My 91th loaf: whole wheat bread

The last loaf of whole wheat bread was gone in 3 days! So I needed a new loaf for the week. This time I am using almost exactly the same ingredients. The procedure however, is different. I allow the dough to have much more time to ferment, but without any heat supply, except for the general temperature of the kitchen in a non-cooking summer day.

Recipe: Wheat bread (1 medium loaf)

Ingredients:

- 1+1/2 cup KAF whole wheat flour

- 1+1/4 cup KAF bread flour

- 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill potato starch

- 1+1/4 tp salt

- 2 TB honey

- 1 cup 2% evaporated milk

- 1/4 cup warm water

- 3 tp yeast

- 2 TB olive oil

- egg white

- sesame seeds

Procedure:

1. Proof 3 tp yeast in 2 TB warm water, mixed with all the evaporated milk.

2. Sieve together whole wheat flour, bread flour, potato starch, and salt.

3. Add proofed yeast and evaporated milk into the dry ingredients. Mix.

4. Give the mixture 10-20 minutes of rest.

5. Knead. Then add honey. Knead again.

6. Allow to rest on counter for 2 hours.

7. Add olive oil. Rub in. Add water if necessary to adjust hydration.

8. Shape into log. Place in baking pan. Brush top with egg white. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

9. Allow pan to rest on counter until volume doubles.

10. Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes. Cover top after the first 20 minutes or when top is browned.

11. Cool and slice.

Results:

7:05am, dry ingredients sieved, yeast proofing in warm milk and water:

7:28am, lean dough, with honey but without oil:

9:38am, dough rested 2 hours on counter top without heat:

9:43am, dough punched down:

11:16am, second rise on counter top without heat:

11:34am, dough punched down a second time and oiled:

1:35pm, dough risen the 3rd time:

1:36pm, dough's top when cover removed:

1:40pm, bottom of dough:

1:42pm, dough shaped:

1:43pm, height of shaped dough:

1:48pm, topping with egg white:

3:10pm, dough risen 2 hours:

4:17pm, dough risen 3 hours:

4:17pm, dough's height after 3 hours of rising:

4:22pm, started baking at 350F:

4:43pm, baked 20 minutes, to cover:

5:06pm, baked 45 minutes, 190F internal temperature:

5:09pm, top of loaf:

5:09pm, height of loaf:

5:10pm, heel of loaf:

5:11pm, bottom of loaf:

5:11pm, top of loaf:

5:12pm, corner of loaf:

After 2 days on counter top:

Crumb:

Crust:

Wrinkles on top:

Observations:

1. This loaf has all the good flavor that I love. However, it must have been over-proofed. The crumb shows really large holes on top!

2. The crumb remains pretty soft even after 2 days.