My 24th experiment: 2:1 whole wheat bread with reduced yeast

The result of my previous experiment with 2:1 whole wheat bread was so fascinating, I couldn't resist doing it another time. This time, I am trying out a variation with less yeast and less hydration.

Recipe: low yeast 2:1 whole wheat bread (make 1 medium loaf)

Ingredients
Pre-ferment or biga (to be fermented for 2 days)
- 1 cup Giant brand unbleached wheat flour
- 1/2 tp active dry yeast
- about 1/3 cup warm water
Soaker
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 TB buttermilk powder
- 3 TB non-fat milk powder
- 1 TB oat bran
- 1 TB flaxseed
- 1 tp kosher salt
- 1 cup water
Final dough
- all of the pre-ferment
- all of the soaker
- 1/4 tp salt
- 1 TB honey
- 1 TB olive oil
- extra oat bran for toppings

Procedure:
Day 1
To make the pre-ferment:
Dissolve the active dry yeast in 2 TB warm water. Add in the flour. Stir in warm water to form a soft dough. Allow to chill in the fridge.

Day 2
Do nothing.


Day 3
To make the soaker:
Mix all the soaker dry ingredients together. Then add in water and stir until a dough is formed. Once the soaker is made, it is mixed with the biga.
To make the final dough:
1. Take biga out of the fridge and allow to warm up for about 1 hour at room temperature.
2. Mix biga, soaker and salt together to form a smooth dough. Stir every 5 minutes, for up to 20 minutes, to help gluten development. Once the dough is formed, Rub in the olive oil and honey. Then allow the dough to rest at room temperature, oiled and covered with plastic wrap, until it has become 1.5 times its original volume.
3. Grease a medium loaf pan heavily with (about 1 tp) butter. Once the dough has risen, pour the dough into the loaf pan. Minimize disturbance so that the bubbles are preserved in the dough. Brush the top of the dough with a little water. Sprinkle oat bran. Allow the dough to rise further, until its height is slightly above the edge of the pan. Score the dough. Pre-heat oven to 425F. 
4. Place the loaf into the oven. Adjust temperature to 350F. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan by 180 degrees. Bake for another 20 minutes. If, 10 minutes into the second half of the baking, the top of the loaf has browned too much, cover the top with foil. 
5. Take loaf out of pan and cool on rake for at least 1 hour before slicing.


Results:
Day 1 Prepare the biga. 

Day 2 Do nothing


Day 3, 9:39am, biga taken out of the fridge to warm at room temperature, soaker just mixed with lower hydration than before:

Day 3, 9:46am, soaker spooned into the biga to mix:

Day 3, 9:59am, initial dough almost fully mixed:

Day 3, 10:04am, after biga and soaker are fully mixed, honey and oil are added to dough:

Day 3, 10:09am, final dough's texture after rubbing in the oil and honey:

Day 3, 10:13am, final dough ready to rest in bowl at room temperature:

Day 3, 1:48pm, final dough rested 3 hours and 30 minutes in room temperature:

Day 3, 1:48pm, final dough's height after rest:

Day 3, 1:52pm, final dough poured carefully into a greased loaf pan. Since the dough has to proof in the pan, it's good to generously grease the pan with 1 tp of butter to prevent sticking later.

Day 3, 3:03pm, final dough proofed for 1 hour in loaf pan:

Day 3, 3:07pm, height of the final dough after proofing:

Day 3, 3:10pm, final dough scored, and just before baking:

Day 3, 3:54pm, loaf baked for 40 minutes:

Day 3, 3:57pm, loaf's height:

Day 3, 3:55pm, loaf's bottom:

Day 3, 3:55pm, loaf's side:

Day 3, 6:47pm, loaf cut into 12 thick slices after cooling for 2 hours, knife come off very clean:

Day 3, 6:47pm, a center-of-loaf slice:

Day 3, 6:48pm, an end-of-loaf slice:

Day 3, 6:49pm, the thickness of the slices:

Observations:

1. With lower hydration, the dough holds its shape much better.
2. I did not put the dough in warm oven, but its rise is not greatly affected by the temperature.
3. The reduced amount of yeast may have yielded just a smaller rise. But the difference is really not significant. In fact, I am happily surprised by the resultant loaf.
4. This loaf is a little dry to the mouth; the crust is rather thick and has a slightly overcooked flavor. I think, for this level of hydration, 30-35 minutes of baking should be enough. 

I am so very pleased with each experiment. It's getting better and better each time!