Salted Rice Malt Wheat Dinner Bread Recipe
Salted Rice Malt (Shio Koji Bread)
This single-loaf wheat bread recipe uses salted rice malt (Shio Koji) for a savory bread that is excellent as dinner bread. This recipe uses whole wheat and bread flour; the result is very soft textured Shio Koji bread. The recipes use an overnight cold fermentation and final rise. All the dough preparation is done the evening before. This prepares the day before the bread recipe provides extra fermentation flavors. The make-ahead dough is also a great way to be efficient the day you are entertaining guests and allows you to quickly bake the bread before serving so that it is still warm.
Salted Rice Malt (Shio Koji)
Salted Rice Malt is a Japanese ingredient readily available in the US. It provides all the salt needed for the recipe; no additional salt is required. The fermentation of rice to make Shio Koji provides umami and a unique flavor. The rice malt provides a complimentary flavor to the baker's yeast fermentation flavors. I use a 90-gram pouch of Shio Koji in a loaf, so you can make two loaves from one pouch. You get about 15 grams per tablespoon of Shio Koji.
Salted Rice Malt (Shio Koji) for bread dough
Ingredients for Salted Rice Malt Bread Dough
The ingredients are sized for a single 9”x5” loaf pan.
2 tsp (5.6g) dry yeast, or if using fresh yeast, 1 tbsp, level (14 G)
3/4 cup (180g) water
1-2/3 cups (200g) bread Flour
1-3/4 cups (210g) whole wheat flour
2 tbsp (28g) olive oil
3 tbsp (45g) salt rice malt (Shio Koji)
3 tbsp (4g) + ¼ tsp (1g) granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
Instructions for Salted Rice Malt Bread Dough
Warm the water to about 110°F-115°F, add the ¼ tsp sugar, and dissolve. Add the yeast and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Cream the egg yolks, sugar, and salted rice malt in a bowl.
Add the wheat flour, bread flour, water yeast, and cream mixture in a stand mixer bowl.
Use the dough hook attachment of the mixer and run the mixer for 5 minutes on medium-low.
After 5 minutes, stop the mixer and add the olive oil to the dough. I will hand-work the oil into the dough. Rerun the mixer for 2 minutes on low.
Remove the dough and form it into a ball. Then, place the dough in a bowl lightly coated with olive oil. Place a clean, damp dish towel in a proofing oven over the bowl at 90°F; the dough needs to rise for about 35 to 45 minutes.
After the dough has risen, remove the ball. Using a lightly floured surface, Deflate the dough and shape it to fit the loaf pan. The dough should be log-shaped with a 1” gap around it and the loaf pan walls.
Cover the loaf pan with dough tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate it overnight for up to 24 hours.
Baking Salted Rice Malt Bread Loaf
Remove the loaf pan with the risen dough from the refrigerator. Remove the plastic cling wrap and slit down the top of the dough to allow it to expand. Let loaf the pan with the risen dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. The slit should open some during this time as the dough slightly warms and expands.
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the loaf pan with the dough on the middle rack of the baking pan and bake for 10 minutes at this temperature. Then, bake for 14 to 15 minutes at a reduced oven temperature of 350°F. The total baking time is 24 to 25 minutes, and the internal temperature is 193°F (90 °C). I prefer to use a probe thermometer along with the designated baking time, as ovens and other factors can influence the baking time.
Single loaf wheat bread with slated rice malt
Serving suggestions
Serve warm, allowing 15 minutes to cool before removing it from the loaf pan.
Serve with softened unsalted butter. Note that the bread's texture is soft, so it is best to soften the butter, so it does not tear the soft bread when spreading it.
The bread is not the best for toasting; it is best served freshly baked and warm with butter.
