Question for the Bread Bakers!

sparrow13

sparrow13

Cathlete
I love how my oatmeal, white and multi-grain breads turn out, but not my whole wheat loaves, which are basically homemade door stops, they are so dense. :) so I'm wondering, has anyone ever made bread with white whole wheat? What were the results?

Thanks!

Sparrow



Even after all this time the earth never says to the sun, "you owe me." Look what happens with a love like that.

It lights the whole sky.

- Hafiz
 
We have been making bread at home with breadmakers for 10 years now. A 100% wholewheat has never turned out as anything other than a brick you could knock someone unconscious with!

So, we learned early on to do a half and half job with the flour. We use 2 cups wholewheat flour and 2 cups of white, better for bread flour, with added gluten. These loaves rise right up to the top, are the same density throughout the loaf and taste delicious. In fact they are more dense than any wholewheat or wholegrain loaf we can buy in the supermarkets, and are very healthy.

Clare
 
I've made bread with white whole wheat and found it to be indistinguishable (to me) from regular whole wheat. One thing that has made my whole wheat bread less dense is to add vital wheat gluten.

Tracy
 
I have a recipe that using wheat gluten and oatmeal. The bread is wonderfully moist and soft. I'll have to find it and make some this week. I'll post the recipe when I find it. It's still in boxes yet to be unpacked.

Wendy
 
I have found two things that ensure a get a great 100% whole wheat bread from the bread machine:

1. As others mentioned, add Vital Wheat Gluten.

2. Run it through the dough cycle twice. It is very hard to over knead whole wheat bread. I think you will like the results.

Monica
 
Monica, that is very interesting! Twice through the dough cycle.

I love to use my machine but just hated the "bread bricks".

I'll have to try that. Thanks!
 
Hard white wheat naturally has much less gluten than hard red wheat (the kind most commonly used in bread), so that's one problem- you've got to supplement with vital wheat gluten. But even so, red wheat flour needs a bit of help too with some extra gluten. I do my loaves 2/3 whole wheat flour and 1/3 all-purpose flour, and my loaves always come out perfect. I grind my own wheat to make our bread, and I have found that if I grind flour and use it immediately, I can use a little less all-purpose flour or vital wheat gluten.
 
Ooo Natalie, I'm so interested that you grind your own wheat. I want to get to that point myself. How do you store your wheat?

And, thanks for all the other tips guys. I don't use a bread machine but I will still add some extra kneading time and the wheat gluten.

Once I've mastered wheat bread I'm going to move on to whole wheat English muffins and bagels, which I am really looking forward to.


Sparrow


Even after all this time the earth never says to the sun, "you owe me." Look what happens with a love like that.

It lights the whole sky.

- Hafiz
 
Sparrow,

In case you haven't discovered it already, "Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book" by Laurel Robertson is an absolute must-have for the person who wants to bake whole grain breads of allllll kinds (even sprouted breads). I get great 100% whole wheat loaves from her recipe, but my favourite is the oatmeal whole wheat bread that I make every week. The whole family loves it; the children prefer it over anything store bought. She has a recipe for 100% whole wheat cinnamon rolls, with 2 cups of cottage cheese and some eggs in it. You can't taste the cheese and eggs, but it boosts the protein content of the bread such that you get a really light and fluffy whole wheat cinnamon roll that isn't just a shot of simple carbs. I make these for our special occasion breakfasts, like New Years' Day.

Definitely the kind of wheat you buy makes a significant difference. Here in Canada we have a different kind of wheat, and I think it's better for making whole wheat breads. And don't use a general whole wheat flour; use one specifically for making bread. Whole wheat requires 2x as long of a kneading session as white flour, and 2 loaves requires 2x as long as one loaf. So, hand-kneading 2 loaves worth of whole wheat bread can take quite a while. I use my KitchenAid to do the kneading, because I don't have that much time to do it by hand every week.

If you don't have Laurel's book, but really want to get to know what you're doing with whole grain breads, then you must get it. It's an invaluable source of information, technique, and recipes.

Cheers,
Sandra
 
Sparrow,

I buy in bulk 25 lb bags, and then I dry pack in #10 cans, enclosing an oxygen absorber packet before sealing to create the vacuum once the can is sealed. It keeps for roughly 30 years like this, but I go through one can a week in my family. If you want, please email me at [email protected] for more info on where to get the wheat and how to access a dry pack can sealer.
 
I make all my own bread (my Kitchen Aid was a great investment!). Every couple of days I make 100% whole wheat loaves and I have found that they turn out better if I:

1. Use slightly more yeast than is called for (about 1/2 teaspoon more)

2. Make sure to use enough sugar. My recipe calls for 1/3 cup of brown sugar for 2 loaves and this has made a huge difference in the taste (I used to find whole wheat bread kind of bitter.)

3. Make sure not to add too much flour. Because I have the Kitchen Aid I can leave the dough slightly sticky and soft. When I was using a bread machine or kneading by hand I found that I would add too much flour and my loaves were pretty dense.


As a previous poster noted, Canadian flours might be different. I also knead the bread longer than I would for white bread.

I hope this helps!
Corrie
 
This is my own original bread recipe and it works every time.

WHOLE WHEAT DARK SWEET BREAD (reminds me of Franz bread)

Dry Ing. Mix together in a med. Size bowl:

1 c. unbleached whole wheat flour (save for kneading)
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. diastatic (This is sprouted wheat berries, then dehydrated)
3 T. gluten
¼ c. wheat germ
2 t. rye flour
1/8 c. soyflour
1/8 c. cornmeal
1/8 c. ground flaxseed
1/8 c. barley flour
1/8 c. ground quick oat flakes
1 ½ t. salt
¼ t. ginger
1 T. sunflower seeds

Next 2 Ing. carefully, barely grind very coarse, and mix together with dry Ing.

