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A Taste of the Past

Clan Jade Falcon Military Outpost

Newton City, Butler

Jade Falcon Invasion Corridor

16 February 3057, 1001 hours

     On the warm coasts of Butler, within the Clan Jade Falcon invasion corridor, in what was once the Lyran Commonwealth's sector of space, MechWarrior Sebastian found himself in an unusual state of boredom. The backwater garrison world was quiet, and there were no pressing matters to engage in. To pass the time, Sebastian delved into the archives of the Inner Sphere, curious about his lineage. His gene-father's bloodname was one of honor, and he yearned to uncover the stories of his ancestors.

     One afternoon, while scrolling through old records, Sebastian stumbled upon an article about a distant relative. This ancestor had a fascinating story. Around the year 2740, this forebear had worked as an engineer at General Motors on New Valencia, a planet in Federated Suns space. The relative was not just an engineer but also had a peculiar obsession—Detroit Style Pizza.

     Sebastian's curiosity was piqued—Detroit Style Pizza?—He had never heard of such a dish. The article detailed how his ancestor had painstakingly sourced and recreated the recipe, which originally came from Terra no less. The article detailed sourcing the ingredients, the special pan to achieve the perfect crust, and the steps to make the pizza. Inspired, Sebastian decided to embark on a culinary quest of his own.

     The first challenge was getting the pan. Sebastian had a good rapport with the technicians of his clan. He approached them with his unusual request: a 10 by 14 inch steel pan. The technicians, amused by the novelty, agreed to help. They crafted a sturdy pan out of steel after Sebastian explained to them what an inch was, and Sebastian joked about making one out of ferro-aluminum in the future, drawing laughs from his comrades.

     With the pan secured, Sebastian's next task was procuring the rare ingredients. He approached a merchant known for handling rare foodstuffs and inquired about both pepperoni and the elusive brick cheese. The merchant hesitated at first but agreed to provide the pepperoni. However, he drew the line at the brick cheese, refusing to part with such a rare commodity.

     Determined, Sebastian challenged the merchant to a ritualistic Trial of Possession, to death no less, to secure the cheese. The merchant, realizing the gravity of the challenge, was initially still defiant. But as his peers began to plead with him, begging him not to be so crazy as to defy a warrior, he relented. Reluctantly, the merchant agreed to part with the brick cheese, valuing his life over the rare ingredient. Sebastian laughed that the merchant fell for such a ruse, but previous experiences had taught non-warrior caste members of the clan to always take the words of a warrior with seriousness.

     Armed with his pan, pepperoni, and cheese, Sebastian set to work. The remaining necessary equipment was readily available in the mess hall, and the tomatoes and flour were not hard to get. He followed the ancient recipe meticulously. The aroma of the baking pizza soon filled the mess hall, drawing curious glances from passing technicians and warriors alike. When the pizza was finally ready, its golden crust and bubbling cheese were a sight to behold.

     As Sebastian took his first bite, he was transported. The flavors were unlike anything he had ever experienced. The dough was so airy and light. As he bit down, the piece went from a fluffy top to a chewy middle, and a crisp bottom which made a satisfying crunch sound. Each bite offered a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, with the cheese providing a creamy, slightly salty contrast to the sweet tomato sauce and the rich, buttery dough. The pepperoni added a spicy, meaty kick that paired perfectly with the sweetness of the sauce and the richness of the cheese. The flavors were unlike anything he had ever experienced. He shared the pizza with his comrades, and it quickly became a beloved treat. In the quiet times, they would gather to enjoy Sebastian's Detroit Style Pizza, a reminder of the simple pleasures that connected them across time and space.

     Sebastian's culinary adventure brought a piece of the past to life on Butler, bridging centuries and light-years, and adding a new, flavorful chapter to the proud legacy of his gene-father's bloodname.

In Pursuit of the Perfect Pizza

New Valencia, Federated Suns

17 June 2740

     Carlos Binetti sat at his desk, fingers hovering over the keyboard. He took a deep breath and began typing, eager to share his Detroit Style Pizza recipe with the world. His blog had always been a place for exploration and connection, and today, he wanted to delve into his obsession with Detroit Style Pizza.

