What's wrong with this bread

[UnConundrum]

So, I'm trying out Peter Reinhart's new approach to whole grain breads and he calls for 100% whole wheat. I did a pretty good job following his directions, but I used only half of the yeast he suggests. I let the shaped loaves rise for an hour, and the sides look ... broken. I've seen this before with other mixed grain loaves, but usually when I've let them overproof. That's not the case here.

http://gallery.me.com/unconundrum/100078/P1040128/web.jpg

http://gallery.me.com/unconundrum/100078/P1040129/web.jpg

http://gallery.me.com/unconundrum/100078/P1040130/web.jpg

http://gallery.me.com/unconundrum/100078/P1040132/web.jpg

I'm thinking there isn't enough gluten to hold the loaf together, or I didn't develop what there is well enough. Does anyone else have any suggestions or comments?

[GotGarlic]

I've found that with baking, precise measurements are usually pretty important. Why did you use half the amount of yeast the recipe called for?

[UnConundrum]

Not to be smart, but because I thought it was too much. Even at the reduced amount, it was twice what I would normally use AND this bread is made with a starter (natural yeast) as well. I only reduced the instant yeast.

[Fisher's Mom]

I've had a lot of luck adding vital wheat gluten to my whole wheat breads. They sell it at King Arthur's. I use about a tablespoon or so for one loaf. HTH

[UnConundrum]

I have a really great bulk food store nearby that sells a lot of KA flours and carries several yeasts and things like malt powder and gluten.... but I'm still wondering if that's the problem.

[Fisher's Mom]

You can also use a dough conditioner, which seems to make the dough more elastic and produces a smoother looking loaf, I think. But I would start with some wheat gluten and see if it helps. 100% whole wheat is tricky at best, but your loaves look pretty good so I think you only need a little tweaking to get the loaves to look the way you want.

[Fisher's Mom]

Here's a link about the using conditioners and gluten to whole wheat breads:
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/recipes/Whole-Wheat-Bread.htm

[joec]

How did it taste? That is always my first question on breads or for that matter anything one would eat.

[JoeV]

When using whole grain flours like whole wheat and rye flour, I add 1t of vital wheat gluten per cup of the whole grain flour. SO if the recipe calls for 3 cups of bread flour and 2 cups of whole wheat flour, I add 2t of the vital wheat gluten. Here is a loaf of 100% whole wheat flour that took about 90 minutes to rise before baking...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v664/flyfishohio/Breads/P1010629.jpg

Try that next time and see if it helps...it should. Here is the recipe.

100% Whole Wheat Bread
From the Kitchen of: Joe Valencic

Ingredients:

29 oz Stone ground whole wheat flour (5-1/2 to 6 C) 100.0%
3 t Salt (1T + 1t Kosher salt) (.75 oz.) 2.5%
3T Dry Milk (.45 oz) 1.5%
4t Vital wheat gluten (.60 oz.) 2.1%
3T Molasses (2.25 oz.) 7.8%
3T Butter melted (3 oz.) 10.3%
2-1/2t Instant yeast (.42 oz.) 1.5%
18.6 oz Warm water (105-110 F) 64.2%
54.82 oz. Total Weight Baker’s Percentage 178.5%

Directions:

Combine flour, salt, yeast, vital gluten and dry milk in a large bowl and blend well. In a separate bowl, combine warm water, melted butter and molasses. Hollow out the flour mixture and pour liquid into the center. With a wooden spoon pull the flour into the liquid until you have shaggy mixture, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth & elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Remove dough to a well greased bowl (covering dough with oil on all surfaces), cover with plastic and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

If using a stand mixer with dough hook, put liquid into mixing bowl and slowly add flour mixture, reserving about ½ Cup. On speed 2, add flour until dough pulls cleanly away from the bowl, then continue to mix for 7 minutes to develop the gluten. Remove dough from bowl and shape into a tight ball, then place in a well greased bowl (covering dough with oil on all surfaces), cover with plastic and allow to rest until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Punch down dough and divide into two portions. Fold dough letter style, press dough into a square, then roll into a log shape, pinching the seam closed and tucking the ends under. Place into two oiled 9”x5” bread pans, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place until doubled in size.

