Questions for those with grain mills..

[peteyfoozer]

What grains do you buy normally? Do you keep both hard and soft wheat around? In most recipes using WW it suggests using a portion of WW and white flour, how do you compensate for that? Do you need vital wheat gluten? or a dough conditioner?? I need to know what grains I need to pick up. I do all of our cooking from scratch, but have never milled our own flour before, just always used the cheap white stuff! I would like to quit using it, if possible!

 

[nmred]

Hi! Welcome to the world of fresh, whole grains! You will be amazed at the taste difference.

I like to make my bread with a combination of hard white wheat, rye, and flax. Many years ago I learned that adding 15% rye to your whole wheat makes it release more iron, so I have been doing it ever since. It gives the bread a very nice flavor. The flax adds all those wonderful omega 3's. I grind 7 cups of the hard white wheat, 1 cup of rye, and 1/2 c. flax. I stir it together and run it through all at once. Many grinders warn against grinding flax as it is so oily, but mixing it in this way does not cause a problem.

So, what do I buy? Hard white wheat, rye, and flax. I also like to keep a bag of soft white wheat for cookies, pancakes, etc., where you don't need the gluten. I prefer the taste of white wheat over red. It is a milder flavor.

As to adding gluten or dough enhancer, you don't need it. It just adds expense. I have found that the secret to a good raising whole wheat bread is to only let it raise once. It just doesn't have enough gluten to give you a good second rise, which is why a lot of recipes tell you to use part white flour. Mix your dough, then, instead of leaving it in a bowl to raise the first time, form it into your loaves, let it raise to the top of the pan, then bake. You will get a nice big loaf that has a good texture. With white flour you need to let it raise the two times because it has so much gluten that you will have big holes in it if you only raise it once. With the whole wheat you get the nice texture with the one rise. Doing it this way you will not have to add white flour and can have 100% whole grain bread.

Have fun, and happy eating!

 

[terri9630]

I find that leaving the dough a bit "wet" or sticky makes a softer loaf. One thing I've always disliked about wheat bread is the grittyness of it. It gives it the feel of white bread and my kids like it better.

 

[peteyfoozer]

Thanks for the tips! I am really looking forward to this!