Norma,
I just concluded my most recent oil/gluten mass tests, with good results. For the latest dough formulation, which is presented below, I left out the IDY and adjusted the baker's percents so that the oil weighed 2.09 grams, just as with both of the prior tests. As before, that changed the amounts of flour and water and, hence, the amount of gluten derived from the flour. Although not noted below, I used a bowl residue compensation of 3% and I scaled the dough back to 5 ounces (141.75 grams). That dough ball was frozen, to simulate the MM experience, and then defrosted for purposes of the oil/gluten mass tests.
Here is the dough formulation I used:
Test Dough Ball w/o Molasses or IDY but with SaltKing Arthur Bread Flour (100%):
Water (Spring Water) (55%):
Salt (1.42%):
Vegetable (Soybean) Oil (2.34%):
Total (158.76%):
| 89.29 g | 3.15 oz | 0.2 lbs
49.11 g | 1.73 oz | 0.11 lbs
1.27 g | 0.04 oz | 0 lbs | 0.23 tsp | 0.08 tbsp
2.09 g | 0.07 oz | 0 lbs | 0.46 tsp | 0.15 tbsp
141.75 g | 5 oz | 0.31 lbs | TF = N/A
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I conducted the oil/gluten mass tests as before except that this time I used a large bowl to do the gluten washing instead of the clear glass 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup. I used about 2 1/4 cups of water in the large bowl, at about 100 degrees F (to help remove any oil from the gluten mass). When I was done washing the gluten mass, which took about 15 minutes, I then stirred the contents of the large bowl to get everything back into solution and very slowly poured the entire contents of the large bowl (less the gluten mass) into my 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup so that the solids could settle out at the bottom of the measuring cup with the liquids above it in clear demarcation. As before, it took about 3/4 hour for that to happen, although the starches started to noticeably settle out after about 15-20 minutes. Also, as before, I poured the liquid part of the mixture into a tall (6 1/8") drinking glass. Seeing that I could not get all of the liquid out of the Pyrex measuring cup without including some of the solids, I decided, as before, to use a second, smaller (5") drinking glass to hold the solids and what small amount of liquid remained. I had not planned to use the second glass but decided to do so because the oil I was hoping to extract was clear and not readily distinguishable from the liquid and I wanted to be sure that I didn't miss any.
The two glasses were put in the freezer overnight. As before, the oil, which was not noticeable in the glasses as they went into the freezer, rose to the tops of the two glasses. This time, the oil was the same color as fresh oil. That suggested that the tan color of the oil from the last test was due either to the yeast or something in the flour.
Since the oil was the same color as the frozen ice, I let the two glasses defrost for about 20 minutes. From time to time during that spell, I tipped the glasses so that the melting liquids would drip into my 2 1/8" metal lid. I am sure that I ended up with more liquid this time because I could not clearly distinguish the oil from the melting ice water, but that did not concern me since that only meant that it would take longer to evaporate the water from the metal lid. I wanted to be sure that I captured every last drop of oil. I might add at this point that it was not clear whether the smaller drinking glass actually contained any oil. Like the taller drinking glass, there was a glossiness on the ice that might have been the oil. So, out an excess of caution, I dripped the melting liquid from the smaller drinking glass into the metal lid, being careful to exclude any of the solids (they are white and, hence, visible). I also scraped the glossy ice from both glasses into the metal lid, again to be sure that I didn't leave any oil behind.
I placed the metal lid containing the oil and water into my countertop toaster oven set at a temperature of about 212 degrees F. This time, because of the greater amount of water, it took about an hour for the water to evaporate and leave only the viscous oil. I weighed that oil and it was 2.0 grams. That compared with the 2.09 grams that was added to the dough. As mentioned before, my small digital scale is accurate to only 0.1 gram, but the value I got was close enough for our purposes. Actually, I estimate that the roughly 2 grams of oil were extracted from about 630 grams of total material. It's like finding a needle in a haystack.
I also tasted the oil. The taste wasn't as clean as fresh oil but it was oil. And it was somewhat salty. So, for now, it appears that some salt was captured by the oil. The only other source of sodium would be the flour but it is trivial (about 0.53 mg and, hence, undetectable). In my next test, I will be leaving out the salt, as well as the IDY and molasses, so that test should tell us whether what I tasted was actually salt and not something else. I was pleased with the results achieved using the large bowl to do the gluten washing so I plan to use that bowl again for the next test.
As for the gluten mass, it weighed 46.3 grams. When I extrapolated that value on paper to 6 ounces (170.1 grams), I got a value of 88.2 grams, or 3.11 ounces. That compares with 3.1 ounces from the last test (also extrapolated). Again, the gluten mass is in solid bread flour territory.
Peter
