Whole wheat ciabatta

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Ru007 on 13 Jan 2016 at 23:23

Hi all!!

I'm fairly new to bread baking, but I've been playing around with ciabatta lately, can anyone direct me to a good whole grain (even if its <100%) version, or maybe even a version with rye in it. I want to experiment with flavours while still getting that really nice open crumb.

 

Also, do you find its better to stretch and fold a really high hydration dough (like ciabatta) on an oiled surface or a heavily floured surface?

Thanks!!

I make a 100% whole wheat ciabatta,   though I use home milled flour, so the hydration will be different using commercial whole wheat.   I suggest you start with 

500 grams flour

485 water ( you might need more water , but this would be a good start)

2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons salt.

Mix flour and water, let sit for 20 min, then add yeast then salt, mix , then knead, then do 3 - 4 stretch and folds every 10 min, then let rise till tripled in volume  ( note how long that takes)

Then form into loaf, and let final proof for 1/2 time it took to triple

I do the S & F using wet hands, but an oiled surface will work as well. 

Going 100% whole grain on my ciabatta yet, but I have made it with rye starter and about 10% total flour weight using whole grain rye with good results. 

I also S&F with wet hands, lifting it up above the bowl in a long stretch before I even attempt to work it on the counter top, which is also wet.

I tried adding some rye to my ciabatta.

This was my first time working with rye flour and I was surprised at how different it made the dough feel, it had an almost clay like feeling to it, even though it was only about 10% rye.

But anyway, it worked out pretty well. I like the taste, its very subtle but it does add a different flavour dimension which I like. So thanks for the comment :) I've uploaded a photo in my response to Jon's comment below.

Thanks for the comment. That's very interesting, I didn't know a wet countertop was also an option. Does the dough not end up being pasted to the counter?

I find a dry, unfloured work surface with wet hands and wet dough scraper are best for handling a high hydration dough. Flour, oil and water will all stop the dough sticking to the work surface but it's actually to your advantage that there's some friction there. Stretch-and-fold would be very difficult without some adhesion between the dough and work surface.

Thanks for the comment Jon.

I tried the S&F on a dry, unfloured surface with wet hands and a wet dough scraper and it worked really well!

I've found that flour reduces the hydration of the dough but I didn't know what else to do, I think this will be my new go to method.

Here's how it turned out...

Yes, the wet and dry method does prevent a quantity of unfermented flour being added to the dough, as well.

Very wet dough can be hard to handle when shaping, so I sometimes dust it and my hands very lightly with flour to shape. You only need a tiny amount, though.

Sorry,  I have no experience with Rye.  80% is a little low for a ciabatta,  I usually see it in the 90's,