1/8 c. wheat berries
1 T. pumpkin seeds

Liguid Ing. Mix together in a large bowl:

2 ¾ t. yeast or 1 large packet of yeast
2 c. luke warm water

Mix this together to soften yeast

Add:

5 T. malt syrup or ¼ c. brown sugar, or 1/8 c. each, (but malt syrup will give more flavor)
1 T. canola oil (optional)
1 T. cider vinegar

Mix the dry in with the liquid

Knead and use the unbleached whole wheat flour to knead in more flour if needed. Pour in oiled medium bowl, Spray top of dough with oil and cover with plastic wrap tightly. Rise until double in size. Put in bread pan, cover with floured linen and rise again.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

I haven't tested it in a bread machine, so I don't know if it will work in it or not. I do this by hand.

Enjoy, if there are any questions, just ask. You can look on the internet to make your own diastatic and. It's really easy. It helps make your loaves rise better. So does the gluten, and the ginger gives it a boost, a quick start.

With the following info you might be able to create 100% Whole Wheat, but I like other things as well in mine. It's just plain healthier.

RATIO PRIMER: You can make a basic bread by using 3 parts of flour to one part of liquid....BY VOLUME, not weight. So, if you use two cups of water...you'll need 6 cups of flour...or, 2 cups of water + 3 times that of flour = 6 cups.

Just keep experimenting with it, you'll get it.

Janie

The idea is to die young as late as possible

http://www.picturetrail.com/janiejoey
 
Atention Sandra - RE: Question for the Bread Bakers!

Hi Sandra,

I wanted to thank you for recommending Laurel Robertson's book. I've tried a couple of the recipes and the bread is wonderful. I've made bread that could have been bricks to those that looked like blobs before trying Laurel's recipes - so thank you.

Sandi

>Sparrow,
>
>In case you haven't discovered it already, "Laurel's Kitchen
>Bread Book" by Laurel Robertson is an absolute must-have for
>the person who wants to bake whole grain breads of allllll
>kinds (even sprouted breads). I get great 100% whole wheat
>loaves from her recipe, but my favourite is the oatmeal whole
>wheat bread that I make every week. The whole family loves
>it; the children prefer it over anything store bought. She
>has a recipe for 100% whole wheat cinnamon rolls, with 2 cups
>of cottage cheese and some eggs in it. You can't taste the
>cheese and eggs, but it boosts the protein content of the
>bread such that you get a really light and fluffy whole wheat
>cinnamon roll that isn't just a shot of simple carbs. I make
>these for our special occasion breakfasts, like New Years'
>Day.
>
>Definitely the kind of wheat you buy makes a significant
>difference. Here in Canada we have a different kind of wheat,
>and I think it's better for making whole wheat breads. And
>don't use a general whole wheat flour; use one specifically
>for making bread. Whole wheat requires 2x as long of a
>kneading session as white flour, and 2 loaves requires 2x as
>long as one loaf. So, hand-kneading 2 loaves worth of whole
>wheat bread can take quite a while. I use my KitchenAid to do
>the kneading, because I don't have that much time to do it by
>hand every week.
>
>If you don't have Laurel's book, but really want to get to
>know what you're doing with whole grain breads, then you must
>get it. It's an invaluable source of information, technique,
>and recipes.
>
>Cheers,
>Sandra
 
Atention Sandra - RE: Question for the Bread Bakers!

Sandi,

Thanks for letting me know! It's wonderful to be able to make your own healthy bread! Happy baking,

Sandra
 
Atention Sandra - RE: Question for the Bread Bakers!

>Hi Sandra,
>
>I wanted to thank you for recommending Laurel Robertson's
>book. I've tried a couple of the recipes and the bread is
>wonderful. I've made bread that could have been bricks to
>those that looked like blobs before trying Laurel's recipes -
>so thank you.
>
>Sandi
>
>>Sparrow,
>>
>>In case you haven't discovered it already, "Laurel's Kitchen
>>Bread Book" by Laurel Robertson is an absolute must-have for
>>the person who wants to bake whole grain breads of allllll
>>kinds (even sprouted breads). I get great 100% whole wheat
>>loaves from her recipe, but my favourite is the oatmeal
>whole
>>wheat bread that I make every week. The whole family loves
>>it; the children prefer it over anything store bought. She
>>has a recipe for 100% whole wheat cinnamon rolls, with 2
>cups
>>of cottage cheese and some eggs in it. You can't taste the
>>cheese and eggs, but it boosts the protein content of the
>>bread such that you get a really light and fluffy whole
>wheat
>>cinnamon roll that isn't just a shot of simple carbs. I
>make
>>these for our special occasion breakfasts, like New Years'
>>Day.
>>
>>Definitely the kind of wheat you buy makes a significant
>>difference. Here in Canada we have a different kind of
>wheat,
>>and I think it's better for making whole wheat breads. And
>>don't use a general whole wheat flour; use one specifically
>>for making bread. Whole wheat requires 2x as long of a
>>kneading session as white flour, and 2 loaves requires 2x as
>>long as one loaf. So, hand-kneading 2 loaves worth of whole
>>wheat bread can take quite a while. I use my KitchenAid to
>do
>>the kneading, because I don't have that much time to do it
>by
>>hand every week.
>>
>>If you don't have Laurel's book, but really want to get to
>>know what you're doing with whole grain breads, then you
>must
>>get it. It's an invaluable source of information,
>technique,
>>and recipes.
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Sandra
>

I'll second this! I have the book now and the recipes are wonderful!

Sparrow

Even after all this time the earth never says to the sun, "you owe me." Look what happens with a love like that.

It lights the whole sky.

- Hafiz
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top