Sweet Heart of Sprouted Wheat Bread

[kirra]

Sweet Heart of Sprouted Wheat Bread

Ingredients:

Dough Starter:

5 1/2 oz bread flour
3 T fresh wheat germ (not toasted)
3/8 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp honey
11.2 oz lukewarm water (70-90 degrees)

Starter:
Begin with this process early in the morning. In a large bowl, or mixer bowl if using a stand mixer, place the bread flour, wheat germ, optional bran, yeast, honey and water. Whisk until very smooth to incorporate air, about 2 minutes. The dough will be the consistency of a thick batter. Scrape down the sides. Set it aside covered with plastic wrap while making the flour mixture.

Flour Mixture:

11 oz bread flour
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 c olive or vegetable oil
1/4 c sprouted wheat berries (once sprouted, yields 1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation:

Combining Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the bread flour (reserve 2 tablespoons if mixing by hand), and yeast. Gently scoop it onto the sponge to cover it completely. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment for a minimum of 1 hour, preferably 4 hours at room temperature. (During this time the sponge may bubble through the flour mixture in places. This is fine.)

Mixing:

Machine Method:
If you are making a sandwich loaf, add the optional oil. With the dough hook, mix on low speed (#2 Kitchen Aid) about 1 minute, until the flour is moistened to form a rough dough. Scrape down any bits of dough. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. Add the sprouted wheat and the salt and knead the dough on medium speed (#4 Kitchen Aid) for 7 minutes. The dough should be very elastic and smooth, and sticky enough to cling slightly to your fingers. If it is still very sticky knead in a little flour. If it is not at all sticky spray it with a little water and knead it in. (The dough should weigh about 2 pounds / 920 grams + oil.)

Hand Method:
Add the optional oil, the salt, and the sprouted wheat and with a wooden spoon or one hand, mix until the flour is moistened. Knead the dough in the bowl until it comes together and then scrape it onto a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, enough to develop the gluten structure a little, adding as little of the reserved 2 tablespoons of flour as possible to keep it from sticking. Use the bench scraper to scrape the dough and gather it together as you knead it. At this point it will be very sticky. Cover it with the inverted bowl and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. (This resting time will make the dough less sticky and easier to work with.)

Knead the dough for another 5 to 10 minutes or until it is very smooth and elastic. It should be sticky enough to cling slightly to your fingers. If the dough is very sticky, add a little more flour. (The dough should weigh about 2 pounds / 920 grams + oil.)

Both Methods

First Rising:
Scrape the dough into a 4 quart dough rising container or bowl, greased lightly with cooking spray or oil. Press down the dough and lightly spray or oil the top of the dough. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap. With a piece of tape, mark where double the height would be. Allow the dough to rise (ideally at 75°F to 80°F) until doubled, about 1 hour.

Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, remove the dough to a floured counter and press down on it gently to form a rectangle. Give it a business letter turn, round the edges and return it to the bowl.Again, oil the surface, cover, mark where double the height will now be and allow it to rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (It will fill it fuller than before because it is puffier with air).

Shaping & Second Rising:
Turn the dough onto a floured counter; press down on it gently to flatten it slightly, and use your fingertips to press out any large air bubbles. It will still be a little sticky but use only as much flour as absolutely necessary. Shape by rounding the dough into a ball about 6 inches by 2 1/2 inches high and set it on the prepared baking sheet. (If you are making a rectangular shaped loaf, gently press or lightly roll the dough with a rolling pin into a wide rectangle. (The long side of the dough should be facing towards you.) The exact size is not important at this point. Place it in the prepared loaf pan (no more than 1/2 inch from the top of the pan). Cover the loaf with a large container or oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise until almost doubled and when pressed gently with a finger the depression very slowly fills in, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.. It will be about 8 inches by 3 inches high. (In the loaf pan the highest point will be 1 inch higher than the sides of the pan.)

Preheating:
1 hour before baking time preheat the oven to 450°F.
Have the oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on it and a cast iron pan or sheet pan on the floor of the oven before preheating.

Slash & Bake Bread:
Using a single-edged razor blade, make a 1/4-inch deep long cross in the top of the free form loaf. If using the sprouted wheat, pick off any that are on the surface as after baking they become very hard. Mist the dough with water, quickly but gently set the baking sheet on the hot stone or hot baking sheet, and toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath. Immediately shut the door, lower the heat to 400°F. and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. (An instant read thermometer inserted into the center will read about 205°F.). Halfway through baking, with a heavy pancake turner lift the free form bread from the pan and set it directly on the stone so that it is turned halfway around for even baking. (Turn the loaf pan half way around also.)

Cooling Bread:
Remove the bread from the oven (if in a loaf pan unmold it from the pan), and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely, top-side-up. For the free-form loaf, to recrisp the crust before serving, return the bread to a 350°F. oven for 5 minutes