There is just something so much more earthy about baking with whole wheat. It’s good and it’s good for you. I get a lot of requests for more whole wheat recipes. The main reason I don’t bake more with whole wheat is because it’s not handy. I’m too lazy to go to the pantry. (That is a sad commentary!) I like everything handy and I know what I need–another big countertop container, one for whole wheat. I’m gonna get one and get to baking more with whole wheat, I promise!
Note: I have a homemade dough enhancer mix for whole wheat breads here.
Gen says:
With whole wheat bread you might try a tablespoon (for every cup of WW flour) of vital wheat gluten. It helps make the dough lighter.
On January 5, 2010 at 1:16 am
Leah says:
Your wheat bread looks good,and I could use a slice of it with butter right now! :wave:
On January 5, 2010 at 7:09 am
NorthCountryGirl says:
That loaf of bread is sure inviting. I like baking with whole grains but it does make a different textured loaf. But, I love the taste of whole grains and it definitely is better for you.
On January 5, 2010 at 7:14 am
carol says:
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! AND THANK YOU SOME MORE!
I’m diabetic and regular flour is sort of a no-no for me. I can have a little whole wheat bread sometimes and it doesn’t make my blood sugar go up so high so knowing you are going to give us some whole wheat recipes along the way makes me happy this cold Dallas morning. (it’s 24 degrees and that’s going to be warm compared to what’s coming Thursday morning….13 degrees in Dallas Texas with a high of only 28 degrees. Good lord!)
So thank you, AGAIN, Suzanne. Stay home, keep house and be happy!
On January 5, 2010 at 7:17 am
CindyP says:
I made my first loaf of whole wheat bread the other night!!! John said it was the BEST loaf of ANY bread I’ve made yet!!! I used the dough enhancer, I’d made that earlier, just waiting to get WW flour! And I was very surprised at the different selection of flours at my little store! I guess I just have to stop and look more often!
Gen — Suzanne has an awesome dough enhancer recipe for whole grain breads!
On January 5, 2010 at 7:20 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
I just added a note to the post with the homemade dough enhancer link!
On January 5, 2010 at 7:42 am
JOJO says:
:snowman: :woof: :snowman:
I just purcased a bag of this same flour last week, I have not used it as yet, but the commitment is there. I have done a bit of reading and dont know if I sould use all wheat flour or mix some white flour with it. Maybe when you make a batch, you could do a post and “learn” us how.
I like your new picture on the sidebar. I think so many of us, after we watched the sam-e video though the old pic didnt do you justice, now we know your voice and the Suzanne we saw on the video, This one is much better! You have a nice smile.
JO
On January 5, 2010 at 7:29 am
Chic says:
I need to make bread again and after reading this I think I’ll go ‘all the way’ and use only WW. I’ve been making it with only a portion of the flour being WW cause my hubby likes his white bread…but not this time! Love your recipe Suzanne… :hungry2:
On January 5, 2010 at 8:48 am
Mary Kiczenski says:
Making the dough enhancer just seems like a lot of odd things you have to buy. I’m not sure I could get all that. I don’t know where I’d purchase the ready made enhancer either. I would, however, like to try the whole wheat bread. I usually just throw a few handfuls of whole wheat into my white grandmother bread. I will have to look around and see what I can find.
On January 5, 2010 at 9:05 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Mary, it’s actually not that hard to find the dough enhancer ingredients! I ordered them at first, then later found everything at a Kroger!
On January 5, 2010 at 9:19 am
Diane says:
LOL. I agree with the stuff being handy and cooking. All my main baking stuff is in one spot. The whole wheat and grains are in the freazer. Just to much effort to pull them out. But that is a thought to have a small conatiner with wheat in the baking area. Duh. So simple.
On January 5, 2010 at 9:09 am
Michele Messier says:
You should refrigerate the whole wheat flour so the oils don’t go rancid. Unless of course you use it up fast. Gotta go make some bread! :eating: :eating: :eating: :eating: :eating: :eating:
On January 5, 2010 at 9:38 am
Angela Pierce says:
😥 Oh bother! Today at work in my mail box was a notice. That dreaded notice that says “we regret to inform you that….” as of Jan 31 I will no longer have a job. Not that my job was a big one, but I did enjoy it and felt as if I were helping to fund our life. My son just lost his scholarship due to MI State cutbacks, my “job” was going to help fund his education…… Im really trying not to feel sad, but its hard. I know all things work out and all will be o.k. so for now…Im going to the kitchen and making some bread! :chef: And then Im going out to the barn and talk to my goat Tilly, she always makes me feel better. :sun:
On January 5, 2010 at 9:52 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
I’m so sorry to hear that, Angela! (Baking is something always do when I feel down! It always makes me feel better.)
