"Schmitt, Barbara E." <BSchmitt@goulstonstorrs.com> wrote:
>Subject: When is a mistake not a mistake?
>Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2004 11:01:11 -0400
>
>This weekend, I decided to make the basic (not sourdough) pumpernickel
>raisin bread recipe from Rose Levy Berenbaum's Bread Bible. I made the
>sponge, and sprinkled the flour mixture over it as directed. As I was
>putting away the ingredients, I realized that I had used 2T of diastatic
>malt powder instead of 2T of gluten.
>...
>The "original recipe" bread was very good -- nice flavor, beautiful color,
>great chewy texture. But the "mistake" was even better -- in short, it was
>fantastic. It was sweeter than the original recipe, and the flavor is out
>of this world. It is even light enough in texture that I think I will try
>adding a bit of first clear flour in place of some of the white flour next time
finally got the chance to try this suggestion using 2 year old diastatic
malt and barbara is right! it's fantastic. i was worried when i added two
whole tablespoons of the stuff but the resulting crumb is not at all pasty.
i left out the sugar, coffee, and cocoa to get the full unadulterated
flavor of the wheat and rye. i can't tell you how great this is! thank you
so much barbara for sharing your "mistake." now i wonder how it would work
with fresher diastatic malt. i suspect it would be fine. (incidentally,
barbara also added the gluten when she realized her error. and we both did
the 1 hour room temperature followed by overnight refrigerator sponge
indicated in the recipe
RE 100% WHOLEWEAT BREAD in addition to discovering the virtues of freshly
ground flour i have another important detail to share: during rising
(proofing) don't let the dough grow more than 1 1/2 times in volume or the
gluten tears. only let it almost double on the final shaped rise. much
improved crumb this way!
happy holidays with lots of bread baking! for anyone who's traveling on
united airlines in february, watch for my bread story in hemispheres with
new (variation) recipe. and if you're not, go to their website!
rose