1-2-3 Spelt Multigrain Loaves

Once again, I had some levain left over from my other breads so I fed it enough to try to make another 1-2-3 loaf. I was going to increase the water by 50 grams but decided to stick to the formula and only added a few drops with the salt to help dissolve it since I was using kosher/coarse salt. I can't give you a crumb shot since one loaf went to the soup kitchen and my parents and brother ended up with the other loaf. The loaves themselves are a bit misshapen because I used parchment paper in the dutch ovens.

I autolysed 700 g of warm water with 500 unbleached flour, 250 g multigrain flour (Robin Hood), 200 g Spelt flour, 50 g rye and 50 g buckwheat flour.

I sprinkled 24 g of salt and a bit of water over the dough. Then added 350 g of 3 build wheat/rye levain and 1/4 tsp yeast. The yeast was to give things a boost since I wanted to bake this loaf on the same day with the other ones I had on the go and not have to wait till the next day. I used pinching and folding to integrate the yeast and levain into the dough.

I did 4 sets of folds every half hour doing 4/5 folds for each set, then let bulk ferment for another hour. This dough was quite fast in rising probably due to my warm spot (in the oven with the light on), the spelt and rye as well as the added yeast.

I divided the dough into two boules, pre-shaped and rested for about 25 minutes. I shaped the dough into round loaves using the letter fold method and popped them seam side down into rice floured baskets. I had sprinkled a few spelt flakes in the bottom of the baskets after I floured them.

They proofed on the counter for 2 hours and I then baked them as usual in dutch ovens at 500 F for 20 minutes, dropped the temp to 450 F for 10 minutes, removed the lid and baked for another 20 minutes. I used parchment paper to put them in the dutch ovens because the dough was very poofy and seemed like it would spread out if I used my usual method of turning out onto a cornmeal covered counter.

For a bread that was made in one day not counting the making of the levain, I was very happy with how it came out of the oven. I got really nice oven rise, the top split nicely, and the loaves felt very light so I am hoping that the crumb was fairly airy.