     “Let’s just get to it,” he typed. “Unlike other recipe sites, I am not going to go in depth into stories of my childhood on New Valencia and other irrelevant facts about me. What I am going to say is this: I am obsessed with Detroit Style Pizza.”

     He paused, thinking about the countless hours he had spent perfecting his recipe. Over the years, he had immersed himself in researching ancient pizzerias, particularly Buddy's Pizza. This was a renowned chain of pizzerias around the city of Detroit on ancient Terra, in the North American continent. He had experimented with different ingredient ratios, brands, methods, temperatures, and baking times, all with the intent of trying to get as close as possible to what might have been the flavor that Buddy's Pizza made. Of course, he would never know for sure as he could not travel back in time and go there, but his friends and family told him it was delicious, and he was happy enough with that.

     “What I am going to teach you to make is Detroit Style Pizza, according to my current method,” he continued. “This pizza has a turnaround time of about three to four hours. I have fermented dough for 48 hours, I have fermented it for 72 hours, and I have used fancier ingredients and methods, degassing it every 24 hours, and performing other tricks. It’s always been good, but I feel that being fancy and doing extra work and extra steps is not really worth it.”

     He remembered the many nights spent tweaking his methods, trying to simplify the process without sacrificing flavor. “That is why I am going to show you my minimalist quick turnaround method. Why? Well, if I imagine how a pizzeria operates, I am sure they try to make the best product they can with the least ingredients and with the greatest convenience. Because of that, I have moved beyond more complex steps and ingredients to simplify everything as much as possible while still delivering a great product.” From what I've read, Buddy's is the original. Their dough, though thick, is also very light, unlike most of the other places that made Detroit Style Pizza. Let's face it, they were only attempted copies of the original, Buddy's.

     Carlos smiled, knowing that this approach would resonate with many of his readers who sought simplicity in their busy lives. “I will show you what equipment I use, what ingredients I use, and what methods I use. I will also show you optional steps. These will clearly be labeled optional, and you can skip them and still have excellent results.”

     He read through his work, satisfied with the balance of personal insight and practical advice. His fingers hovered over the keyboard once more before he hit publish, eager to see how his followers would react to this new post. Sharing his passion for Detroit Style Pizza wasn’t just about the food—it was about connecting with others through a shared love of culinary exploration.

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Essentials for Making Detroit Style Pizza:

Equipment needed / suggested:

• Baking and Pizza Handling:
• Oven: Capable of reaching 500ºF.
• Pan: A 10x14 pan. Search for "Detroit Style Pizza pan" online. I am going to say it many times in this guide, I use Lloyd's pans.
• Plastic Wrap or Pan Cover: To cover the dough while it rises.
• Pizza Removal Tools: Metal dough cutters/scrapers or spatulas.
• Suggested: Cooling Rack: Useful for cooling the pizza properly (more details in the "Lessons Learned" section).


• To make the dough:
• Scale or Measuring Cups and Spoons: A scale is highly recommended for accuracy.
• Stand Mixer with a "C" Dough Hook: A spiral dough hook can be used, but see the "Lessons Learned" section for potential issues.
• Bowl Scraper: Preferably plastic, as it conforms to bowls more easily. This is essential for managing the dough.


• To make the sauce:
• Blender: Optional, but helpful for blending the sauce.
• Saucepan: For cooking the sauce. (unless you choose to not cook it seperatly, and add the sauce before the pizza goes in the oven.)
• Ladle: For pouring the sauce onto the pizza. (if following the traditional Detroit Style or upside-down Sicilian method).


• To prepare toppings:
• Cheese Grater or Knife: If you buy cheese in brick form, you'll need to grate or cube it.

Ingredients: This is just a list of the basics of what you will need, the actual recipe go over quantities and steps.

• To make the dough:
• All-Purpose Flour: King Arthur brand is great and looks to be easily available, but any will do (organic or not).
• Water: Ideally refrigerator cold. (it makes a difference)
• Instant Dry Yeast (IDY): Keep it in the fridge after opening. (Do not confuse this with active dry).
• Salt: Table salt is fine; Himalayan salt can be used without significantly changing the taste.
• Pan Lube: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and butter are suggested. You can use other oils, but they will affect the flavor.


