Tale of 2 loaves
I am not completely ready to post in detail but I wanted to write up my reaction before I thought too much about it. I just made 2 loaves of 100% whole wheat bread using different techniques. I had 2 different recipes that were similar (not exactly the same) as far as ingredients but different in the process and techniques used to make them. One was made with a preferment and one was made with a biga. I wanted to see how the processes flowed and how the loaves turned out. Both processes required the components be made the day before.
I am amazed at the difference in the dough behavior and the resulting loaf. I noted a difference starting with the preferment-it was made with a starter that had been maintained with AP flour but the preferment was built in 2 stages with freshly milled whole wheat flour. The preferment was kept for a few hours at 82F and was mildly active but by then it was late in the evening so I left it out on the counter in a 68F kitchen overnight. In the past I usually made my preferment with AP flour and it was easy to tell when it was ready. This preferment seemed less bubbly but the home milled flour was more coarse textured so I attributed the difference in appearance to that. It smelled a little yeasty but definitely tasted lactic sharp. I was surprised because my natural leaven usually produces definitely NOT sharp bread.The resulting dough seemed too moist and sticky for the hydration level and had a very extensible, weak gluten that tore easily. Enzymes? It rose well but small oven spring. and the taste was rather sharp/acidic. Pictures to come of the crumb.
The biga was made with Dabrownman's NMNF starter using a 3 stage build with the same freshly milled whole wheat flour (hard red spring wheat). The recipe I used was designed around instant dry yeast but I hobbled together the recipe using Abe's 90% biga post and Reinhart's Master recipe in Whole Grain Breads. The dough was a little sticky but handled well and seemed strong with great windowpane capability. It rose nicely but had very little oven spring, same as the other loaf. This loaf tastes very mild and mellow.
I will re-taste them tomorrow and post the recipes and pics. Very interesting experience.
look forward to seeing the details and the results.
I am not able to do a full posting yet-notes are being organized but I did take 2 pictures before the loaves are gone.
The loaf on the right was the preferment. I did slash it as it was ripping.
The loaf on the left made with a biga.
Loaf on the right made with preferment. There is some bench flour in the middle of the crumb. After I panned, I had to remove it from the pan and re-pan. Being a very sticky, loose dough, it was difficult to do and I did re-shape after it picked up a good dose of bench flour. It did windowpane but it was more fragile than the usual. This dough was ready first for shaping, panning and proofed a little faster. It also looked ready to overproof any minute. The leaven in this loaf was 100% natural leaven.
Loaf on the left was made with a biga. It was a slightly sticky dough but much easier to handle. It had good gluten development and good starchy gel (great windowpane). It was easy to handle and shape. The leaven in this loaf was mostly NMNF starter with 1/2 tsp instant yeast in the final dough. Remember I was compiling a recipe from Reinhart's book but I also did not have confidence yet in the NMNF starter as it was my first time using it. I had built the seed starter a few weeks ago and used Dabrownman's recommendations on the 3 stage build for this bake. I was covering all bases with a minimal amount of yeast to insure the dough was ready in my baking window. Reinhart's had 1 1/2 Tablespoons in the final dough!
The taste on both is a bit more mellow today but I do believe my fav. for ease and taste is the biga loaf. Both take forethought and prep.
I will get my notes together today and post tomorrow. After assembling my scratchings, I realize I need to repeat this a few more times. So forgiveness in advance if my worksheet shows some uncertainties.
I will ask a related question, though. I have baked a lot of WW loaves and have often used the preferment. It was usually done by volume measure and was 1 c water, 1 c AP flour and a few tablespoons starter right from the refrigerator. Sit for 6-8 hours (usually overnight) and it was ready for use. The problem I had several times was that if I substituted fresh home milled wheat for AP in the preferment, I often had a LOT of enzyme degradation in the loaf. So I went back to using AP flour. But I really want to go 100% whole grain. Suggestions?