Following up on our current speculations about utilizing Cream of Wheat, I made a loaf with 50% COW. It labored out very nicely, although there was an unplanned further 4 1/2-day bulk fermentation within the fridge (it was imagined to be solely in a single day).
I did not know the way nicely the COW would soak up water, however I suspected that it could take longer than regular. I began with 62% hydration. I might use rather less subsequent time for the reason that dough ended up a bit of sticky and did not wish to maintain its form fairly nicely sufficient. Nonetheless, a very good consequence.
This loaf used 300g of KA AP whole flour. I used 80g of starter (at 90% hydration). Mixing (handbook) and stretching was regular however the dough at first was pretty moist and sludgy, not nice to work with. However over a number of rests and S&F classes it improved though it by no means gave up all of its stickiness. After about 4 or 5 hours I moved the dough into the fridge for an in a single day keep. That was Friday night time.
Nonetheless, I couldn’t get again to the dough till Wednesday morning. I feared it could be over-fermented and really bitter, however neither turned out to be the case. I additionally needed to modify my baking setup since I am at present not imagined to carry one thing as heavy as my baking metal. As an alternative of the metal I used a big heavy baking sheet.
I formed the loaf after a preform by stretching it out a bit of then rolling it tightly up right into a batarde form.
I proofed the loaf on a skinny, smaller baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper below the loaf. At bake time, I slashed the loaf and put its baking sheet on the heavy preheated one, then made steam as regular. I stored the warmth up greater than regular to compensate to the shortage of the baking metal.
Baking time was 35 minutes at 410 deg F, then 5 minutes at 390 deg F.
Ultimately, the loaf rose nicely, the scoring sample allowed for good enlargement with out an excessive amount of sideways slumping, and I am pleased with the consequence.
As you possibly can see, the loaf got here out extra yellow than most of mine do, with a reasonably open crumb for the hydration. The crumb is delicate and the crust is simple to chunk by way of, with a little bit of crunch. There’s a trace of sourness however principally the loaf has a nice wealthy taste. The style goes very nicely with a cheese omelet.
Total, as an experiment I might say it is a success. It is a bit of exhausting to say if the COW actually added something past making the dough a bit of tougher to deal with. However the taste was richer than you’ll anticipate for a plain lean dough, and with the lengthy retardation I might have thought it could be fairly a bit extra bitter. Possibly that is what the COW delivered to the desk.
TomP
