# Need 100% Whole Wheat bread recipe



## CorasMama (May 10, 2002)

My dd decided that she'd like me to teach her to make bread. I think I was about her age when I learned. I think this is a great idea, since I've come home to be with her full-time, and we're trying to learn to be less commercially-driven.

Here's the problem: All my cookbooks give a recipe for whole wheat bread that have at least 50% of the flour as white flour!

Can I substitute whole wheat flour on a 1:1 ratio for white flour? What about in other recipes, like biscuits?

I'd hate to think that I would have to show her that they only way for her to get 100% w.w. bread is to BUY it!

Thanks!


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## Montessori Mommy (Jul 10, 2006)

king arthur flour is coming out with a whole grain baking book in the fall:

http://shop.bakerscatalogue.com/land...tm_term=e_intr

I love thier stuff.

I bake 100% stone ground wheat bread, the key is adding vital wheat gluten, they usually call for the 50/50 mix in recipes because the whole wheat won't rise by itself. I'll dig around for my "real" recipe, I just make everything "a handfull of this" and a "handfull of that" because I do it so often! I'll post it later this evening when I can find it.


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

Have you seen the 'Good Eats with Wheat Thread'? It's got several whole wheat, including Essene and Eziekel Bread, and some other recipes. Here is the link, since search function if off:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=170574

Here is a standard, no pre soaking of the flour, whole wheat recipe, from page 7 of the thread (though I prefer soaking and making it 'sour' for additional flavor and nutrition):

*Basic Whole Wheat Bread - No Sponge method*

_Mix in a large bowl, or your mixer bowl, until the flour is wet:_

5 1/2 cup Hot water
1/3 cup sugar, Rapadura or honey*
5 Cup good quality whole wheat flour (prefer fresh ground, but hey...)
1/2 to 1 cup Wheat Gluten Flour

Add and mix for 15 seconds (using mixer method):3 TBS Yeast (I like SAF Instant Yeast. Comes in a big package and you can freeze the extra in a plastic or glass container with lid)

_Add and mix until just incorporated:_

2/3 cup oil (olive, melted coconut, grapeseed, etc)
3 TBS lemon juice (fresh preferred) or 50 mg ascorbic acid (Vit C. Powder)
1 TBS sea salt (I like Redmonds the best for flavor)
3 TBS Liquid Lecithin if you want longer lasting bread (optional)

Add any Seasonings you might want at this point (garlic, herbs, etc) and quickly work it into the dough with mixer or hands.

Continue to adding more flour (may be 5-7 more cups) until the dough forms a ball and does not stick to the sides of bottom of the bowl. Obviously this is if you are using a stand mixer, otherwise keep adding the flour until the dough is more managable and isn't too sticky and will hold it's shape for a few seconds before 'relaxing'. You will have to knead with the mixer for about 6 minutes and if doing it by hand, for about 10 minutes or about 300 times to help develop the gluten that will give it that 'stretch' factor to help rising.

With oiled hands, remove the dough from the bowl and form into 5 loaves (or 3 if using half recipe). Make a tight ball shaped loaf and place in the center of each greased pan.

You can place in the oven with the light on to help it rise, or set in a warm corner of your kitchen, until double in bulk. Remove pans from oven if you were using it to allow them to rise there, heat to 350 Deg F and bake for 30 minutes or until top and bottom crusts are golden brown. Cool on wire racks, out of the pan. Store in plastic bags on counter for 1-2 days or wrap in waxed paper, then store in tightly fitting plastic or other container in the freezer. Stale bread can be sliced and toasted (with or without butter) to help refresh it and is wonderful with jam or jelly.

* Regarding honey. If using this method, honey if ok to feed the yeasts, though they thrive on plain sugar best. If using a longer soak, sponge method, I would avoid honey for the yeasts as it can inhibit it's growth. You can add some to your dough before rising, for flavoring and or sweetening, if you like, also.

*Suggestions when baking with whole wheat/grains:*

Oil (butter) added to the dough helps keep bread soft and from drying out too fast.
Lecithin (the liquid kind, in a bottle) helps perserve it Sometimes called 'dough enhancer'. Can use about 1-3 TBS added to recipe.
Lemon juice or ascorbic acid will give whole wheat a lighter texture and will make the bread less crumbly (good for slicing for sandwiches).
Use high gluten (protein) content flour to help it rise (at least 15% is suggested). If you can't get a good 'commercial' type bread flour, then you can add Vital Wheat Gluten to a good flour (check flour isle at your local Health food or grocery store).
Be sure your yeast if fresh and active. Test it by taking 1 Tbs of your yeast and adding 1 Cup of warm water and 1/2 tsp of sugar or succanant. It should double in size within 10 minutes. Store your yeast in a closed package/jar in the freezer when not using. This will extend it's life.
Kneading on a marble, stone or formica counter top, rather than on a wood board will require less flour and result in a 'softer' dough.
Try kneading with vegetable oiled hands, rather than extra flour, to prevent your dough from getting too much and resulting in dryer, more crumbly bread.
Bag and freeze any extra loaves to preserve moisture, if not used that day or next. Then just thaw it and or toast slices to refreshen it.
Hope you have a ball teaching your daughter to bake bread, it's a wonderful thing, both my 2 an 4 year old boys watch and help me whenever I bake, they think it's an amazing process and can't wait for that first piece, still warm with butter and agave syrup on it!

Heather


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## xenabyte (Jul 16, 2004)

Here is a 100% whole wheat biscuit recipe too, from same thread:

*Whole Wheat Biscuits*

Preheat your oven to 400 Deg F

Mix together until nice and crumbley (like making the scones):

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tsp Baking powder
1/4 cup Rapadura or other Succanant sugar. Brown sugar is nice too.
3/4 cups cold butter

Add in:

1 cup buttermilk, kefir, yogurt or reg. milk

Gently knead to blend (in bowl). Do not overmix, or they get tough. You can place small amount in bottom of a muffin tin, make 'drop' biscuits with a large spoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Or you can gently pat them out on a very lightly floured board and then cut circles and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Will make 8-16 biscuits, depending on the size you cut them into.

Best served hot and with butter and or jam.

If you put 1 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese in the dough, they are nicely savory and go well with soup/chili.


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## CorasMama (May 10, 2002)

Yeah, the problem with Bob's Red Mill is that I am allergic to corn, and they refuse to take the appropriate precautions to prevent their wheat flours from coming into contact with their corn products.

Thanks for all those recipes!


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