Multigrain Sandwich Batard

 

 

Recipe source: Cook’s Illustrated Multigrain Sandwich Bread

Instead of using a loaf pan, I just shaped it into a batard.  I also increased the amount of whole wheat flour and used a bit of vital gluten.  The adjusted recipe:

• 3 1/8 oz. hot cereal
• 10 oz. boiling water
• 6 3/4 oz. bread flour
• 4 oz. whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp vital wheat gluten
• 2 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 1/4 tsp yeast
• 1/2 Tbsp salt
• 3/8 cup sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Ratio of vital gluten :  2 to 3 cups (10 to 15oz) of whole wheat flour to 1 Tbsp

Shaping:  Form a batard of 10.5’ x 4.5’

Result:  No problem rising.  Bread is soft and yummy but a little bit sweeter this time because of more honey.  Should reduce honey back to 2 Tbsp next time

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (50%) #2

Made this bread the first time here.

Recipe source:  Transitional Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads P.99

Because of using the wrong flour when making the biga, I ended up making two loaves using two different types of flour. One was using Rogers bread flour and Anita’s whole wheat, just like the first time. The other one was using Anita’s all-purpose and whole wheat. Here is what happened with the all-purpose flour loaf:

• I used buttermilk instead of milk with this loaf, just because there were some in the fridge.  The biga was a bit drier and not as sticky.  I ended up putting more milk (may be 1 tsp to 2 more) in to get the stickiness. 
• On baking day, I also put in 1 tsp of vital gluten.
• During hand kneading, I noticed the dough was slightly firmer than the bread flour dough.
• Because I had to do the mixing separately for the two different loaves with different types of flour, each loaf followed its own proofing time, I ended up had to bake the two loaves separately.  When the first loaf was in oven, the second loaf (all-purpose flour loaf) was in 2nd proof. I had to stop it from rising too quickly and proofing for too long,  so I put it in the fridge for a while.  It did rise a bit higher than the first loaf before baking, but luckily, there was still some oven spring and it did not over-proofed. 
• The result: The volume, texture and the taste of the two loaves were very similar.

Multigrian Sandwich Bread #2

Recipe source:  American’s Test Kitchen
Finally, a successful loaf of multigrian sandwich bread. I tried this first time here. The few things that I did differently this time:

• Changing recipe to make just 1 loaf, using 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan, using bread flour, shortened proofing time, using the pizza stone and steam technique when baking
• Flour:  Rogers white bread flour, Anita’s whole wheat fine grain flour
• The adjusted recipe:
  • 3 1/8 oz. hot cereal
  • 10 oz. boiling water
  • 7 1/2 oz. bread flour
  • 3 1/4 oz. whole wheat flour
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 2 Tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 tsp yeast
  • 1/2 Tbsp salt
  • 3/8 cup sunflower seeds

Using bread flour without changing water ratio, the dough is much less sticky and it clears the bowl easily. This is 4mins mixing after autolyse.	After another 4 1/2mins mixing, with scraping the side once, the side of the bowl is quite clean. The dough only sticks to the bottom of the bowl.  Dough is also elastic, a bit shinny, and pass a brief window pane test.

Bulk fermentation - 0mins.	20mins.	40mins.

Sample from bulk fermentation.	After 40mins.
Ready for 2nd proofing in a 8.5” x 4.5” loaf pan.	After 35-40mins, it’s ready to bake.

Fresh out of the oven, after 30-35mins of baking.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (50%)

 

Soaker	Biga – quite sticky.  After knead for a while (supposed to be 1min but I think I kneaded it longer than that), it became very tacky, less sticky, but still has quite a bit of residue on the hands.
Cut soaker and biga into 12 pcs.	Mix.
Mix all together other ingredients.	After hand kneading for 4mins, dough is very soft and tacky. Like post-it, not much residue sticking to the hands.
Before bulk fermentation.	After 45mins on the counter, supposed to be 1 1/2 times.
Before.	After.

Before final proofing. After 40mins (much less than the 45-60mins the recipe asked for), slight indentation with finger poking, time to bake.

Use pizza stone and baking sheet steaming technique to bake. Bread has nice tall oven spring.  End result is soft tasty and satisfying.

Recipe source: Transitional Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread from Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads P.99

Notes:

• Flour:  Rogers white bread flour, Anita’s whole wheat fine grain flour
• First time making soaker and biga.  This is actually a very easy process and do not take up that much time.
• Biga is really quite sticky.  Did not put additional flour in.
• Both 1st and 2nd proofing used up much less time than the recipe.  I think the kitchen in summer time is really warm.
• Lovely bread.  Will definitely do it again.

Multigrain Sandwich Bread

 

Soak cereal in boiled water for 1 hour.	After incorporated all flour.
After kneading for 4mins.  Dough is very sticky.  Almost like a cookie dough. It clears the bowl but not very clean. Next time may try kneading it a little longer either by machine or by hand.	The feel of the dough is quite soft.
Before 1st proof.	After 45mins 1st proof in the oven.
Shape it into log.	Before 2nd proof. 1lb 7oz of dough for 8.5 x 4.5 pan.  1lb 14oz of dough for 9.5 x 5 pan.
After 2nd proof of supposedly 30 to 40 mins.  I somehow lost track of the time. The dough may not have risen enough.  Does it look like double in size?	No oven spring.

Slice it after cooling for 1.5hr, short of the recommended 3 hour wait. Bread taste good but a bit on the salty side.  Texture is soft and moist but not fluffy enough.

Recipe source: Cook’s Illustrated Multigrain Sandwich Bread

Notes for next time:

• Reduce salt to 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• Knead a bit longer
• 2nd proof a bit longer