, This is like a Tang Zhong except the temperature is not that high and not done in a pan on the stove top.
The Maillaed Effect, even at these low temperatures, turns the baked scald a dark brown over the 2 hours and .....brown food tastes good. The red malt is already a dark brown so it is in the mix to add color and flavor. The flour gelatinizes like a Tang Zhong and this makes for a very soft, moist and custard like crumb that is also more glossy. This process is a great way to add flavor and color and crumb enhancements to any bread but especially one like baguettes that thend to be on the bland side flavor wise. The sprouted grain itself is pretty flavorful as well compared to regular un-sprouted grain. The extra enzymes in the white means more sugars are cracked from the starch to feed the wee beasties so the bread tends to be sweeter without any added sugar.
These baguettes taste wonderful and the mouth feel is exceptional as a result. Just didn't get any ears or huge holes - at least not yet
Happy baking. .
I love how you incorporate so much flavor into your breads. The scalds, it is like deglazing a pan for getting those extra cooked (not burned) flavors to meld when making a larger dish. In bread, as you answered another commenter, it can be a slow bake of grains etc. Sorry I'm translating the concept and think/writing out loud :)
I am a sucker for Kamut. Sprouted Kamut with cultured cream and fruit is a common breakfast usually with some raw sunflower seeds. Incorporating these into bread is a new fascination level. And I am finally learning enough to actually start understanding where you go with your bakes. You're brilliant! Oops, Lucy is brilliant, you execute very well though, ears or not :)
Scritches to the apprentice and I think you've started something new for me with sprouted grains, malts and scalds. Highest form of appreciation, to go beyond admiring and bring it into something I want to incorporate into my experience as well. The analytical food brain is not always eloquent in expressing appreciation as it gets lost in development potential and wanders in creative dreams.
That Arizona sky ... wow
Happy homing while you bake, you found an amazing spot to settle into,
~D
from both Lucy and I. I suppose that Lucy designs her breads in very much the same way I used to design and build buildings. I would start out by putting everything my clients and I ever wanted in the design and would only take things out once priorities were arranged and limited by the available time, money or expertise - the skill to actually do it.. That way we always ended up with the best building that fit the needs as well as the limiting factors would allow. or at least as good as our skills allowed They were never perfect since our time, money and skill were liming factors for us but probably not for many others.
Bread is like that. Sometimes you don't have the 4 days to make this kind of bread Sometimes you don't have the materials necessary like a 6 week old retarded rye sour starter or some other ingredient. Sometimes you can't afford the $2.99 a pound Kamut and sometimes you just don't know how or have the skills to do it - like my scoring of baguettes.
Experience breeds expertise and skill - you just know more stuff about bread and how to coax the most flavor out of it - if you have enough time, money, the right ingredients, equipment and expertise.
We used to live in a more perfect world when we had a place in Denver for the summer and Phoenix for the winter.:-) Now we live in a less than half perfect world having to live in AZ full time. But, I'm working on a tiny.rustic house to build somewhere in the AZ mountains to try to get back to a more perfect world year round.
Glad you liked the post and the bread.
Happy Baking
Great analogy! Translates very well.
Scritches to Lucy,
~D
I was also amazed it got that dark when maillard reactions don't start until about 300 degrees. Something else might be happening
the Maillard Effect and caramelization. The Maillard effect can take place at room temperature but it takes a long tome for it to appear. The famous Serrano ham from Spain and Prosciutto de Parma from Italy get browned from the Maillard reaction at room temperatures - it just takes a long time.
For foods high in protein and low in carbohydrates like meats, the Maillard Reaction is between amino acids and reducing sugars in the absence of water. This starts to really be apparent at temperatures over 309 F.
For foods high in carbohydrates and starches, like bread, and temperatures over 350 F it is caramelization and not the Maillard effect that produces most of the browning.
So for this bread the slow temperature (140 F) bake scald, the protein in the flour provides the amino acids and the starches in the flour are broken down into simple reducing sugars by enzymes once the water is added. Since the browning of both the Maillard Reaction and caramelization take place in the absence of water. The bakes scald won't start to turn brown until the top layer exposed to the heat has evaporated the water out of it. When you stir the scald after 30 minutes you will see the top has browned but the part below the surface has not browned at all because the later is still present . By stirring every 30 minutes ,more non browned scald is brought to the top so the water can evaporate and the new top layer can also brown. Since the temperature is so low, it takes a long time for the Millard browning to take place. For meats high in amino acids at high heat over 350 F this browning takes place very fast as soon as the surface water is evaporated - 5 minutes or less.
For foods high in starches and carbs like root veggies and bread and low in protein, in the absence of surface water and temperature over 350 F it is caramelization that produces the browning. Many bakers like to think it is the Maillard Reaction browning their bread but it is caramelizing instead.
The difference between the 2 brownings is that the Maillard reaction produces many more different and complex flavor compounds where caramelization flavor is dominated by a heavy sweet flavor. So in this bread you get the best of both flavor worlds produced by the Maillard reaction and caramelization and why this bread with he addition of sprouted grain and sourdough tastes so much better than any baguette made with just SD and browned by caramelization at temperatures over 350 F. You will notice that baking in a DO or in an oven with steam the bread doesn't brown until the lid comes off or the steam removed because the surface of the bread has too much water on it for the Maillard effect or caramelization to happen.
Here is site that explains the difference between the two browning methods and processes
http://sciencefare.org/2011/06/01/maillard-reaction/
Happy baking
Sorry for the late comment...just returned from China on Sunday night so still trying to catch up. Looks like you got a great crumb and these must taste great. I'm loving the sprouted flour as well. I baked some quick rolls using IY since I have not refreshed my starter in almost 3 weeks. Have to get Max and Lexi to get on that tonight! I used 81% sprouted flour in this one and with the other goodies I tossed in these are one of my favorites to date. Will post this weekend hopefully.
Say hi to my buddy Lucy and Max and Lexi and the gang say hi to both of their AZ baking buddies :).
We have a variation on this bake today. More sprouted whole grains, about half the hours retarded, bulk in the fridge this time and shaped early this morning like you do for baking in about an hour. It looked perfect for baking when i got it out this morning and I wish i would have shaped it last night for a shaped retard:-)
I don't think we have done a a bake in more than 2 months that didn't have sprouted whole flour in it,. It makes for a better tasting bread for sure as does the baled scald. Nothing like new horizons. Lucy says we can now go back and bake our old favorites over the past 3 years with a baked scald and sprouted grains for a whole new recipe:-)
Lucy says hi to her East Coast Life of Leisure Island buddies. Can't wait to see your latest rolls.