Breadmaking with Whole Grains

GLUTEN
Gluten is a composite of the proteins gliadin and glutenin
More gluten/Protein for use in Pizza doughs and bagels
Less gluten/protein for use in cakes and pastries.

WHEAT
Hard wheat produces a High gluten flour, or bread flour, and it has a certain toughness that holds its shape well once baked.
Soft wheat produces a Low gluten flour, or cake and pastry flour, that produces a fine texture.

FLOURS (from Highest to Lowest Gluten content)
Bread flour = high gluten content. Holds shape well after baking.
All purpose flour = either a blend of hard wheat or soft wheat. Check the labels, every brand is different.
Pastry flour = low gluten content. Good for muffins, biscuits and other quick breads
Cake flour = very low gluten content. Great for cookies and cakes. Very fine texture.
Bleached flour = treated with oxidizing agents to whiten it.

FLAX SEED
Flax seeds contain high levels of fiber, lignans and Omega-3 fatty acids. This benefits the heart and may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.
Can be purchased at the local grocery store in the flour isle. I buy Bob’s Red Mill brand at Wal-Mart.


YEAST
Yeast is a leavening agent.
Proofing = when a solution of water and sugar is combined with yeast. Active yeast will foam and bubble as it ferments the sugar into ethanol and carbon dioxide. This gives “proof” that the yeast is good.
Some bread doughs are knocked back after one rising and left to rise again. A longer rising time gives a better flavor, but the yeast can fail to raise the bread in the final stages if it is left for too long initially.


Quick and easy dough recipe: Great for bread sticks, pizza dough, hamburger buns, etc.
(From Kelly Nordfelt)
3 ½ - 4 c. flour
1 tsp salt
2 T. sugar
1 ½ c. very warm water
1 packet (2 ½ tsp) yeast
1 tsp. sugar

Mix 1 t. sugar and 2 ½ t. yeast in the very warm water. Stir and let sit until bubbly.
In a mixing bowl add flour, salt, and sugar. Mix until blended. When yeast mixture is ready, turn on mixer and dump in. Let mix for 5 minutes, or until ready. Let sit for 20 minutes. Take out, shape and let rise for one hour. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Quick and easy dough recipe with whole wheat and flax seed
(From Kelly Nordfelt)
1 ½ c. Whole Wheat flour
2 c. white flour
¼ c. ground flax seed
1 tsp. salt
2 T. sugar
1 ½ c. very warm water
1 packet (2 ½ tsp) yeast
1 tsp. sugar

Follow instructions above.

Information found on Wikipedia

EZ Wheat Bread Recipe (Amy Albach's recipe from http://everydayfoodstorage.net)
1 loaf: 2 loaves:
1-1/4 c. warm water 2-1/2 c. warm water
1 T. active dry yeast 2 T. active dry yeast
1/4 c. honey or 1/3 c. sugar 1/2 c. honey or 2/3 c. sugar
2-3/4 c. hard white wheat flour (or any combination you like) 5-1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. wheat gluten 1/2 c. wheat gluten
1 t. salt 2 t. salt
2 T. nonfat non-instant dry milk 4 T. nonfat non-instant dry milk
1 T oil/butter/margarine 2 T. oil/butter/margarine
1 T. vinegar 2 T. vinegar
1/4 c. potato flakes (NOT potato pearls) 1/2 c. potato flakes

Mix ingredients in order listed in mixing bowl of mixer with dough hook attachment (like kitchen-aid) for 12-15 minutes. Let rise until double, 1-1/2 hours. Punch down, and shape into loaf or rolls. Let rise again until double and bake at 375 for 10-30 minutes until golden brown and sounds hollow when lightly tapped.

If you are making this recipe in a bread machine, follow your bread machine's directions for wheat or whole grain selection and add the ingredients in the order listed for their recommendations. (Only one loaf will fit in a bread maker.

100% Whole Wheat Bread (made with RED WHEAT from food storage)

To start...
3 Tablespoons yeast
4 cups warm water
4 cups hard red wheat flour (or any combination you like)

Mix these ingredients together and let sit until double. (Usually 15-30 minutes) This step is called a sponge and is very important to allow the yeast to get a head start.

Add...
1/2 cup oil or butter
2/3 cup honey or molasses
3 teaspoons salt
6-8 cups hard red wheat flour

Mix this together and knead for 15-20 minutes if kneading by hand. Place dough in oiled bowl and let rise again until double (about 30 minutes). Punch down and shape into loaf pans. Cover and let rise until double (30 minutes). Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Oil top of bread for a nice shiny crust.

MUFFIN BREAD (from Ann Packard)
5 ½ cups warm water
3 pkgs. yeast
1 TBSP salt
3 TBSP sugar
11 cups flour
cornmeal

Stir yeast and sugar into the warm water in a large bowl and let stand for a few minutes until yeast is ready. Mix the salt into 7 cups of the flour. Using a wooden spoon, stir these 7 cups of flour into the yeast mixture. Then add remaining flour and mix well. Do all of the mixing by hand. Do not use an electric mixer. It will be a very sticky dough. Make sure the bowl is large enough that the dough can rise until doubled in bulk. Cover the bowl.
When the dough has doubled, stir it down and spoon into 4 well greased loaf pans. Sprinkle loaf pans with cornmeal before putting dough into them and then sprinkle tops with cornmeal. Cover with a dish towel until the dough gets within about an inch from the top of the pan, then remove the towel as the dough will stick to it.
When the dough is crowning the top of the pans, put them in a 350 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes. Check the bread at that time to see if it is getting brown on top. If not, brush it with a little milk or shortening to help it brown. Bake it an additional 10 - 15 minutes. It usually takes the bread about 40- 45 minutes to get done. Remove from pans immediately.

WHOLE WHEAT HONEY (from Ann Packard)

Mix with blender in large bowl, or mix in Bosch:
1 cup powdered milk
4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup oil
2/3 cup honey
4 cups whole wheat flour
5 cups hot water
3 TBSP. yeast
½ cup gluten powder (opt.)

Add: 6 cups white or wheat flour and any additional flour

Knead 10 minutes; let rise until doubled; punch down and shape into loaves; let rise then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Yields 4 - 4x9 loaves; or 6 - 3 ½ x 7 loaves.