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Blanche--It takes a while to learn to navigate this site, and even then, we sometimes have to dig for items. The discussion is one of the posted comments in the What are You Baking the Week of January 7, 2018 thread. If you click on it and read through, you will find S. Wirth's comment.
Here is the link to one of the dough improvers:
And here is the second:
Although KAF has a very nice Whole Grain Baking book, I have always suspected that the recipe developers do not really like whole grains and/or expect that other people will not. They really want to cover up the flavor. I know that for some people whole wheat has a rather strong taste. I recall Wingboy from the KAF Baking Circle telling us that in taste tolerance he came in low on the bitterness scale, whether it was bread or beer, so some people are probably prone genetically to respond more negatively to whole wheat's assertiveness. (Another example is cilantro, which to some people tastes like soap.) Orange juice is, of course, one way of helping to tame it, as is using white whole wheat flour.
Why do we always assume that whole grain has to mean just whole wheat flour? My husband and I like whole wheat, but lately I've been discovering for myself that adding other whole grain flours can give a nice complexity, as in my experimentation with Antilope's basic recipe.
I have been using 1 tsp. of the Gold yeast with 1 1/4 tsp. of the regular yeast in that loaf. It started as a way of using the Gold yeast more, since I do not do that many sweet rolls or coffee cakes. However, I do get a somewhat higher rise with that combination.
Ah, so you tried this recipe this time:
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/king-arthurs-100-whole-wheat-sandwich-bread-recipe
My first thoughts, and others will doubtless chime in: there is a lot of yeast (a Tablespoon) and a lot of sugar (5 Tbs. honey, molasses, or maple syrup). I wish that Cass (Kid Pizza) were posting; I'm sure that he would have some thoughts about that.
I don't know if you used the "Whole Grain Bread Improver." I've never used it. However, in this week's Baking Thread (Jan 7), S. Wirth provides a link to do-it-yourself whole grain bread improver, that is from Bookbag, a member of the original KAF Baking Circle. However, I'm thinking that an adjustment with the yeast and sugar might be the place to start.
Note: to post a link, when you are on the computer page for the KAF recipe, highlight the "address" in the top bar on your computer that shows the page. Press Control + C on your keyboard. That will copy the link. Then come to the Nebraska Kitchen page, go to where you will post, press Control + V on your keyboard, and it will paste the link into your post.
Today, I continued my experimentations with Antilope's Vienna bread, working off of the ingredient variation that I posted as a reply to Rascals about that recipe. I followed what I did in my 2 January experiment, but this time I further reduced the salt to 1 1/2 tsp. I also substituted in 1/2 cup of barley flour for that much AP flour (it's now down to 1 cup). I did add an additional Tablespoon of buttermilk, as the dough seemed a bit dry after the first 8 minutes of the cycle. I had not added the butter yet, so I was conservative. It made a softer dough than before, but still easy to handle. I again used the Emile Henry baker. I have a beautiful looking loaf. I will post an addendum here tomorrow once we have cut into it and I can comment on texture, as well as the whole wheat-rye-barley combination.
Addendum: The bread has a slightly chewy crust and a light interior crumb reminiscent of store-bought bread. The nice crust I've been getting on these breads is due to the Emile Henry long baker, which also keeps the top from overbrowning from the honey. I like the substitution of the 1/2 cup barley and may try increasing it to 3/4 cup next time. I do not detect any issues in texture or taste by the decrease in salt, although that may be why the bread is of a softer texture.
Italian Cook: Salt occurs naturally in lots of food. Of course, humans have gotten into the habit of adding to what is already there. We do need some salt, but most of us probably get enough from just basic foods without hitting the salt shaker.
I also do not saute any vegetables that I put on my pizza before baking. If I use ground turkey, I do saute it before topping the pizza. I like my mushrooms in thin slices, and my black olives halved.
I start by smearing some tomato paste from a tube onto the unbaked pizza crust. I sprinkle with garlic powder and Penzey's Tuscan Seasoning (no salt). I then put the meat on, usually salami or ground turkey. If I use ground turkey, I usually sprinkle some fennel over it to imitate sausage, as ground turkey on its own is pretty flavorless. I then add the sliced mushroom, some chopped red bell pepper, the halved olives, and some sliced green onion. I sprinkle it with grated mozzarella cheese, then grate some parmesan on top. It's important not to overdo the cheese.
My husband does not care for olives and does not use much of the red bell pepper. We found with his pizza that we need to bake it for 10 minutes, and then put the cheese on before baking it another 5 minutes. (He also puts on more cheese than I do and does not add the Parmesan.)
I use the KAF ultra-thin crust pizza, and I bake it on a pre-heated pizza stone.
As we like different toppings, I bake my husband's pizza first, then mine. I need a way of keeping his warm while mine is baking. I only have the one oven. I tell him to go ahead and eat it, but he prefers to wait for mine to be done. Maybe I should top it with foil?