• Cheese:
• Young Wisconsin Brick Cheese: Sets these pizzas apart, seriously. It should look like mozzarella.
• Substitutes:
• White cheddar (variety depends on your preference for sharpness and flavor).
• A mix of mozzarella and white cheddar (e.g., 50% sharp white cheddar and 50% mozzarella).
• A blend of Muenster, Monterey Jack, and mild or sharp white cheddar.
• Experiment with different blends to find your preferred taste.

• Toppings:
• Traditional: Pepperoni.
• Options: Feel free to get creative with combinations (more details in the "recomended combinations" section later).

• Sauce:
• Tomatoes: Crushed.
• Tomato paste.
• Condiments: Basic (salt, sugar, dried oregano) and optional (basil, thyme, garlic powder, red pepper flakes).
• Premade Pizza Sauce: An easy, though potentially less flavorful, option.

• Brands I like:
• Tomatoes: Cento, Stanislaus Full-Red, or 7/11.
• Cheese: Tavolini Brick Cheese sold at Gordon Food Services is excellent and affordable. However, finding it might be difficult, if you have a local Gordon Food Service that carries it (their website has their stocked items per location), consider yourself lucky. If you look on their website and your local store does not have it, then you CAN ask the store manager for it. The issue is that custom orders often require purchasing a case of 6 bricks (in total, 36 to 42 pounds). Item code: 403579. Also, this is likely the cheapest source of Wisconsin Brick Cheese you will find. The online stores I have found selling lesser quantities, are double the price per pound.

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Recipe:

Measurements
Dough
Item	Percent (%)	Weight (g)	Weight (lb)	Volume
Flour (all purpose)	100%	275 g	9.7 oz	2 cup + 3 TBSP
Water	75%	207 g	7.3 oz	3/4 cup + 1 1/2 TBSP + 1 TSP
Salt	1.5%	4.1 g	0.14 oz	3/4 TSP
IDY	0.55%	1.5 g	0.05 oz	1/2 TSP
Lube (for pan)
Butter	50%	14 g	0.5 oz	1 TBSP
Extra Virgin Olive Oil	50%	14 g	0.5 oz	1 TBSP
Cheese
Wisconsin Brick Cheese	100%	425 g	15 oz	3 3/4 cup
Sauce
Crushed Tomatoes	95%	794 g	28 oz	1 Can
Tomato paste	2%	15 g	0.53 oz	1 TBSP
Dried Oregano	0.25%	1.8 g	0.06 oz	1 TSP
Sugar	0.5%	4 g	0.14 oz	1 TSP
Salt	0.35%	3 g	0.11 oz	1/2 TSP
Toppings
Pepperoni	100%	40 g	1.4 oz	1/3 Cup

Notes About the Sauce:

• Sugar: The purpose of adding sugar to the sauce is to reduce its acidity. You can skip this if you prefer. Adjust the amount "to taste."


• Tomato Paste: Including tomato paste is optional, but recommended. It will thicken your sauce, which is ideal because you do not want it to be runny.


• Condiments: Feel free to add or remove condiments based on your preferences.


• Quantity: The recipe quantity is for convenience. Each pizza should use 6 oz or less of sauce. The provided recipe makes over four times the needed amount. You can scale the recipe down if you want to make less or freeze the remaining sauce.

Optional Ingredient:

• Diastatic Malt Powder (AKA: Diastatic Malt Flour):


• Purpose: This ingredient is not necessary but can be used to experiment with enhancing your pizza. It helps brown the crust, provides food for the yeast, and can give the dough a more spring-like texture.


• Usage: If you choose to use it, add 3.0 grams to your flour in the bowl to incorporate it.


• Note: The recipe is excellent without it, but it can be a fun addition for those interested in experimentation.



• Whole Grain Wheat:


• Purpose: It will give your crust a more rustic chew, and a slightly denser crumb.


• Usage: If you choose to use it, remove 5% to 10% of the All-Purpuse Flour, and replace with an equal ammount of Whole Grain Wheat.


• Note: The recipe is excellent without it, but it can be a fun addition for those interested in experimentation.



Both of the above can be applied, it is not one or the other.