On January 5, 2010 at 10:00 am
B. Ruth says:
Suzanne,
Glad to hear and thank you for the addition of some whole wheat recipes…My dh was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and the doctor said…no white flour, white sugar, white rice etc…LOL
The white rice was easy since we eat only brown or wild rice
..but I avoided baking homemade bread.. no fair to him since we are the only ones here to eat all that bread…and one tiny slice was torture for him…plus for me whole wheat bread is a challange…I seem to make bricks instead of bread…LOL
New recipes and hints will help…Thank you..
On January 5, 2010 at 10:26 am
kerri says:
Now I’m hungry for homemade whole wheat bread. That loaf looks delicious!
On January 5, 2010 at 10:32 am
BuckeyeGirl says:
Angela, so sorry to hear your bad news. It’s especially hard because you enjoyed your work too, not many of us can say that. :hug:
B.Ruth, we love WW bread here, but I’d NEVER try to make it without Suzanne’s “Dough Enhancer”! It’s the BEST stuff EVER! If I’m using ONLY WW flour, I use 3 Tbl per loaf, if I’m using one cup of bread flour in the loaf, I cut it back to 2. Maybe you can wean him towards the pure WW bread by using a bit of the bread flour at first?
On January 5, 2010 at 11:03 am
UlrikeDG says:
I gave up on having the right number of canisters for my baking “software” (as AB calls it). I now just use empty 1-gal ice cream tubs. When I run out of All Purpose, the tub gets washed and put away. When I decide I really “need” a 5 lb bag of oat flour, a clean tub comes out. They stack well under my upper cabinets (unlike my old canisters), were basically free, and when they get old, I recycle them. Plus, they’re wider than my canisters were, making it easier to measure without spilling!
On January 5, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Jill says:
I got a wondermill for Christmas and have been grinding my own flour and cornmeal. Love it. I use the extra gluten but don’t want to add the extra things like the enhancer. I want it to be more natural. I use your grandmother recipe and add the gluten and it comes out just fine my husband says. I just made oatmeal cookies with the wheat flour and boy was that good. Still trying to find the right recipe for bread for my taste. I make wheat crackers that my husband calls flat bread also
I still miss the white bread but I have done half and half until I get used to all whole wheat
Come on board and start grinding you’ll love it. it is loud but so fast and so much healthier.
On January 5, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Mary says:
Oh Suzanne, thanks so much for mentioning Kroger. I am going to make a list of ingredients now to take with me later this month when I will be traveling to a city where I think they have a Kroger. I am looking forward to this and to sharing it with my sister also.
On January 5, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Look in every store you’re in, Mary! You never know what you might find and where–I was surprised to be able to find all the ingredients without having to keep ordering. I had to really LOOK but it was all in the baking aisle, just sort of obscurely located tucked away between other things.
On January 5, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Suzanne McMinn says:
Oh, and other good places to look for dough enhancer ingredients are health food or whole food stores if you chance by any of them!
On January 5, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Sandra says:
Thanks for your dough enhancer. I got the ingredients and started making a 50/50 blend of ww and bread flour. I have wonderful loaves. I sent some dough enhancer to my brother who makes great bread, he said he can tell a difference in the rise and in the shelf-life. My sister, who never made bread before, is now making Grandmother bread. You have “enriched” our lives. It was worth the effort to track down the ingredients…and they come in good sized containers so that you can make a lot of enhancer.
On January 5, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Vicki (stickhorsecowgirl) says:
Hi Suzanne!
King Arthurs flour makes a white whole wheat. It’s not REAL white, but is much lighter in color than regular whole wheat. I’ve had pretty good results with it–buy it at Kroger too! It costs a little more, but I try to buy it when it’s on sale, double-bag it in freezer bag & store it in the deep freeze.
On January 5, 2010 at 9:49 pm