Note to self: wheat germ is NOT wheat bran

[Pei]

So I wanted to try sprinkling the no-knead bread with wheat bran as suggested, but I only had wheat germ.

The entire bottom crust burnt long before the bread was ready.

The rest of the loaf is fine, but i'm going to have to cut off the entire bottom.

What exactly is the difference? At the store they kind of looked the same texture, so I thought even if they weren't the same thing the germ would work as a coating.

[babette feasts]

The bran is the fibrous outer shell of the wheat kernel, the germ is the oily nutrient-rich center that will fuel the new plant as it sprouts.

[Pei]

Thanks! That makes so much sense it's ridiculous. Germ=inside. Duh.