Sorry for the delay, made this a while ago but suddenly my life got hectic and didn't have chance to blog about it. The other weekend I attempted to make my first 100% wholemeal loaf. It is denser than a white dough so requires a ferment to make it lighter. This one used a poolish ferment which is made by mixing yeast and water with a little flour to make a batter and leaving this to does its thing for five hours. Its a long process and this may be why people get put off but it means you can do other things and the batter only took 2 minutes to whisk together. I have never used a ferment before and it is strange stuff. Mine looked like it may walk off if given much longer to evolve. I could see it being a alien life form in a low budget sci-fi b movie. Anyhoo that's not the point...After 5 hours and two films later I removed the ferment from its cave and added the rest of the ingredients using the same proportions as a white dough but compensating for the flour already in the ferment. It took a long time to bring the dough together and required a lot of work. But who doesn't benefit from an impromptu arm workout this close to lbd nights? The bonus of this work out is the prize is freshly baked bread with no preservatives or additives of any kind- so no guilt. One the dough was worked and rounded Bertinet suggests dividing the dough into two separate loafs and baking in tins. I like my bread more reuben-esque, overflowing and sumptuous. Baked for a good 30 minutes in a hot oven- I tried not to get put of by the darkening of the crust, its a brown loaf it will be darker so it needs the time. It was a very dense loaf but had a lot more complex flavour structures than a simple white. I really loved it and it was definitely worth the extra effort and time.
Well that as last weekend, wont have chance to bake this weekend, so need to get thinking of my next challenge. With christmas looming its tinselled head- im thinking enriched and fruity with lots of spice. There isnt a recipe but I may go experimental and attempt a mulled wine bread... All the flavours of a good christmas in a loaf, results to follow!
Polly x