Step: Dough

Pictures	Steps
	1. Equip the Mixer: Attach the "C" or Spiral dough hook to your mixer. 2. Add Flour: Place 275 grams of flour into the mixer's bowl. 3. Prepare Water and Salt: In a separate bowl, combine 207 grams of cold water and 4.1 grams of salt until it dissolves..
	4. Mix Ingredients: Pour the water and salt mixture into the flour in the mixer's bowl. Begin mixing on the lowest speed for 2 minutes. 5. Add Yeast: Stop the mixer and sprinkle 1.5 grams of Instant Dry Yeast (IDY) into the mixture. Continue kneading on low speed for 5 to 7 minutes. 6. Rest the Dough: Let the dough rest for 60 minutes with a cloth over the bowl (not touching the dough). You can transfer the dough to a separate container if you want to free up the mixer's bowl..

Step: Pan Preparation

Pictures	Steps
	1. Grease the Pan: Melt 1 ounce of butter in the microwave and add it to the 10 x 14 pan. Then add 1 ounce of extra virgin olive oil. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to spread it evenly. 2. Transfer the Dough: After the 60 minutes of rest, transfer the dough to the pan using a combination of a plastic scraper and gravity. 3. Spread the Dough: Wet your fingers with water or oil and gently press on the dough with your fingertips to spread it around the entire pan. 4. Initial Rest: If the dough retracts and doesn't stay in the corners, don't worry; this is normal. Cover the pan and let it rest for 30 minutes.
	5. Final Spread: After 30 minutes, wet your fingers again and try to spread the dough so it reaches the corners. 6. Final Rest: Cover the pan and let the dough rest for 60 minutes.

Step: Oven Preparation

Pictures	Steps
	1. Preheat the Oven: Adjust your oven rack to the lowest position. If your oven has convection heating, select it. Preheat to 475ºF. This will be the baking temperature. 2. You can begin making the toppings and sauce.

Step: Toppings

Pictures	Steps
	1. Prepare the Cheese: Shred 15 ounces of cheese using a grater. If you don't have a grater, cube the cheese; the smaller the cubes, the better it will melt and cover the pizza. 2. Prepare the toppings: If using pepperoni, have it ready. For additional toppings, prepare them during this step.

Step: Dressing the Pizza

Pictures

Steps

There are a couple of ways to do it, I will go over three. A.) Traditional Detroit Style: Lay down the pepperoni over the dough. Add the cheese over the pepperoni, from edge to edge. The sauce is added after baking. B.) Detroit Style + Toppings: Follow the same steps as traditional Detroit Style, but add additional toppings over the cheese. The sauce is added after baking. C.) Traditional method: Add the sauce over the dough, then the cheese, and finally your toppings. In this example, I did a traditional Detroit Style but with many toppings. Next time I make a traditional Detroit Style Pizza, I will take more pictures and reupload. 1. Dough. 2. All toppings added. 3. Cheese added. I stacked the perimeter first, and then filled in the center. (Note: some was cubed, some was shredded).

Step: Making the Pizza Sauce

Pictures	Steps
	1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. 2. Combine all the ingredients and mix well (if you have a blender, do it in the blender). 3. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. While this is being done, you will be baking the pizza and bake it.

Step: Baking, Removal, Adding Sauce, Cutting, and Serving

Pictures	Steps
	1. Place in Oven: Once the oven has preheated and heat-soaked for 10 minutes, place the pizza on the lowest rack. 2. Bake Time: Bake for approximately 15 minutes. This may vary by a minute depending on your oven. Fine-tune the baking time in future attempts. 3. Remove from Oven: Remove the pizza from the oven. Loosen the sides with a metal dough scraper/cutter to free the caramelized cheese edges.
	4. Transfer to Cooling Rack: Tilt the pan to lower one short end and use the metal dough cutter/scraper to lift and wobble the pizza onto a cooling rack. 5. Add Sauce: Once on the cooling rack, use a ladle to add the sauce. Traditionally, make three racing stripes across the length of the pizza. Alternatively, add chunks of sauce randomly or spread it to cover the entire pizza for a Detroit "Red Top." 6. Cool and Cut: Let the pizza cool slightly before cutting. You can transfer it to a wood cutting board for easier cutting, then back to the cooling rack. Note: You could first transfer it to a wood cutting board, cut it, and then to the cooling rack. The reason for this would be if you have difficulties cutting it on the cooling rack. 7. Finishing Touch: Optionally, sprinkle a bit of pecorino romano cheese on top.

