Baking bread with whole wheat flour.
I have quite a few superpails of wheat berries, so I figured it best to learn how to use them now – before it becomes a panicked necessity. Making 100% whole wheat bread can be a challenge, but I was determined to learn because eating bowl after bowl of boiled wheat berries does not sound appealing. LOL. And I figure if I’m breaking into the wheat berries in an emergency basis, that means white flour will either not be available or will be quite expensive.
The most important part of making 100% whole wheat bread, after grinding the berries, is vital wheat gluten. It’s what helps form that nice gluten web and lets our bread dough rise. I add it to AP flour to create a bread flour.
For 1 cup flour, .75 tsp VWG raises protein by 1%. I usually buy the cheapest AP flour, which is at Aldi’s around here. The bag states there is 3 g protein / 30 g flour = 10%. Bread Flour is 12-15% protein. So 1.5 tsp VWG per cup of Aldi’s AP flour gets me in the bread flour range.
Whole wheat flours have a higher protein content, but that is deceptive. Whole wheat flowers contain all parts of the wheat berry, including the brand and germ. When ground, brand has sharp edges that can cut the strands of gluten. Which is why whole grain loaves tend to be shorter and denser.
Adding more liquid softens the bran and helps the flour behave more like a white flour in baking bread. Whole wheat flour also absorbs liquid slower than white flour, so you need to give it time before kneading to absorb the water and determine if more is needed.
Adding vital wheat gluten can also mitigate the cut gluten strands caused by bran. I use the same amount I use in my white flours, about one to one and a half teaspoons per cup.
100% whole wheat bread can also be a bit bitter, especially if made with all red wheat flour. You can usually add something sweet to offset that, and or let the dough rise slow and long.
Very illuminating—thanks for posting.
Wow. I don’t make ww bread, but when I make white bread or rolls, I generally add 2 or 3 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to the generic AP flour I buy. I didn’t really know how much I should add. Thanks for the info.
There are special sieves you can get that sift the bran out of your home-ground flour. They don’t get all of it, but they do get a lot!
Also, you can remove the bran before grinding by using a grain polisher. I’ve only seen electric models, but the mechanics are simple enough I think a pedal-powered one could be built if necessary. These are also good for making pearled barley or white rice, for when you want that particular texture.
The bran can be used separately so the nutrients don’t get wasted. Use it like a nut flour, keeping in mind that it will make baked goods heavier. Or you could mix it into something with a strong flavor, such as chili.
Also, the bitterness from 100% red wheat can be improved by a generous layer of jam.
If you only have whole red wheat for your bread, you will learn why our ancestors made jams and jellies by the ton back then!!
Yeah total wheat bread is a challenge.
I make sour dough bread from my own starter. The starter consists of all whole wheat flour that I grind from red wheat berries. When I make my bread I use 1000 grams of flour and 600 grams of starter.
Of the 1000 grams of flour I use 400 grams of wheat pre weighed then soaked for 1 hour before making bread. So basically I have 1000 grams of wheat and 600 grams of white flower plus other ingredients such as salt, honey or sugar and water.
I don’t use any other gluten, the white flour and starter take care of that. This makes two sandwich loaves.
My artisan bread is different. Have not mastered it yet but when my sandwich loaves are served people are like hogs at a trough.