Fifteen percent einkorn is the amount that changes the aroma without changing the dough's behaviour. At this level the gluten network is essentially a wheat network with einkorn's carotenoids and sugars woven through it, which means every technique from the white bread entries still applies and the loaf still smells faintly of honey when it comes out of the oven.
Accent flour, not structure flour
Einkorn at 15% contributes colour, aroma and a soft sweetness; it contributes almost no structure. That means the baseline schedule works without modification: 20% starter, four coil folds, 3.75 hours of bulk at 25 °C to a 50% rise, 12 hours cold. The only adjustment is water, up 1% to 76%, because the bran in the einkorn absorbs slightly more than the bread flour it replaced.
| Ingredient | Weight | Baker's % |
|---|---|---|
| Bread flour | 425 g | 85% |
| Whole einkorn | 75 g | 15% |
| Water | 380 g | 76% |
| Starter 1:5:5, 8 h at 25 °C | 100 g | 20% |
| Salt | 10 g | 2% |
What 15% einkorn actually tastes like
A pale gold crumb with a soft, faint honey aftertaste that appears in the first minute and then fades. It is subtle enough that people notice something without being able to name it. Above 25% the grassy note takes over and the crumb starts to close; at 15% you get the good part without the trade.
A curved arc score, following the shoulder
One curved arc, 20 degrees, 6 mm deep, following the shoulder of the boule rather than cutting straight across it. A curved cut follows the direction the dough wants to expand in, so the ear lifts evenly along its whole length instead of tearing at one end. 240 °C, 22 minutes of steam, 45 minutes total.
- Crumb rating 4/5: pale gold, soft, faint honey aftertaste.
- Keeps three days; the crust softens but the crumb stays moist.
- Makes an unusually good grilled cheese because the crumb compresses without breaking.
Fifteen percent is a good place to start with any unfamiliar ancient grain. It is enough to taste, small enough that a failure costs you one loaf rather than an afternoon of reworking a schedule you had already tuned.
Sources / 参考来源
Published reference works consulted for this log: