Hello all,
I am trying to figure out how to handle wheat bran addition to the bread I
bake. I increase wheat bran content gradually by 20g plus 20g of extra water
every time I bake a bread (once per week). So far I got to 140g of wheat
bran (plus 140g of extra water) and I like the result. I keep the rest of
the ingredients at the constant level. The only thing I am concern about is
starter amount. 160g of wheat bran does not sound like a lot but by volume
it is. Anyway my question is: should I treat addition of wheat bran like
flour and increase the starter amount accordingly to maintain 25%
starter/dough ratio by weight or keep it at a constant level. I don't know
if wheat bran can be a food for yeast and as such change the time of the
ripening of the dough?

On 31 May, 03:31, "Arek Niski" wrote:
should I treat addition of wheat bran like
flour and increase the starter amount accordingly to maintain 25%..?

Hi,

you won't need extra starter, 25% is well withing the norm I go much
lower than that.

Jim

On May 30, 7:31 pm, "Arek Niski" wrote:
Hello all,
I am trying to figure out how to handle wheat bran addition to the bread I
bake. I increase wheat bran content gradually by 20g plus 20g of extra water
every time I bake a bread (once per week). So far I got to 140g of wheat
bran (plus 140g of extra water) and I like the result. I keep the rest of
the ingredients at the constant level. The only thing I am concern about is
starter amount. 160g of wheat bran does not sound like a lot but by volume
it is. Anyway my question is: should I treat addition of wheat bran like
flour and increase the starter amount accordingly to maintain 25%
starter/dough ratio by weight or keep it at a constant level. I don't know
if wheat bran can be a food for yeast and as such change the time of the
ripening of the dough?

hi, i am also fond of baking wheat bran, cracked wheat based breads
and the most noticeable reaction of the dough when i increase the
wheat bran or germ etc., is that the fermentation rate decreases.
maybe it is due to the wheat bran's oil content. Also, when i try to
add more cracked wheat or wheat bran, the water absorption increases
and the mixing process extends. The bread becomes somewhat tougher and
heavier when i exceed more than 40% wheat bran /cracked wheat, not to
mention that my mixer gets a beating when i do this. I found out that
if i try to develop the gluten first at around 70% underdeveloped t
55% water, and add the wheat bran and cracked wheat, flax meal etc.,
plus the rest of the water, the wheat bran does not affect the gluten
and gets absorbed easily. another trick that i do is that i fold more
seeds and bran etc, after i finished mixing and during the shaping
process. This way, my bread has more nutty and healthier persona.
good luck

wrote in message
ups.com...
hi, i am also fond of baking wheat bran, cracked wheat based breads
and the most noticeable reaction of the dough when i increase the
wheat bran or germ etc., is that the fermentation rate decreases.
maybe it is due to the wheat bran's oil content. Also, when i try to
add more cracked wheat or wheat bran, the water absorption increases
and the mixing process extends. The bread becomes somewhat tougher and
heavier when i exceed more than 40% wheat bran /cracked wheat, not to

Is it 40% of final dough or baker's percents?


mention that my mixer gets a beating when i do this. I found out that
if i try to develop the gluten first at around 70% underdeveloped t
55% water, and add the wheat bran and cracked wheat, flax meal etc.,
plus the rest of the water, the wheat bran does not affect the gluten
and gets absorbed easily. another trick that i do is that i fold more
seeds and bran etc, after i finished mixing and during the shaping
process. This way, my bread has more nutty and healthier persona.
good luck


Thanks for these tips.