January 25, 2022 - 8:07am
Einkorn substitution
I have finally arrived at a seeded sourdough rye bread recipe that works for me. I received a bag of einkorn flour as a gift. The basic ingredients of my recipe calls for 300 g white flour, 400g sponge, 500g of rye flour, and 540g water. If I wanted to substitute part or all of the white flour with einkorn flour, what adjustments should I make to my recipe?
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I'd say if you want to taste the einkorn don't combine it with so much rye... Rye in small amount might pair nicely with it (it certainly does with spelt, I have less experience with einkorn), but I think rye would overpower it in this ratio. If you really want to try, I wouldn't change anything, but be aware einkorn has very weak gluten and if you rely on gluten strength to shape the dough it might be a little more challenging (is your sponge rye or white flour?).
Do you suggest substituting the einkorn flour for the white wheat flour? The sponge is 50-50 rye and white flour. What about changing the amount of water??
I suggest finding a different recipe to be honest. This recipe is mostly rye, and by adding some einkorn to it in place of white flour you won't get much flavour of einkorn I think, and I assume you want to taste it. But it's up to you. Maybe rye and einkorn is a great combo? Maybe someone else will comment.
I don't have much experience with einkorn, but I assume your einkorn is wholegrain so would absorb more water than white flour - but with very weak gluten compared to modern wheat, perhaps you don't need to adjust the water. Best thing is to try and see what it looks and feels like. Hold back some water, add more if the dough feels dry. See how it bakes up. Then adjust for the future.
Thanks. I think that is a good suggestion. Rather than mess with this recipe, which took me a while to get going, I would be better off to start with another recipe. And the suggestions about hydration are very helpful! Thanks again.
pa Actually, my einkorn is fine ground flour, not who whole grain flour.
The easiest thing is to use some generic sourdough recipe that calls for white flour and some whole wheat flour, replace the whole wheat with einkorn and probably reduce hydration a little. Or find a dedicated einkorn recipe. This one, for example: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/einkorn-miche/
Try 20 % less liquid and 1/4 tsp ginger (wont taste it will help the weak gluten in it rise a bit higher). Use this conversion when replacing white all purpose flour w/einkorn in a recipe and when there is yeast or sourdough involved in the recipe. You can't kneed like traditional bread though or it wont rise. Einkorn is very healthy but dense bread. Its all I bake with for last 6 years.If you want to learn a techique for einkorn for loaf breads, I learned from here. Good luck!
https://youtu.be/Hhz3-9vszPs?si=UHkjDSD-03V0qpEc