Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf

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Ah, the age-old struggle: homemade bread versus the store-bought stuff. Those supermarket slices are undeniably convenient, boasting perfect uniformity and shelf lives that stretch for weeks. But for bakers like myself, particularly those who shun gluten conditioners and additives, especially when using 100% whole wheat flour, they simply don't hold a candle to the magic of homemade. Sure, store-bought loaves might be readily available, but they lack the heart and soul poured into crafting a loaf from scratch.

The beauty of baking bread goes beyond the finished product. It's a sensory experience – the therapeutic kneading that kneads out stress, the intoxicating aroma of baking dough that fills the kitchen with warmth, and the immense satisfaction of creating something nourishing and delicious with your own two hands. This recipe is my secret weapon in the fight against store-bought blandness. It's good enough to keep my family reaching for my homemade loaves over the pre-sliced, supermarket staples.

But this recipe is more than just family-approved; it's a testament to functionality. It achieves the ideal balance: sturdy enough to hold its shape for satisfying sandwiches yet soft enough to elevate any toast. In fact, on my first day back at my not-so-fondly-remembered old job, this bread became my silent hero. A sandwich crafted with this beauty was the comfort and fuel I needed to navigate that day without resorting to...well, let's just say it helped me keep my cool. Now, I wouldn't claim it has magical workplace-harmony powers, but it offers a delicious reminder of your own triumphs – a personal accomplishment you can literally savor with every bite.

Now, for the sake of transparency, let's address the elephant in the room, or rather, the lopsided loaf in the picture. Yes, it may appear a bit...unconventional. The culprit? A minor rise mishap on an uneven surface. But the real twist in this loaf's tale comes from its oven adventure. Sharing cramped quarters with a massive New Year's Eve turkey, it emerged with a slightly unorthodox shape. But hey, imperfections can be charming, right? And let me tell you, despite its unique form, this is the softest whole wheat bread I've ever created. So, ditch the pursuit of flawlessness and embrace the character that comes with a homemade loaf. After all, the true magic lies in the deliciousness and the satisfaction of creating something yourself – a testament to your baking skills and a reward you can devour with pride.

 

Equipment:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Loaf pan
• Oven-safe container for hot water (see step 5)
• If making by hand:
• Large bowl
• Large spoon
• Strong hands
• If using a stand mixer:
• Stand mixer with bowl and dough hook attachment

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm milk*
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
• 1/8 cup (2 tablespoons) white sugar OR 1/4 cup honey
• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast dissolved in an additional 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or orange juice
• [Optional] 2 tablespoons finely-chopped rosemary  

*  I use a microwave to warm the milk. Alternatively, use 1 cup warm water and dry (powder) milk.

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, begin by dissolving yeast in warm water. Once you've done that, add sugar and stir until dissolved. Then, combine all the other ingredients in that same bowl. Note that you may need to add a little bit more water depending on the humidity/dryness of your kitchen. Mix until mixed; there should be no dry spots or loose flour.
2. Knead the dough for ~10 minutes by hand, or ~7 minutes if using stand mixer. I will warn that this dough can be somewhat tough to knead by hand as it is fairly dense, and a weak stand mixer may not be able to do much to help. Do what you can here. You'll definitely start building muscle if you keep making this recipe! 
3. Let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours.
4. Shape into a rough cylinder that can fit in your loaf pan. Try to keep the top of the dough smooth as that will facilitate rising and baking. Place in a lightly oiled loaf pan, and let rise for a final time another 1-2 hours.
5. Place an oven-safe container filled with hot water at the bottom of your oven. This will create steam as the bread bakes, which will keep it soft and prevent the top from drying out before cooking through. Preheat oven to 350 ℉.
6. Place the loaf pan with dough in the preheated oven and bake at 350 ℉ for 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
• Bread will last for several days at room temperature if tightly wrapped. For longer-duration storage, feel free to place in your freezer after slicing.

Small note: This is the first post I've made that has enough text to warrant a "Jump to Recipe" button. I know I highly value these when I look for recipes on the internet: I don't necessarily want to scroll through someone's life story to learn how to make a cake. Some days, I just want the cake without the emotional voyage. Wanting to apply this to my own website finally gave me a reason to become more familiar with HTML code. I've learned a lot of the very basics, and just added an anchor and jump link where I needed them. I hope this is a good step toward assuring continued user-friendliness on this and future posts.

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Whole Wheat Simple Bread [Long Fermentation]

Whole Wheat Simple Bread 

[Long Fermentation] 

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Ever wondered where all those carbs in your daily diet come from? In many Western countries, bread takes the cake (pun intended) when it comes to carbohydrate intake. That's why, for health-conscious folks like myself, it's crucial to find bread that's both nutritious and fits our busy schedules. After all, who has hours to spend kneading dough?

As the resident baker in my household, I've embarked on a quest to create the perfect loaf: healthy, flavorful, and minimal-effort. Here's what I've learned so far in this ongoing adventure!

