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Real Food - Real Life

Whole Wheat Bread – Large Batch

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This is the exact recipe and method that I use at home for my family’s whole wheat sandwich bread. My mom and sister were recently visiting and watched me as a baked a big batch of whole wheat bread. Their comments while we were baking made me realize that it may be useful to write this down for anyone else who needs a refresher.

For this bread, I use a Bosch Mixer and freshly milled flour from my Nutrimill Grain Mill. This recipe is written exactly for this mixer and flour. I make no guarantees about whole wheat bread success if you are using different tools or ingredients. If you have a smaller capacity mixer, you may want to check out my recipe for Small Batch Sandwich Bread.

When I teach classes, I use this same exact method in my classes. If you took a whole wheat bread class from me a while back, it is quite possible that this recipe has evolved slightly since we baked together. The main change being that I now consistently add one cup of white, organic flour (store-bought!) to the batch of bread. I’m still using vital wheat gluten and dough enhancer, but the white flour seems to help greatly with a great rise on the bread.

As my sister, mom and I were baking, we also talked through lots of little techniques that can help with a great loaf of bread. We spoke about bread pan size, oiling the tops of the loaf, and the type of oil that I use. Every time I bake bread with someone, some specific questions come to light – maybe the sugar, type of salt, or oven temperature. Bread baking is also different during every season of the year, it’s one of the challenges that allows the baker a certain amount of pride when the loaves turn out perfectly.

If you want to learn this method in person, or just need a refresher course, give me a call or email me for more information.

Whole Wheat Bread – Large Batch
Recipe Type: Bread
Author: Andrea
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 loaves
This recipe uses a Bosch Mixer and freshly milled flour from a Nutrimill Grain Mill. If you want more information on the equipment or ingredients, let me know – I’m always happy to consult!
Ingredients
  • 6 cups of warm water (think, baby bath water)
  • approximately 16 cups of freshly milled flour using a Nutri Mill Grain Mill
  • 1 cup of organic, white flour
  • 2/3 cup (or 5 ounces) of olive or safflower oil
  • 2/3 cup (or 6 ounces) of honey
  • 2 T Vital Wheat Gluten, L’equip brand
  • 2 T Dough Enhancer, L’equip brand
  • 2 T instant yeast, SAF brand, not quick rising
  • 2 T fine sea salt, I use RealSalt brand
Instructions
  1. Add water to bowl of Bosch Mixer fitted with the dough hook.
  2. Add olive oil, honey, white flour, 8 cups of whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, dough enhancer and yeast.
  3. Turn Bosch to speed one and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.
  4. Dough will be very wet, more like a batter consistency. Cover with bowl lid and let rest for 10 minutes. If you are short on time, you can skip this step.
  5. After ten minutes, open lid, add 4 more cups of whole wheat flour, and salt. Pulse a few times until combined.
  6. Turn Bosch to setting one and slowing add remaining flour about 1 cup at a time until the dough just cleans the side of the bowl and pulls away from the center post. For the last cup or so of flour, add it about 1/4 cup at a time. The dough can be slightly wet, as it will continue to absorb liquid as in kneads.
  7. Turn the machine to speed 2, replace lid and knead for 8 minutes.
  8. Remove dough onto a large oiled bread board or counter top. Divide into 6 portions. I measure mine into 1 pound 6 ounce portions. This is the perfect size for the 8.5″x4″ bread pans. Note that bread pans may have a different rise since the whole grain breads seem to rise better in a narrower pan.If you have larger pans, you may need to make 5 loaves or make more dough to make 6 loaves. To make 6 larger loaves, increase water in step one to 7 cups and add about 3 cups of flour to the recipe – everything else can stay the same.
  9. Shape bread and place into oiled pans.
  10. Oil the tops of the bread with olive oil.
  11. Allow to rise in a warm spot, away from drafts, until the bread is about 1 inch above the top of the pan – about 45 minutes.
  12. While the bread is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  13. Once the bread is risen, bake for 30 minutes until it is golden brown.
  14. Remove the baked bread from pans immediately and cool on racks.
  15. Allow to cool 3 hours before you bag it. These loaves can be frozen at this point.

