Playing with Quinoa
My wonderful mom sent me some Quinoa. I am not sure why, except she knows I like to experiment with grains/flour/seeds etc. So I experimented with the Quinoa, which really isn’t a grain but a seed which can be ground into a flour. The smell and flavor was very good, so much so, that I made three batches so I could share it around.
Instead of just grinding the Quinoa into flour, I soaked it for several hours and then put it in my blender and blenderized it to a smooth consistency. Like this:
Quinoa Sourdough Bread:
The day before baking add together:
- 4 oz/113g whole meal Quinoa
- 6 oz/170 warm water
Allow the Quinoa to soak up the water for about three hours or so. Then in the evening before going to bed:
Place your Quinoa/water mixture and 6 oz/170g more water into your blender and blend at high speed for about 1/2 minute.
Put this mixture into a mixing bowl or dough folding trough and then add:
- 3 oz/85g vigorous starter which you fed that same morning (I used my whole wheat Desem starter)
- 6 oz/170g of whole wheat flour
- .1 oz/2.8g of salt
Mix all ingredients together and allow the mixture to set, covered at room temperature overnight.
Next morning add together:
- All of the Quinoa preferment
- 7 oz/ 198g water
- .5 oz/14g salt
- 6 oz/ 170gg whole wheat flour
- 14 oz/396g bread flour
Makes 3 lb 5 oz/1505g of dough at 65% hydration.
Mix well and then ferment at room temperature for 4 hours, fold the dough once each hour. The dough will start out with almost no gluten structure:
And after several folds it will end up with a much stronger gluten structure:
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However, Quinoa does not have gluten and the whole wheat flour weakens the gluten bonding, so the bread has a tendency to have cracks in the crust. Handle the dough gently. After 4 hours of fermenting, preshape your dough and let it bench rest for 15 minutes.
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Then final shape your dough and place in bannetons or couche. I divide the dough into two pieces weighing approximately 1 lb 9 oz/708g each. Final proof the dough which takes about 1.5 – 2 hours and then bake in a preheated hot oven at 450F degrees on top of a baking stone.
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Make sure to preheat your oven and stone really well. Put your roasting pan lid into the oven to preheat at least 5 minutes before baking. Turn your proofed dough out onto a peel, slash and then place the dough on top of the hot baking stone. Spray the dough once all over and cover with a hot roasting lid. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove the lid. Bake for 15 more minutes. Cool and enjoy. The smell and flavor of this bread is very satisfying.
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