Conserving the Dough or Sauce for Future Use:

• Dough Storage:


• Follow the dough preparation steps, then transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a container with a lid.


• Refrigerate the dough; it will ferment slower in the refrigerator.


• Before using the refrigerated dough, remove it from the refrigerator at least 90 minutes in advance to allow it to come to room temperature.


• Dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but always check other sources for extended storage guidelines.


• Sauce Storage:


• You can refrigerate or freeze the sauce.


• Remember to allow enough time for thawing the sauce before using it again.

Lessons Learned:

• Manual Mixing: You can mix the dough manually, but it's time consuming and a bit of a PITA.


• Double Knead Process: If you have trouble spreading the dough in the pan, consider performing the double knead process. Since the dough is very wet and sticky, oil your fingers to make handling easier.


• Even Spreading: When spreading the dough, aim for even thickness to avoid thin spots.


• Shredded Cheese: Shredded cheese works better as it lays down more consistently and is easier to handle.


• Greasing the Pan: The cheese on the edges will stick to the pan, so ensure you lube up even the sides of the pan before placing in the dough and cheese.


• Pan Types: Some pans are not recommended for use with olive oil, but this may not cause issues. Lloyd's pans are reliable and don't have this potential problem.


• Oil Types: Butter and extra virgin olive oil work well as lubes. Other oils can be used but will affect the taste. Olive oil crisps the bottom, and butter adds a delicious flavor similar to Buddy's Pizza.


• Pro Tip: Be careful not to burn yourself when removing the pizza from the pan. Seriously.


• Dough Hooks: Spiral dough hooks may not knead as effectively as "C" hooks, as they don't get under the dough well. If using a spiral hook, stop the mixer and mix manually with a wooden spoon as needed. The "C" hook is superior for this reason. Larger batches (for two or more pizzas) work just fine with a spiral hook.


• Cooling Rack: Always use a cooling rack to keep the pizza's bottom crispy. Leaving it in the pan or transferring it to a wood cutting board will make the bottom soggy.


• Bread Flour: Using bread flour makes the pizza too heavy. All-purpose flour is my preference and recommendation for a lighter pizza.


• Recommended Ingredient Weights When it comes to making pizza, I have a few recommendations. The only thing I strongly suggest sticking to is the dough recipe. You can experiment with it after trying it as is, but trust me, it’s a solid foundation. For the tomato sauce, feel free to tweak the composition to your taste. The amount of sauce is also up to you—personally, I like a lighter sauce, while one of my friends loves to drown his pizza in it. The same goes for cheese. I usually use a full 15 ounces, but you might prefer more or less, depending on your taste. My recipe is my take on getting as close as possible to Buddy's pizza. If you follow it, you should get a similar flavor. But if you find yourself enjoying the process and making pizzas regularly, don’t hesitate to adjust the recipe to suit your preferences. And if you discover any interesting tweaks or improvements, I’d love to hear about them!

Shopping Choices and Their Cost:

• Tomatoes: While you can use cheaper brands like Kroger and Meijer, higher-end brands like Cento and Stanislaus (7/11 or Full-Red) provide a noticeable difference in taste. If cost and availability are not issues, always choose Cento tomatoes.


• Cheese: Wisconsin brick cheese is preferred for its taste and texture. If cost and availability are not issues, always choose Wisconsin brick cheese.


• Where can I get wisconsin brick cheese???—You ask. I am going to repeat this incase you missed it earlier. Tavolini Brick Cheese sold at Gordon Food Services is excellent and affordable. However, finding it might be difficult, if you have a local Gordon Food Service that carries it (their website has their stocked items per location), consider yourself lucky. If you look on their website and your local store does not have it, then you CAN ask the store manager for it. The issue is that custom orders often require purchasing a case of 6 bricks (in total, 36 to 42 pounds). Item code: 403579. Also, this is likely the cheapest source of Wisconsin Brick Cheese you will find. The online stores I have found selling lesser quantities, are double the price per pound.

Equipment and Tools:

This is the equipment and tools I have and use. You do not need these same ones, but maybe find them online and consider them or similar products as you see fit.