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. Basic ingredients come together to form a delicious dough, and the secret weapon? A long fermentation period. This extended rise gives the yeast ample time to develop flavor naturally, eliminating the need for extra additives. An added bonus: certain compounds in whole wheat flour, like phytic acid (often called an anti-nutrient), are actually broken down during this process. This makes the bread easier for our bodies to digest and absorb all the good stuff!

The first iteration of this recipe was a true testament to the power of simplicity. Just four basic ingredients, a hands-off approach, and a single overnight rise at room temperature – that's it! It almost makes you wonder if this is how our ancestors made bread back in the early days of agriculture: whole grains, a pinch of salt, and a whole lot of time. There's something undeniably charming about keeping things simple, don't you think? So, ditch the store-bought loaves packed with additives and artificial flavors. This recipe is your gateway to healthy, delicious, and effortless homemade bread!

Equipment

• Measuring cup(s) and spoon(s)
• Medium bowl
• Large spoon
• Dutch/French oven, or:
• Loaf pan, aluminum foil, oven-safe pan or container (see directions below for more detail)

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ~1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 cups room temperature water

Directions

1. First, mix together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Dissolve the yeast in ~1/2 cup of the water; once dissolved, add the remaining water and yeast-water mixture to the bowl. Stir until the dough comes together. 
• You are welcome to knead the dough, but I did not find much of a difference. The long rise time makes it work without.
2. Loosely cover the dough and leave to ferment/rise overnight, 12 to 18 hours.
• You may be thinking, "That's a pretty broad range!" You are absolutely correct, and that is a result of the fermentation occurring at ambient room temperature. If the temperature of your space varies throughout the day, or from day to day, you will have inconsistent rise times. This is one of the reasons I worked on making iterations of this recipe that might be more consistent.
3. Check to see if the dough is ready to bake by humanity's most common test: poke it! Press the pad of your finger lightly into the surface dough, about 1 centimeter. If the dimple quickly springs back, it's too soon to bake and the dough could still rise some more (under-fermented). If it the dimple stays and appears to sink in even further, it's been a little too long (over-fermented), but not the end of the world. If it only just stays as is, it's ready to go in the oven.
4. Place your dutch oven in your oven, lid on, and preheat to 450 F.
• If you do not have a dutch oven and are using a loaf pan instead, preheat your oven just the same, but place an oven-safe container half-filled with water at the bottom of the oven instead. Place the dough in a loaf pan lined with baking paper, then cover with aluminum foil; leave enough open space for the loaf to rise, but make sure the edges are tight. Note that you will likely get a different result than with a dutch oven.
5. Once the oven is heated, take out the dutch oven, remove the lid, and place a layer of baking paper and the dough inside. Make sure no paper protrudes from the dutch oven (it will burn!), then replace the lid and put the dutch oven back in the oven. Bake covered for 32 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Follow the same process for the dutch oven substitute covered loaf pan, but keep a closer eye on your nascent bread. The baking time may be longer or shorter than expected with a loaf pan as dutch ovens naturally retain heat.
6. Once baking is complete, remove the bread from your baking vessel and allow it to cool on a wire rack before slicing. 
• Slicing too soon will release water in the form of steam and prematurely dry out your bread. Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

It may not look like much when it comes out of the oven. It's pretty evenly brown and featureless on the top crust. 

However, once you slice it, it looks like a bread that should have taken a lot more time and effort.

This bread was my first experience using a dutch oven and with making those fancy round loafs. I was surprised and very happy with the soft and squishy results. Let me know how this one goes for you in the comments!

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 Whole Wheat Pizza

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Ah, pizza! Do you dream of those thin, crispy New York slices? Or maybe you crave the deep-dish goodness of Chicago? Perhaps a taste of authentic Naples is what your taste buds desire, or maybe it's the familiar favorite from the warehouse store food court. But here's the thing: while we all love pizza in its glorious variety, that heavy feeling after indulging can put a damper on things, especially when your favorite spot no longer allows veggie customization (the horror!).

Fear not, fellow pizza enthusiasts! The answer lies in taking control. By making your own pizza at home, you get to call the shots on what goes in it. And the best part? This recipe features a 100% whole wheat crust that's both light and flavorful, making it a healthier and more satisfying option. Plus, it's incredibly versatile – you can load it up with your favorite toppings and create your own pizza masterpiece.

The beauty of this recipe is that it's fuss-free. No fancy equipment needed! Just your trusty oven and a baking sheet are all it takes to whip up this delicious base. Of course, if you have a pizza stone or steel, feel free to use that for an extra-crispy crust.

But what's the secret weapon in this recipe? Believe it or not, it's lemon juice! This unexpected ingredient works wonders on the dough. The acidity helps to soften the gluten, making it more elastic and easier to stretch without tearing. Plus, the vitamin C in the lemon juice acts as a food source for the yeast, giving it a little extra boost for a perfect rise. So, ditch the heavy takeout and embrace the joy of homemade pizza with this light and delicious whole wheat crust recipe!

