May 31, 2017 - 10:45am
100% Wholemeal Spelt Bread
In my baking I use only 100% wholemeal spelt. I put the dough into silicon moulds and after a single rise to approx double the size, I cook for 55min at 180c. Usually I spray in water at the start. The texture is good but I do get a reverse oven spring. When I put the tins in the oven the dough is slightly rounded upwards. At the end of the bake it has dropped to slightly less than level, but there are lots of small air holes in the bread and internal texture is acceptable.
The crust round each loaf is hard and about 6.5mm. This is too thick. What can I do get a flaky crust that is much thinner? Would a lower temperature but a longer bake, help? If so what would be a sensible adjustment?
Your general comments would be appreciated,
Robin
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Spelt ferments quickly. Quicker than normal wheat. On top of that it's 100% wholemeal so proofing less than white flour is better.
A longer slower ferment with less yeast, including a bulk ferment, shaping and then a final proof till 80% risen should give you a better bread.
I only use 1 tsn of salt to give some flavour but to be within the daily guideline for salt consumption...
Results from the TOHP studies, which overcome the major methodological challenges of prior studies, are consistent with overall health benefits of reducing sodium intake to the 1500 to 2300 mg/d range in the majority of the population, in agreement with current dietary guidelines.
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To balance out the low salt I use just 16.5g of yeast.
Currently I am proofing with an aim for a 35c temperature for about 45m. I look to see if the dough has come up to the top of the tin which is about double. I aim for 35c because that is the optimum for yeast rising.
Is it possible that the cause of the hard crust is the temperature is too high for a silicon mould? If so how long should it be in the oven at a lower temperature?
Three questions arise:
How long is a long slow ferment and how do i keep slow?
Can I dare reduce the yeast further?
I settled on a one rise loaf because I found that knocking back for the second rise resulted in bread that was too dense because of a lack of air bubbles. Is there a way round this with spelt?
16.5g yeast or 1.65g yeast?
A more complete recipe would help.
Less yeast with a longer ferment or incorporating a bulk ferment will improve flavour. A bulk ferment will actually help the dough as long as the dough is handled correctly. No need to go crazy with the degassing but rather a more gentle approach of taking out the bigger air bubbles and de-gassing enough to be able to shape and get a taut surface is enough.
I have sent you a recipe.
Thank you for your recipe. I have sent you my recipe. You are using half the yeast but 5 times the salt! I will give it a try, with much less salt.
Is 2%. In the normal range of 1.8 - 2% of the total flour.
If you're using 5x less! but 2x the yeast, and the salt controls the yeast, then you're going to get unpredictable results.
By all means use less salt but in the recipe I've given you don't go less than 5g (down from 6g in the recipe).
5g of salt for a loaf which is 530g (300g flour + 230g water) really isn't something to be wary of even if you are concerned about salt intake.