(The “Print” feature is at the bottom of the recipe.)
Freshly milled flour is actually TERRIBLE for baking bread, for several reasons:
-15-18% of the flour is made up of bran and germ, which have NO gluten potential.
-Bran is sharp and destroys the gluten network of our bread as the bread rises, leading to loaf deflation during baking.
-Flour needs to age after milling in order to dehydrate, because the more water flour can absorb, the higher the gluten potential becomes. Freshly milled flour has a much higher water content than aged flour, and can absorb less water.
-Flour needs exposure to oxygen for 2-3 weeks after milling, to oxidize the sub-proteins that link up to create gluten. Without being oxidized, glutenin and gliadin are less likely to link up, creating a weaker gluten structure in the bread.
LUCKILY, we can counteract these weaknesses with a tiny amount of Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. It’s healthy for you, and will dramatically improve your bread! (Available on Amazon, or at any health food store. A little goes a long way.)
In a large bowl, measure:
4oz / 113g sourdough starter (must be at 100% hydration, and ideally cold, unfed, straight from the refrigerator)
Into a quart jar, measure:
12.5oz / 354g water (ideally filtered, room temp or cold)
1/8 teaspoon Vitamin C powder/ascorbic acid
Seal and shake the jar vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Add to the bowl with the starter and mix to distribute the starter into the water. Then add:
8oz / 227g freshly milled flour (from any gluten-containing grain: wheat, barley, rye, ancient wheat varieties)
12oz / 340g AP or bread flour (bread flour will give a better overall rise)
0.7oz / 19g salt (any type)
Stir to combine, then finish bringing into a uniform dough with your hands. Rise at room temp until double. (SEE NOTE BELOW ON RISE TIMES!!!) Shape into a boule, place in a greased or parchment lined Dutch oven, rise a second time, then score and place into the center of a cold oven. (For loaf pan baking, see my MasterClass video, linked above.) Turn the oven on to 425F/220C and start a 45 minute timer. Remove the lid after 45 minutes and bake an additional 15 minutes.
UNDERSTANDING PROOFING TIMES:
Modestly underproofing breads containing whole grains leads to a better oven rise. To know how long to proof your bread properly, you need to know how long it took the loaf to double on the FIRST rise. So mix up this bread in the morning on a day off, rise in an oiled ziploc bag, and begin watching it around 6 hours.
If it doubles in 12-24 hours, your second rise should be 60 minutes.
If it doubles in 8-12 hours, your second rise should be 45 minutes.
If it doubles in UNDER 8 hours, your second rise should be 30 minutes.
Future loaves will follow a similar pattern to your first, so you don’t always have to watch the loaf as carefully as the first time. Keep in mind, however, that differences in kitchen temps vary throughout the seasons, and bread may take longer to rise in winter than it does in summer. (Or the opposite, depending on your air conditioning habits!)
