SFBI - Whole Grains Workshop - Day 3

Today we baked a sesame flame, a "crown of the great valley" (whole wheat with sunflower meal and flax meal), a prairie bread (whole wheat and a lot of seeds and totally yummy), a Finnish rye and a "two castles rye loaf" (two loaves attached at the end).

The variety was in itself very exciting because it made it clear that using whole grains it is possible to bring to your bakery (or to your home baking) a diversity of colors and tastes which will attract even people who do not particularly care about nutritional benefits.

I learned for instance that you can have green bread by using good quality pumpkin seeds which will not turn brown in the oven.

I also talked with Didier about the difference between bread baking in the US and in France and he said that the main thing to remember when baking with French flour using a US formula is that you have to use 4 to 5 % less water. That is because French flour is lower in protein. French wheat has been engineered for longer fermentation times while in the US, wheat is engineered for speed.
For the rest, I won't elaborate much more tonight as I got home late and need to go to sleep. But I'll be back tomorrow with more news from SFBI in San Francisco!