• Stand Mixer: I have a KitchenAid Professional 5 Plus stand mixer. using a mixer is highly recommended. You can find good deals at Best Buy or on Facebook Marketplace for under $250 USD.


• Detroit Style Pan: Lloyd's Pans 10" x 14" Detroit Style Pan is the best choice. It can often be found on Amazon for under $50 USD. Other brands may be cheaper, but the quality difference is significant.


• Dough Containers: King Arthur dough containers are excellent for cold fermenting dough in the fridge.


• Dough Scraper: King Arthur plastic dough scraper is great for getting dough out of bowls.


• Pizza Removal Tools: Use metal dough scrapers to remove pizza from the pan and a large 16" pizza cutter.


• Cooling Racks: Essential for maintaining a crispy pizza bottom.


• Blender: A blender is useful for making the sauce. An immersion blender is likely just as good? Possibly messy.


• Pans: I am going to reiterate that Lloyd's pans are really, really nice.

Pizza Combinations Tried and Loved, Suggestions, and Ideas:

• Fistfuls of Lyran Pepperoni.

Even clanners will want to get into this kind of melee combat.

• Pepperoni.
• Wisconsin brick cheese.
• Tomato Sauce.
• Adder: Pecorino Romano grated over the pizza after the sauce has been applied.
• Adder: Add some Ricotta, fior di latte, or Burrata.
• Adder: Add Basil leafs or sprinkles.


• Different toppings: Add italian sausage and diced green peppers to the pepperoni.


• Voluptuous Honoluluan.

You might be picturing a very curvey and beautiful Hawaiian woman. This pizza is more so the enbodyment of Edmond Honda, from the Street Fighter movie.

• Tomato Sauce first (over the dough, no need to cook it seperatly)
• Wisconsin brick cheese.
• Canadian Ham.
• Sugar pineapple infused with. (Take a pineapple, dice it, and boil it in water along with 50 grams of sugar.)
• Adder: Bacon bits. I mean, why not?
• Adder: Tajin spice. Maybe try first before commiting to covering the entire pizza in it, but the results will suprise you.


• Alfredo's CAB.

He's been saving up to buy the new Austin Martin Fiver, Traveler edition.

• Alfredo sauce (over the dough, no need to cook it seperatly).
• Wisconsin brick cheese.
• Chicken (paprika seasoned) and Bacon
• Diced Roma Tomatoes
• Caramilized Onions
• Highly recommended adder: A drizzle of bbq sauce (don't over do it).
• Adder: Cilantro.


• Different toppings: remove the bacon and tomatoes, and do not add bbq sauce. Instead, add onions and mushrooms to create a creamy Parmesan mushroom chicken pizza.

• Substitutes and options.

Measurements
Item	Percent (%)	Weight (g)	Weight (lb)	Volume
Cheese substitute 1 - easy to find, a good blend that is not overpowering.
Sharp White Cheddar	50%	212.5 g	7.5 oz	~ 1 3/4 cup + 2 TBSP
Mozarella	50%	212.5 g	7.5 oz	~ 1 3/4 cup + 2 TBSP
Cheese substitute 2 - also easy to find, good blend of flavors.
Mild White Cheddar	33%	142 g	5 oz	1 1/4 cup
Muenster	33%	142 g	5 oz	1 1/4 cup
Monterey Jack	33%	142 g	5 oz	1 1/4 cup
A fancier sauce
Tomatoes	93%	794 g	28 oz	1 Can
Tomato paste	1.8%	15 g	0.53 oz	1 TBSP
Garlic powder	0.7%	6 g	0.2 oz	1/4 TSP
Dried oregano	0.1%	0.9 g	0.03 oz	1/2 TSP
Dried basil	0.2%	1.8 g	0.06 oz	1 TSP
Sugar	0.5%	4 g	0.14 oz	1 TSP
Salt	0.35%	3 g	0.11 oz	1/2 TSP
Red pepper flakes	0.07%	0.6 g	0.02 oz	1/4 TSP
Olive Oil	3.4%	28 g	1 oz	2 TBSP
Whole Grain Wheat - substitute 5% to 10% of the all-purpose flour with whole grain wheat flour for a more rustic chew and slightly denser crumb.
Whole Grain Wheat	5% to 10%	13.75 to 27.5 g	0.5 to 1 oz	1 to 2 TBSP

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