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1
The day before making the bread, make the soaker and the poolish.
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2
For the soaker, mix together the coarse whole-wheat flour and the water in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and leave it at room temperature until the next day.
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3
For the poolish, mix together the whole-wheat flour and yeast, then stir in the water to make a thick paste.
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4
Stir only until all the flour is hydrated, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, or until it just begins to bubble.
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5
Then put it in the refrigerator overnight.
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6
The next day remove the poolish from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill.
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7
In a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), stir together the whole-wheat flour, salt, and yeast.
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8
Then add the poolish and the soaker, as well as the honey, oil, and egg.
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9
Stir with a large metal spoon (or mix on low speed for about 1 minute with the paddle attachment) until the dough forms a ball, adding more water or flour if needed.
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10
Sprinkle whole-wheat flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook).
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11
Add flour if necessary and knead until the dough forms a firm, supple dough.
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12
This will take 10 to 15 minutes by hand, slightly less by machine.
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13
The dough should be tacky but not sticky.
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14
It should pass the windowpane test (page 58) and register 77 to 81F.
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15
Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil.
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16
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
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17
Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
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18
Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (they should weigh about 18 ounces each).
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19
Shape them into sandwich loaves, as shown on page 81.
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20
Lightly oil two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and place the loaves in the pans.
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21
Mist the tops with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.
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22
Proof at room temperature for about 90 minutes, or until the dough nearly doubles in size and is cresting above the lip of the pans.
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23
Preheat the oven to 350F with the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
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24
Just before baking, you may choose to garnish the loaves by misting the tops with water and sprinkling on sesame seeds.
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25
Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, then rotate them 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking.
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26
Continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes longer.
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27
The finished bread should register between 185 and 190F at the center and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom.
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28
The loaves should be golden brown all around and firm on the sides as well as on the top and bottom.
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29
If they are soft and squishy on the sides, return them to the pans and continue baking until done.
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30
When the loaves have finished baking, remove them immediately from the pans and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before slicing or serving.
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31
Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; commercial yeast
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32
Day 1: 2 to 4 hours soaker and poolish
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33
Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill poolish; 15 minutes mixing; 3 1/2 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 45 to 60 minutes baking
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34
Coarse flour weighs slightly less per cup than regular grind flour because it doesnt pack as tightly and contains more air.
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35
This explains why the coarse flour is only 4.25 ounces, while the regular whole-wheat flour used in the rest of the formula weighs 4.5 ounces per cup.
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36
The bread will develop a more open crumb if the flour is high in protein.
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37
The strongest flour comes from hard spring wheat, which can often be found at natural food markets that offer a variety of flours (see also Resources, page 291).
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38
You may also substitute regular whole-wheat flour from the supermarket.
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39
The use of oil and/or egg is offered as an option to tenderize the bread.
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40
If you use either of them, you will need to add additional flour during the final mixing.
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41
Let the dough determine how much flour to add, as you knead it to a firm, slightly tacky consistency.
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42
Another way to tenderize the dough is to use milk or buttermilk instead of water when making the poolish.
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43
Whole-Wheat Bread %
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44
(Soaker)
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45
Whole-wheat flour: 100%
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46
Water: 141%
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47
Total: 241%
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48
WHOLE-WHEAT POOLISH
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49
Whole-wheat flour: 100%
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50
Instant yeast: .41%
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51
Water: 88.9%
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52
Total: 189.3%
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53
(Dough)
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54
Soaker: 114%
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55
Whole-wheat poolish: 142%
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56
Whole-wheat flour: 100%
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57
Salt: 3.7%
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58
Instant yeast: 1.2%
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59
Honey: 16.7%
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60
Vegetable oil: 5.6%
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61
Egg: 18.3%
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62
Total: 401.5%