If you are curious, here is short video of my Bosch kneading this recipe.

Video of Bosch kneading 9 lbs bread dough

My Thoughts on Flour

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I’ve been meaning to put this article out here for a while. These are just my personal opinions on flour and food. I make no claims to know what is really affecting so many people’s bodies. Is it gluten? Or is it too much sugar? Too much processing? Too many chemicals? Or a combination of all of these things?
I don’t really know the correct answer – and honestly, I don’t think anyone really does. But, like most people, I have some thoughts on the subject. And once in a while someone asks me why I mill my own flour. People might be aware that white flour isn’t that great for us, but they wonder if there is really much difference between store bought and freshly ground whole wheat flour. And honestly, when I was first introduced to the concept of flour milling, I wasn’t sold on the idea that it was so much healthy. But it didn’t take long for me to be convinced. All I had to do was make a loaf of bread using the freshly milled flour and I was converted. The dough was softer than any dough I’d made using whole wheat flour. And the bread tasted fabulous.
I think that because we don’t hear about flour milling very often that people assume it must be something that is difficult or time consuming. If you’ve been to one of my classes, you already know that it’s neither of those things. If you grind your coffee beans most mornings, then you are already exerting the same amount of effort as I do when I grind flour. So, it’s not hard. And as a mother of four who occasionally fits in a little civil engineering on the side, I honestly don’t have time for anything that adds an extra challenge. But I do make time for things that I feel make a difference to the quality of my family’s food and health – and flour is one of the easiest places I’ve found to make a difference. Plus baking your own bread is a rewarding and relaxing experience in its own right.

Before wheat berries are ground into flour, they can be considered a live food. If they are exposed to moisture, they will sprout and germinate. When they are ground into flour, they immediately begin to oxidize. And just like your coffee beans, the flour will taste better when it is freshly ground. Oxidation also affects the vitamin and nutrient levels in the flour. Most of the vitamins and nutrients are contained in the wheat germ. There is also Vitamin E oil in the wheat germ. Over time, the Vitamin E oil eventually will go rancid in whole wheat flours. If you have ever had whole wheat flour that tastes bitter, it is likely it’s been sitting on the shelf too long. This is one of the reasons that white flour became so popular for mass production – it has the germ removed for shelf stability, but removing the germ also removes the vitamins and nutrients from the flour. White flour also has the bran removed, which contains fiber and helps with digestion. All of this processing means that white flour barely resembles the original whole wheat flour made directly from wheat berries.

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Source for image: http://wbc.agr.mt.gov/wbc/Consumer/Diagram_kernel/

I can go on and on about the flour. But really, in the end, you should decide for yourself. Here’s some ideas to start:

  • Do some research on processed flour. While it can be hard to find clear, non-biased articles, try this one on WebMD as a start and then try googling processed flour. You’ll find that flour is one of the most processed foods in our grocery stores.
  • Take one of my classes or find a local class on whole grain baking. You’ll learn something new and get lots of samples. Try this link through Bosch Kitchen Centers to locate other demonstrators who teach milling and whole grains.
  • Bake your favorite recipe using freshly milled whole grain flour and see if you don’t love it.

 

Sourdough Beer Pizza Crust

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Sourdough Beer Pizza Crust

Sourdough Beer Pizza Crust

Pizza is one of the best yeast breads for beginning bread maker. Since pizza crusts can be thin, thick, crispy or chewy, there is a lot of error in making pizza dough. So, if you’re just starting out with yeast breads, pizza is a good place to start.

This recipe calls for durum wheat flour. If you’ve never tried durum or semolina flour, it has a courser texture than most flours. It will give your crust a little extra bite or chewiness.  But don’t skip this recipe just because  you don’t have durum flour, substitute it with whole wheat flour and you’ll still end up with a great pizza crust.

