I made my own bread! Have a question...

[Izzy0906]

Ok, things have been extremely tight! I haven't been food shopping in weeks and can't go until second week in Jan. I had no bread. Well while cleaning out my cabinets this weekend, I find 7 packets of dry yeast. So I looked up a bread recipe and found one I had all the ingredients for and made it. It took some time with the rising but was all together VERY easy and I LOVE it. I decided to never buy another loaf again and just get a bag of flour (can make me several loaves) each month to make that months bread. I have 2 questions...

1. Does anyone have a whole wheat bread recipe that doesn't include more then a very very small amount of bread flour if any? I really want to use up my whole wheat flour I have.

2. Can I freeze my bread dough? if so, do i freeze right after I combine and before i let it rise or after I let it rise or cook it completely and freeze the loaf?

TIA!

[sdrjeolsen]

Others may do it differently, but when I make dough, I let it rise the first time, then punch down and shape into loaves and freeze. That way I can take it out let it rise the final time and bake it. That way is always is warm and fresh....yum!

I do freeze bread from the store, but homemade bread has a different consistancy, so I don't know how well it would freeze. Seems to me it would dry out a whole lot more than store bought would....maybe experiment with a few slices and see how it comes out.

Also, I don't know how, (you could google it I'm sure) but you could make a starter that you reuse. My dad said Grandma saved a hunk of the dough to use as starter for the next batch, so she didn't needed to keep buying yeast.

Congrats on the new found baking hobby!

[Ceashels]

1. Does anyone have a whole wheat bread recipe that doesn't include more then a very very small amount of bread flour if any? I really want to use up my whole wheat flour I have.

If my thinking is correct, whole wheat does not rise as well or produce enough gluten to raise the heavier flour. So using bread flour (with a high gluten content) compensates for the loss of gluten. I have attempted to make a 100% whole wheat loaf and it was a brick, so I now use a 50/50 ratio of all purpose and whole wheat. I also will add a little extra yeast.

Breadworld.com is Fleishman's website. They may have some ideas for whole wheat flour use as well.

congratulations and good luck

[nuisance26]

~Good for you! I LOVE baking bread. I also use a 50/50 mix when making wheat loaves, otherwise the dough is too flat and dense. I never freeze my dough because I use instant yeast and the freezer kills it. I freeze baked homemade bread all the time. I make 3 loaves at a time, slice and freeze in washed out bread bags. I use plastic discs cut from old milk jugs to seperate every two pieces so that we can easily pull out correct portions. I think it tastes just as good as fresh. Of course, I bake a batch every 7-14 days.~

[freyadog]

I bake bread every other week. My recipe for fresh ground whole wheat bread is for 3 loaves. In the 10 cups of flour 1 1/2 will be white flour. I use a homemade dough enhancer to help.

Yep whole wheat is heavier but I have found that when I make my sponge I usually try to make it around 10-11 am when the sun is coming through the windows and that area is really really warm almost hot. The trick to wheat bread is the sponge itself. The fluffier the sponge the fluffier the bread.After I knead I place in the greased bowl and put back in the same area to rise. Same with the pans when it gets there. My breads look almost like what comes out of the store with the air holes etc. in it.

[Luv2BeFrugal]

I make mine with all whole wheat flour that I grind myself...3 cups per loaf. I give extra rising time if it looks like it needs it. I never use white flour.

I haven't figured out how to make it more "moist"...like store-bought bread... Any tips?

[HappyMama]

Barbara,

Your bread sounds so good ! Would you share the recipe?

Angel

[Ceashels]

I haven't figured out how to make it more "moist"...like store-bought bread... Any tips?

I wonder if adding honey or applesauce to your bread would moisten it without changing the texture or flavor too much? I find muffins and cookies seem to be more moist with them, especially the applesauce.

[kaykwilts]

This is my recipe. I always half it. It doesn't come out heavy or anything.

Kay



Whole Wheat Bread

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 20 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Bread Pasta

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 cups water, 110-120 degrees
2 tablespoons yeast -- rounded
4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup vital wheat gluton
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil -- cold pressed
1/2 cup honey --
1 tablespoon sea salt
additional whole wheat flour as needed

In a large mixing bowl, place warm water, yeast and 4 cups flour. Stir to mix well; then cover and let sponge 30 minutes.

Sit to punch down; add oil, honey, gluten and salt. Mix to blend; add 2 cups flour and turn mixer on low. Add flour by 1/2 cupfuls until dough cleans the sides of the bowl and is no longer sticky. Knead on low speed 6-8 minutes.

Let dough rise in covered Bosch bowl 30 minutes until doubled. Turn machine on to punch down, remove from bowl to oiled counter, divide into four pieces. Form loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Let rise in wram oven (turned off) until 1 1/2" above the rim of the pans.

With loaves still in oven, turn oven on and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and cover with clean towel to soften crust.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[freyadog]

Barbara,

Your bread sounds so good ! Would you share the recipe?

Angel

3 loaves of fresh ground whole wheat bread

3 - 4 tbs yeast
4 cups warm water
4 cups whole wheat flour

mix these ingredients together and let sit until double. I usually sit it in a window where the sun is shining through. This is the sponge.(this is your first rise)

next after the above has double or even tripled add:

1/2 cup butter or vegetable oil
2/3 honey or molasses-I usually use just 1/2 cup and instead of these ingredients I make splenda/sugar free maple syrup brown sugar as a substitute.
3 tsp. salt
6 cups whole wheat flour plus some for your kneading board

mix this together and knead 15-20 minutes if you are going to knead by hand. Place in an oiled bowl and cover and let rise until double(this is your second rise). Then Punch your dough down and shape and place in your bread pans. Cover these pans and let the dough rise again(this is your third rise). I always sit mine again where the sun is shining through a window,.

bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sometimes If I have leftover oatmeal etc. I will add about cup to the recipe.


dough enhancer:
1 cup nonfat dry milk
2 c. wheat gluten
2 tsp ginger(you will not taste this)
4 tb. powdered pectin
4 tb. unflavored gelatin
4 tb. lecithin crystals

mix well and place in a jar with a lid. use about 3 tb. per 3-3 1/2 c. of flour.

[HappyMama]

Thank you so much Barbara for sharing. I love making bread and your recipe sounds so good. Will probably make this weekend. Sorry just saw this.

Angel