jimtrue.com : school : CUL115 : Week 3: Soakers, Wheat Types

Posted by Jim True on January 26, 2010 3:10 PM. Last Updated January 26, 2010 3:10 PM

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Week 3: Soakers, Wheat Types

Soakers

1. Hot Water: Grains such as cracked whole rye and wheat must be boiled and steeped overnight. This allows them to absorb water, soften and become palatable once the bread is baked
2. Cold Water: Softer seeds such as sunflower, flax, and cornmeal can be prepared with cold water since they soften quicker

• Soakers are equal amounts in weight of seeds, grains and water
• They are soaked overnight to soften grains and seeds to make them palatable to allow grains to absorb their own moisture and not rob the dough with its own moisture
• All or part of the dough's salt is added to the soaker to reduce the enzymatic activity and to prevent the development of off flavors, specifically in sour rye cultures
• Add soaker either in the beginning or the end of the mix, depending on the recipe and its hydration
• Millet is a grain that grows well in sandy, acidic soils and is drought tolerant. It is a complete protein, rich in lecithin, calcium, high in fiber and used for breads, baby food and poultry feed. Two types: Broomyard and Pearl
• Rolled oats are made from oats which have been cleaned, dehulled, kilned (lightly roasted), steamed and flaked. It is low in protein, high in complex carbohydrates, which is good when trying to lower your cholesterol
• Sesame seeds are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat, and high in the mineral selenium (good for your immune system, prostate and thyroid, among a few). two kinds: White and Black (have a more acidic taste to them)

Classes of Wheat Cultivated

1. Hard Red Winter
• Sown in Sept & Oct and harvested in may to mid july
• Winter wheats have above average amounts of protein 11-12% (bread flour), but are stronger for long fermentation and hearth breads.
2. Hard Red Spring
• Sown in spring, and is harvested in mid to late summer
• High gluten flour - 13% to 15%. Protein (does not support the long fermentation of hearth breads: loses structure and stability over the coarse of the fermentation = flat breads)
• Good for breads that contain a lot of heavy grains, providing an extra lift to the bread
• Good for pan breads
3. Hard White Winter
• Sown in Sept & Oct and harvested in may to mid july
• Contains a recessive gene for brain color, resulting in lighter appearance to the grain
• Bran flavor is milder
• Flour milled from entire kernel is considered "White Whole Wheat"
4. Durum
• Has a golden softness to it
• Semolina is made form durum = sandy coarseness to it
• Used primarily in pasta production

*** These 4 Flours are great for Bread Production***

5. Soft White Winter
6. Soft White Spring

** These two flours are great for pastries (higher in starch)***

The Three Types of Flours Milled From Wheat

1. Patent Flour: White flour milled from the heart of the endosperm, considered to be the best flour for bread baking, sometimes labeled "extra short" or "fancy patent"
2. Clear Flour: Wheat flour milled form the outer perimeter of the endosperm. It is darker in color due to the higher level of minerals present towards the perimeter and higher in protein than patent flour
3. Straight Flour: Milled from the entire endosperm without separation into the clear or patent flours

Non Alergen Wheat

1. Spelt is nutritionally similar to regular wheat if not superior to regular wheat because of its high protein level and sufficient gluten properties. It does contain low levels of gluten, but is tolerable for people with certain wheat allergies
2. Kamut has high protein levels, low gluten quality, can be tolerated in people with certain wheat allergies
3. Oats that have been cleaned and hulled are called groats. It has a rich flavor and texture to bread
4. Barley Seeds with the bran removed are called Pearl Barley, eaten in soups and stews. It is ground from pearl barley
5. Corn when dried is ground into 3 textures to meal - Coarse, medium (polenta) and fine. This flour has a coarse texture with a sweet flavor
6. Quinoa contains more protein than any other grains as well as all eight essential amino acids
7. Buckwheat si ground from the seeds of a plant native to Russia. The color of this flour is gray-brown and has a distinctively bitter flavor
8. Potato is made from cooked dried, ground potatoes, used mostly as a thickener with the addition of other flours
9. Brown rice is milled from the whole rice grain
10. Chickpea is made from ground chickpeas, gies a rich flavor to leavened flat breads and other savory dishes
11. Tricticale is a grain produced by crossing Rye and Wheat. It has low gluten levels, us grown. Used for Livestock feed but sometimes used in bread. Toxic to wheat intolerant people.

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