This recipe is a little unique by callinpizza ingredientsg for beer as the liquid. But here’s the thing, you can’t really taste the beer in the final pizza crust. So use the cheap beer in the recipe and save the good stuff for drinking. That being said, I do try to use the good olive oil when I’m baking.

 

 

Sourdough Beer Pizza Crust
Recipe Type: bread
Author: Andrea
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2-4 pizzas
If you don’t have durum wheat flour, just substitute it with whole wheat flour.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sourdough starter, fed or unfed
  • 1 1/2 cups of room temperature beer
  • 2 t instant yeast
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1 1/2 t salt
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 2 1/2 cups (11 oz) of whole wheat flour, I use freshly milled flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (6.7 oz) of durum wheat flour, I use freshly milled flour
Instructions
  1. Combine the sourdough starter and beer in the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl. Stir until starter is dissolved.
  2. Add yeast, baking powder, salt and olive oil to the beer mixture.
  3. Add flours to remaining ingredients to make a slightly sticky dough. Adjust the flour or add water to make a nice, sticky consistency.
  4. Knead dough until it is smooth, but still a little sticky. Add as little extra flour during the kneading as possible so that the dough stays sticky. Using a stand mixer will help with the kneading.
  5. Let dough rest 2-4 hours on the countertop.
  6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. If you have a baking stone, preheat it in the oven.
  7. Divide dough into 2 to 4 round and shape each round into a pizza. I shape mine onto parchment paper.
  8. Use a wooden peel to slide each dough one at a time onto the pizza stone. If you don’t have a pizza stone, bake the dough on a cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes until just crisp. Remove from the oven.
  9. Add pizza toppings to the dough and bake another 7 minutes until cheese is melted.

 

Whole Wheat Bread (small batch)

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This is essentially the same recipe that I teach in my bread classes, but it is adjusted for a smaller capacity mixer than the Bosch Universal or Ankarsrum.

The real trick to making this 100% whole grain bread work is using freshly milled flour.  If you try making this with store bought flour, it will end up being a very dense bread.  Consider yourself warned!

This recipe will give you a soft, beautiful loaf – just perfect for sandwiches.  And so much more nutritious than anything you can get from the store.  Enjoy!

Whole Grain Sandwich Bread Small Batch
Recipe Type: Bread
Author: Andrea
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 loaves
For those of you who are milling your own flour but are using a mixer other than a Bosch or Ankersrum, this is a method for making two loaves of whole grain bread. The results will be similar to using one of my mixers, but you’ll have a little more time involved. Win some, loose some!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of warm water (bath tub temp)
  • 2 t instant yeast
  • 2 T vital wheat gluten (optional, but helpful if you have it)
  • 2 T dough enhancer (optional, but helpful if you have it) or substitute with 2 T unpasterized apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 1/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 2 t salt
  • 1/2 cup of white flour
  • 6 cups of whole wheat flour, approximate – freshly milled is best
Instructions
  1. Combine water through coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  2. Add white flour and 2 and 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour and stir till combined.
  3. Stir in salt and 1 more cup of the flour.
  4. With machine running, add remaining flour until the dough is soft and not too sticky.
  5. Allow wet dough to rest for 10 minutes. This allows the flour to hydrate.
  6. Knead for about 10-12 minutes on the lowest mixer setting, until the dough is smooth and passes the window pane test.
  7. Place the dough in an oiled pan and let rise, covered, until about doubled in size.
  8. Gently deflate dough and shape into two loaves (8.5 x 4 pans work best for whole grain breads), oil tops of loaves with a small amount of olive oil or cover gently with a towel.
  9. Let rise a second time until the dough is about 1 inch above the lip of the pan.
  10. Bake in a 350 degree oven, 30 minutes, until golden brown.
  11. Remove loaves from pans immediately and cool on a cooling rack.