This post may contain affiliate links .
Share this post or pin it for later !
You may imagine that usingwhole wheat flourin your baked good would lead to a grittier , nuttier , and desiccant result . But the fact is , by learning a few simple tips and tricks , you may make last products that are just as mouthwatering and pleasurable as those made with all purpose flour .
As a homesteading family , we make many of our own grain products ( dough , muffins , dough , etc . ) at home plate instead of buying them from the store . It is significant to us that these intellectual nourishment be just as yummy ( if not more ! ) than what we can buy at the store . It is evenly important to us that they plump for and better the health of our kin . bake with whole cereal is an important part of achieving both of those goals .
5 Tips for Baking withWhole Wheat Flour
Tip 1: Choose your Flour Carefully
Not all flours are created adequate , and “ whole pale yellow flour ” is n’t a individual category . Asthis review by Cooks ’ Illustrated demonstrates , whole pale yellow flours from different marque can run to a all-inclusive variety of flavors , textures , and overall baking event . Differences in the eccentric of wheat used and the tone of the pale yellow berry itself have a liberal issue on the flour .
One way to make your choice is to determine how “ rough-cut and flavorful ” you want your flour to be , ground on the type of affair you are baking . For object lesson , when bake whole straw lettuce or gem you might need a nice “ voluptuous ” grain that will tally dimension to your sunbaked goods . In that case , you might go with something likeHodgson Mill ’s Whole Wheat Graham Flour(as is recommended by Cooks ’ Illustrated ) .
If you are making cake , biscuit , or even a whole wheat pizza dough you might want something that mime white flour a bit more . In that casing , our predilection is fork Arthur Flour ’s White Whole Wheat Flour . We buy this mathematical product in bulk from the factory and have never been disappointed with its carrying out . It can also be a gravid “ transitional ” option if your kinfolk is not yet used to whole wheat berry baking and you are n’t ready to go all the direction , yet .
Either elbow room , lineament is cardinal here , and you ’ll want to bribe a flour that does n’t descend apart , taste gummy , or lead to overly spunky results . finally , you may also considergrinding your own flour at home using a caryopsis mill !
Tip 2: Make the Switch Gradually
This peak is specially utilitarian if you have never bake withwhole straw flouror if you have a recipe in which you require to make a exchange . Likewise , if you have kin member that might complain if your adust goods suddenly taste a bit unlike , this one is for you .
start out by substituting HALF of the flour in any give recipe withwhole wheat flour . In addition , start out with whitewhole wheat berry flour . White whole wheat flouris not as flavoursome and dotty as whole pale yellow made from red or other straw grains , so your critics wo n’t notice it as much , but is is evenly nutritious .
OurMaple Oat Sandwich Breadrecipe is an comfortable no - knead bread recipe that our whole family relish . It uses a combining of oat , all purpose , and whitewhole wheat flour .
Tip 3: Pay Attention to Moisture Content in your Recipes
When usingwhole straw flourinstead of blank flour , you are starting with a drying agent , coarser product . Whole Wheat flourwill engage more of the moisture in a formula , thus lead to a dry final answer if you are n’t careful with the wet content in your recipe .
It may help oneself to begin with tried and true , tested recipes such as those found in two of our preferent cookbook : Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a DayorKing Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking .
According to theWhole Grains Council , when bake yeast breads you typically demand about 2 teaspoons additional liquid state for every cup of whole grain flour compared to whitened flour .
Tip 4: Consider Adding something Acidic to your Recipe
One side effect of manipulate withwhole pale yellow flouris that the taste can be a bit more bitter than all - design flour . This can really show up in baked good like a cooky or even a quick bread likezucchinibread . Many formula call for a few tablespoon or orangeness juice , a bite of lemon zest , orapple cider acetum . counteract the bitterness chair to a sweetened final product .
Our favoriteWhole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookierecipe benefits from the improver of one tablespoon ofapple cyder vinegar . You ca n’t taste it in the last Cartesian product , which is odorous and scrumptious !
If the bitterness continues to get to you , considerwhite whole wheat flour , which bear less of the phenolic acid creditworthy for this predilection .
Tip 5: Let your Dough or Batter Rest before (and after) Baking
As we note in the first place , whole wheat berry flourstarts out a little desiccant and benefit from the addition of a bit of redundant moisture . However , if you pop your adust secure into the oven right away after mix it up , the grains wo n’t have time to take up that wet .
When baking with whole grain , my rule of ovolo is always to wrench on the oven AFTER I have it in the pan ready to go in . Then , I have to wait the 10 - 15 minutes for the oven to pre - heating system before I put it in . This works majuscule for pixy , cookies , and quick breads .
When it comes to yeast breads , whole grain versions may profit from a longsighted rising period , or permit the dough sit for 20 - 25 minute before kneading . Same go forno - knead bread recipes , which normally gain from time in the electric refrigerator anyway !
Some recipe , particularly a cooking pan full of elf , also do good from sitting for a while after bake . In fact , I enjoy whole wheat brownies and blondies even more the 2nd day !
Our Favorite Whole Wheat Recipes:
Check out these recipe over at our home site , The Happy Hive Homestead , to see how we have addedwhole wheat flourto our normal baking procedure !
