Yooper Whole Wheat Happy Boule

By Bread Festival Bakers

From Dave Powell, Bread Festival 2019On a recent trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I found a whole wheat flour that was grown and milled in Skandia, Michigan. This find was a great surprise since I never though that wheat could be grown in the U.P. I bought a 5lb bag of this flour to test its effect in baked goods. The boule is the first bread that I have made using this flour from the U.P.

Ingredients

175 grams white whole wheat flour, divided
560 grams water, divided
430 grams all-purpose flour
125 grams Freedom Mills whole grain flour
11.7 grams salt
11.7 grams instant dry yeast

Instructions

Mix 50 grams of white whole wheat flour, 10 grams of water and a pinch of yeast. Ferment at room temperature for 12-16 hours.

Combine the pre-ferment from step one with 550 grams water. Mix until combined. Add 430 grams all purpose flour, 125 grams white whole wheat and 125 grams Freedom Mills whole grain flour. Mix, cover and rest for 30 minutes. Add yeast and mix. Add salt and mix.

Cover and rest 30 minutes, then preform 4 stretch and folds. Repeat this process two more times.

After resting, divide dough in half and shape each into a boule. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Refrigerate overnight–12 to 15 hours.

Bake in a preheated Dutch oven at 450 degrees covered for 20 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 20 minutes until golden brown.

Yooper Whole Wheat slice