This week I decided to try Peter Reinhart's Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread, though I did substitute about 5 ounces of oatmeal flakes to the remaining 23 ounces of whole wheat flour. (Full recipe: Artisan Breads Every Day page 83). I used my stand mixer to combine ingredients, then did the stretch and fold by hand as instructed, and finally put it in the frig for a slow fermentation.
You can let it ferment up to 4 or 5 days, but I was impatient and took it out the next evening. The dough had risen to the top of the container by then.
The recipe said to divide dough for two loaf pans and let them proof until risen just beyond the top of the pan. Mine ended up making it to the top, but not beyond--perhaps I should have waited longer than three hours.
I garnished the top with an egg wash (egg white and water) and sprinkled oatmeal flakes, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds. Then in the oven at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes with a 180 degree rotation in the middle.
They didn't rise as high as I expected, so next time I'll let them rise a bit longer in the pan before baking or put more dough in one loaf pan and make a free standing loaf with the rest. (My pans may be bigger--9 inch--as opposed to 8 inch). But the real test was the taste! And they were --wonderful!
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