Bread is a staple food across many regions around the world. Bread can either be part of the main course, or the side dish to an entrée. At times, it is even a garnish to a dish or an ingredient called for in a recipe. Nevertheless, the process of making bread, as well as the bread recipes we have grown to love, has evolved throughout the years.
Generally, everything that is made from fresh, unprocessed ingredients, are healthier. This is true even in making bread. There are a wide variety of whole-grain flours that are suitable in making bread that is good for you. Whole wheat grain flours keep most of the vitamins and nutrients intact compared to refined flours.
Whole Wheat Flour
One of these is whole wheat flour, which is a good substitute for all-purpose flour. The white variety of whole wheat flour has a comparatively milder flavor. Nonetheless, whole wheat flour results in a bread that has the same familiar taste. Try this recipe for homemade bread using whole wheat flour:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3 (quarter ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 1/4 cups bread flour
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 4 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 10 cups bread flour
Mix together half cup of warm water with sugar, bread flour, and yeast. It is better to use a stand mixer to blend all the ingredients well, but a standmixer can do much more than knead bread, it can also be used to make past or stuff sausages. