Yeast 101

A Good "Loaf" Life

This is the process of baking 100% whole wheat bread with commercial yeast and with minimal soaking in loaf pans, the Dutch oven method follows.


 

My Bread and Butter

To minimize phytates, sprouted or bulgur flour is recommended. If your family is making the transition to whole wheat, you might prefer to start with white wheat like Prairie Gold. This wheat has sweeter more mild taste and is less acidic and pronounced than a red wheat like Bronze King. King Arthur Flour produces a wonderful ground white wheat if you do not grind your own.

I do use added gluten. Since I have no problem skimming cream and using butter, I see it as a consistent philosophy. If you choose not to use gluten, you will likely have less rise and your bread will be denser but delicious none the less.

If you are making sweet breads or prefer a moister, spongier loaf please beat three eggs in your measuring cup and use as a portion of your liquid by adding water to this. The bread can then be rolled and spread with butter before dried fruit, cinnamon, nuts and such are sprinkled on. Roll and continue with recipe. Or roll and slice into small rolls and bake on a sheet for about 2/3 of the time. You may choose to add half the oil as flax oil or even 1/4C freshly ground flax meal, and I often do. This recipe relies on a Bosch Universal but if halved can be used in a Kitchenaid, bread bucket with a crank or even by hand

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Recipe for 4 Large Loaves (I use 12in pans)

Sponge:

In a large mixer
2 Tbl dry yeast
2 Tbl gluten
2 Tbl apple cider vinegar, apple cider or orange juice (not detectable, especially if using red wheat)
2/3 C liquid fat (melted butter, melted coconut oil, olive oil)
2/3 C liquid sweetener (honey or maple syrup)

6 C very warm water (110 or warm bath temperature)

8 C freshly milled wheat or 7 C store bought flour (more will be added later)

Mix at one, or low speed to combine. Rest 20 minutes or until frothy and risen.

Dough:

To the sponge, add 4 more cups flour and mix until thoroughly combined. Continue to add flour until dough pulls away from side of bowl and is barely sticky (see photo). At this point, knead for 5 minutes in a Bosch, 10 minutes in a Kitchenaid, 200-250 turns in a crank-bucket or by hand. Cover and rest until doubled, about 20 minutes in a kitchen of 75 degrees.

Dough Barely Clings to My Fingers

Turn onto lightly floured board, dust with flour and knead in remainder. Pull right half over left, place palms in center and push away from you using the heels of the hand. Dust lightly, turn and knead again (see photo). Continue until dough is smooth and stretchy and no longer sticky (see photo). If surface appears dusty, you are adding too much. I find about 5 or so turns is all I need.



Proper Kneading Technique Equals...

...Perfectly Smooth Dough



I divide into four balls, one for each loaf. I roll out each on a lightly dusted board (and lightly dust the dough as well) until three times the width and slightly more than the length of my pans. I use Norpro diamond plate pans and NEVER wash them in soap. I lightly oil the pan, roll the dough in thirds and fold ends under (see photo) and place in pan. I spray the surface with olive oil in a pump sprayer. I rise on the counter while the oven preheats to 375, they should nearly double. Slash the loaf, pop in the oven for about 40 minutes.





Rest in pans on rack for 10 minutes, cut around edges (if pans not seasoned yet) and turn out to cool.



Let's Go Dutch!



Panera, Schamera, I Bake My Bread

Dutch ovens are a great way to get easy but super professional looking breads for even a novice. Check out my picture, I can make gorgeous bread like that at home. Below follow two recipes, one with part whole wheat and the other 100% whole wheat. Mind you, the above bread and our daily bread is 100% whole wheat but since everyone has to start somewhere, the first bread is the easy first step.

Part Wheat Bread...

Is your family adjusting to whole wheat flour breads? This bread is nice start. The acid in the vinegar helps to alleviate the phytic acid in the whole grain flour so if you have trouble with gas or stomach upset after eating whole grains, don't worry. This recipe will be kind on your system.

Melissa's Wheat(ish) Dutch Oven Bread

2 C all purpose flour
1C whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/2 Tbl salt
1 1/2 C water (or CHEAP grocery store beer) + 2 Tbl honey
1 Tbl spoon apple cider vinegar (omit if using beer)

With a wooden spoon stir all ingredients together into a big shaggy mess. It will look like a mistake, but it is not. Really. Loosely cover and rest at room temperature overnight and up to 18 hours. If you wrap too tightly, it will explode. If you rest too long, the yeast will die.

Butter a 10" square of parchment paper and place on a plate. Turn dough onto floured board and dust with flour. Give it 20 turns. Shape into a ball and place on parchment and cover with the same piece plastic wrap or floured towel. Let rise 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until soft and doubled.

After on hour, place Dutch oven with lid in oven on middle rack and preheat to 500.

The tricky part is to USE POTHOLDERS to remove lid and slide in bread by pulling a corner of the parchment. Cover and turn down heat to 425. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid (will be rocket hot, so put somewhere safe) and bake 20-25 more minutes.

Remove from pot, remove parchment, cool on a rack. It is gloriously shiny and artisan looking. It is very impressive. You can also add 1/2 cup each cranberries and pecans when kneading. It makes great Christmas gifts.

100% Whole Wheat...

This recipe is graciously provided by The Family Baker. Nadine, the lovely proprietress, is my source for grains, beans, rice, mills, and mixers. Are you in the market for some heavy duty kitchen machines? Nadine is located in the Denver Metro area. Not local? Nadine ships machines. Are you a brick baker and not a bread baker? Nadine has classes. There is no excuse not to enjoy delicious bread from freshly ground grains. Just for the record, I receive NO compensation from Nadine for mentioning her business NOR if you purchase.

Basic Artisan Bread Recipe

(You can half or double this recipe with the same results.)

Hard White Wheat Grain—2 lbs, 3 oz which equals 5 1/4 cups of grain which equals 8 1/2 cups of freshly milled flour.  If you are using store bought flour the amount should still be 2 lbs, 3 oz of flour which should be around 7 1/2 cups.

4 teaspoons of SAF yeast

1 Tablespoon of RealSalt

1/4 cup of Vital Wheat Gluten

2 Tablespoons of Dough Enhancer (optional)

Whisk those dry ingredients together and then add

4 cups of warm water

1/4 cups of oil (optional)

1/4 cup of honey or Sucanat (optional)

Whisk together the dry ingredients in your plastic container, add the wet ingredients and mix with spoon then use wets hands to ensure there’s no flour lumps.  This whole process takes less than 15 minutes.

 

Put the lid on container but do not seal.  We don’t want it to be airtight.

Let rest for 2 hours on counter.

 

You can use it then or put it in the refrigerator, still a loose seal, to use later.  Tip:  it’s easier to handle after refrigeration.

                                                                          On Baking Day

When ready to bake, generously sprinkle pizza peel with cornmeal.

Have some flour handy and dust top of dough with flour and pull out a chunk of dough roughly the size of a grapefruit.  Dust the ball slightly and quickly shape the dough into a ball by stretching the surface around to the bottom.

 

Elongate the ball if you desire. Let rest for 90 minutes (only 40 minutes if you are using unrefrigerated dough you just made). About 30 minutes before you bake, preheat the oven to 450 and place the baking stone on the middle rack to preheat and put the empty broiler pan on the bottom rack.

Just before baking, spray water on top of the loaf, sprinkle on some goodies like seeds, nuts, cheeses, etc, then slash with serrated knife.

With a quick forward motion, slide the loaf off of the peel and onto the hot stone.  Add one cup of water into the broiler pan (never use a glass casserole dish and be careful not to spill any water onto your glass door!).

Close the oven door and bake for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the crust is brown and firm to touch. Cool on a cooling rack before slicing into it. When storing it, you don't want to put it in a plastic bag - that defeats the crusty crust!  You can store in a paper bag before slicing but after you sliced into it, leave it on the cutting board cut side down.

Special Note: I personally like to smear the outside of my loaves with a small amount of flour before I slash, which I do immediately before baking. If you are concerned about phytates, use sprouted flour or plain ol' cheap white flour. If you want to reduce your phytic acid in your resting dough, adding a small amount of acid (like orange juice or apple cider vinegar) helps and is also good for helping with lift. It makes a nifty mock-sourdough. Ready to start with real sourdough? Just click the tab above and get started.