 

Equipment

• Measuring cup(s) and spoon(s)
• Medium bowl
• Large spoon
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheet(s), aluminum or other metal

Wet Ingredients

• 1¼ cup warm water (near 100-110 °F)
• 1¼  tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
• 2½ teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice

Dry Ingredients

• 2 3⁄4 cups whole wheat flour (regular or white), ± ~1/8 cup depending on humidity
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• [Optional] 2 tablespoons cup grated hard cheese (Parmesan or similar)
• Ensure the cheese does not contain any yeast-inhibiting preservatives like potassium sorbate

Directions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and stir. There may be clumps, but these will break down in a few minutes. Add remaining wet ingredients: olive oil and one of either honey or sugar. Let sit for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to fully dissolve yeast. Add lemon juice shortly before proceeding to Step 2.
2. Add dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, Parmesan cheese, and salt) to the same bowl. Mix until the dough begins adhering to itself, just approaching a cohesive mass.
3. Knead dough and add any detached pieces back into the center of the dough mass. By this point, the dough should be just slightly sticky, but not entirely smooth. If it is severely sticking to hands, add a little bit more flour. Continue kneading for 2-5 minutes, and no more than 10 minutes (there's just no more added benefit; diminishing returns).
4. Drizzle a thin coating of oil to the same bowl from above and place the kneaded dough back in the bowl. Cover with a cloth, plastic wrap, or similar, and let the dough rise in a warm place for between 1-2 hours (I prefer closer to 2 hours). This step is very important as you don't want a dense and hard pizza crust, and it makes it much easier to work with the dough later.
5. Preheat oven to 500 °F. Flatten and roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin; I use some of the same whole wheat flour to prevent the dough from sticking or tearing. Aim for even thickness and a shape that looks like it just fits the interior surface of the baking sheet with no protrusion.
6. Drizzle the bottom of the baking sheet with a very thin layer of oil. Carefully transfer the dough to the baking sheet. Pinch closed any holes and roll inward any protrusions to prevent the crust from burning in the oven.
7. Add desired sauce, toppings, and cheese in an even layer.
8. Bake for between 12-14 minutes, depending on the amount of toppings. Cheese should be golden colored and almost, but not quite browning.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven with an oven mitt and let the pizza cool for about five minutes, about enough time to set a table. Enjoy!

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On Whole Wheat

 Why Whole Wheat?

I hope y'all had a good Thanksgiving! It was an unusually busy time for my family because we hosted some family friends for the first time in a few years. We all spent the week before Thanksgiving day cleaning the house and cooking some dishes ahead of time; fortunately, I was able to make my Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Cake ahead of time, and it was a big hit! Of course, cleaning up after was its own chore and, like many of you, we were eating turkey leftovers for several days afterward.

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I've had a lot of people ask me why I put myself through the trouble of baking only with whole wheat (WW) flour, and I don't blame them. People usually think of tough, dry breads and very stiff doughs when they think of WW, and they certainly don't think of cakes or sweets. There must be a reason that people began to exclude the bran and germ of the wheat berry from flour, right? 

Regular white flour is composed of only the endosperm of the wheat berry; this is primarily starch, a carbohydrate. By only using the endosperm, white flour becomes a very energy-dense and homogenous substance which, in baked goods, translates to high versatility, simplicity of use, and a nearly addictive nature. These features are the reason white flour became so predominant in much of the world, especially after the Industrial Revolution led to augmentation of wheat yields and crop variety standardization. However, energy-density of food is not quite as important in the Western world anymore, and is a contributor to the increasing prevalence of obesity and related disorders. That's why fiber is such an important and often-overlooked part of a person's diet; it is indigestible and yet also a crucial component of the human digestive system. Whole wheat flour retains the germ and fiber-bearing bran, making it a much more suitable flour for the modern diet.

Not all whole wheat flour is made equal, though. I use stone-ground flour, which means that wheat berries are milled and bagged directly; stone milling also tends to result in larger particle size and coarser flour. Compare this to roller-milled flour, which separates the wheat berry into its major endosperm and bran components and then recombines them later along the production line. It's not a huge difference for the average consumer, but it gives the flour producer more choice over how much of each kind of flour to mill. My personal preference is the simpler production line of stone-ground; I just think there's less opportunity to remove anything that would otherwise naturally be present in the wheat berries.

Besides nutrition and health, I think it is also worth mentioning that stone-ground whole wheat flour is the most affordable flour available at my local bulk store. The last bag I bought was 50lbs for $16.50, compared to about $20 for the same quantity of white flour. It's not a major difference at those quantities, and the cost generally evens out anyway because most bakers need to add conditioners, gluten, or improvers to whole wheat flour. However, I don't need to use those at all, so there's some good savings!

Long story short, there's nothing particularly different about whole wheat flour. Just like people, it simply has different needs, and meeting those needs will yield great results! 

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