using fresh ground flour?

[MoonshineBaker]

Re: using fresh ground flour?

"Green" flour is a topic of discussion in other forums. What I'm reading is that freshly ground - green flour will give a denser loaf of bread. At another forum (http://www.thefreshloaf.com/), a person aged their freshly ground flour for a week, I think it was, in the refrigerator and got a lighter loaf of bread. I'll give it a try and see. However, I enjoy using whole grain mixtures in bread and freshly ground just seems somehow healthier - better.

[Dutchoven]

Re: using fresh ground flour?

It was mentioned by CJim but fresh flours do make dense bread...when they are allowed to oxidize they will create a lighter loaf...I don't remember if he said why or not...
Best
Dutch

[MoonshineBaker]

Re: using fresh ground flour?

Yesterday, I made some more sourdough bread using Allan Scott's recipe with 30% of the flour being whole grain as I've done before (65% hydration, Giusto's Baker's Choice organic unbleached flour + .2% malted barley). This time instead of using my own freshly ground whole wheat and rye berries for the 30% whole grain flour as I've done numerous times, I used store bought wheat and rye flours (Giusto's organic). The results were definitely different with a much greater oven spring and a lighter more open crumb. The flavor was very good. I'll have to do side by side taste test and compare it with bread made from freshly ground flour. The only variable was that I baked these loaves at about 450*F rather than the 550*F. At the higher temperatures I've blacked too many bottoms of bread loaves. Again, thanks to my neighbors who will eat my experiments / mistakes.

[Wiley]

Re: using fresh ground flour?

I've been following this thread here and elsewhere and found an interesting bit of information over at "The Fresh Loaf" and some pictures that seem to support what they are saying. And what they are saying is that one does not have to wait the 10 days to two weeks for the freshly ground flour to oxidize IF one uses the flour within 7 hours or so of grinding it.
Here's the link to the posting:
Reinhart -- Alas, right about fresh flour | The Fresh Loaf

Wiley

[MoonshineBaker]

Re: using fresh ground flour?

Wiley - thanks for the referral. I'll check it out. Maybe, I'll grind some flour the day before baking when I'm mixing up the poolish or biga. Richard

[gjbingham]

Re: using fresh ground flour?

Richard,
Great reports. I'm still a babe in the woods in breadland. I do remember Cjim's comments about the oxidation, which is also why the big flour manufacturers bleach their flours. I completely forget the jist of the conversation right now and my one-year-old is pulling at my leg.
How about some pics of your bread???
Anyway, great discussion!