Bake in a pre heated 400 F oven for 30 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 200 F. Remove from pans to a cooling rack. Wait for one hour before cutting bread. Allow bread to reach room temperature (about 3 hours) before placing in plastic bags and place in the freezer. Will keep up to 30 days. Makes 2 loaves 27 oz. each.

[UnConundrum]

JoeV, I remember seeing that beautiful loaf before :) But I would think Reinhart would indicate if the dough needed conditioner or gluten... It's a challenge, but there must be something in the procedure.... Oh the quest of a better loaf.

JoeC, Tasted fine. About what I expected. A little tang from the sourdough offset by the sweetness of the honey :) Was just a tad dense, so from a rising standpoint, it could have waited another 15 minutes or so, but I'm not sure what that would have done to the appearance of the loaf... While taste is important, appearance adds a lot to the "satisfaction" a well made loaf can offer.

[joec]

JoeC, Tasted fine. About what I expected. A little tang from the sourdough offset by the sweetness of the honey :) Was just a tad dense, so from a rising standpoint, it could have waited another 15 minutes or so, but I'm not sure what that would have done to the appearance of the loaf... While taste is important, appearance adds a lot to the "satisfaction" a well made loaf can offer.

Well being blind in one eye and about that in the other looks doesn't matter much to me. :mrgreen: I do understand the quest for perfection though.

[PieSusan]

Because whole grain breads are so heavy more yeast is often used. It is why Peter Reinhardt wrote the recipe as he did. Further, vital wheat gluten may be added but does not need to be if you use the proper amount of yeast.

JoeV thought there was too much yeast in George Greenstein's Bialy recipe and I have made them and they are perfect.

When I see a baking recipe from a respected source, I tend to follow the recipe as is unless I think there is a typo. Why not see if you can e-mail Peter and see if he can answer you. I have been lucky with chefs and cookbook authors like that.

[JoeV]

The gluten is a special protein in certain flours that help build the structure that hold the gas given off from the yeast during the fermentation (rising) of the dough, and is also what makes bread "chewy" and absorbent. Along with starch, it also is responsible for maintaining the shape of the loaf. Coarse grain flours have a lower protein/gluten level than bread flours, and therefore require some assistance in developing the gluten structure. You can put all the yeast you want in a recipe, but if there is no structure to hold the fermenting gas in and expand the dough, it's just going to develop a beery taste and turn out a dense/heavy loaf of bread that may taste ok, but is not preferred by most people for sandwiches, toast or sopping up gravies and sauces.

No disrespect to Reinhart or Greenstein, but I don't always prefer their recipes as they design them, but often they make a great starting point to get a bread that an individual pallette prefers. Just because you design a different style of bread does not mean that everyone is going to like it. This is where learning about how each ingredient in bread works in concert with all the others. Once you understand this interaction, you can look at a recipe and have a pretty good idea of what the results will look and taste like. Reinhart excells at teaching the home baker about each ingredient, and also what the baseline percentages (Baker's Percentages) look like in different styles of breads. Bread baking is a combination of science, chemistry and artistry, which is what makes bread baking stand out among all other forms of baking.

Lastly, keep in mind that these high profile bakers are in the business of developing new recipes and selling new books. It's how they pay their bills and how they stay in the public view. Also, they don't do this alone, but have whole teams of volunteer bakers who assist in refining each recipe they come up with. If you are a serious bread baker, you can contact Peter and request to be part of the next team he puts together for his next book. I have seriously thought of doing this with his next book. I'm certain I would achieve a higher proficiency by working R&D with him without having to pay tuition.

Enough wind from me.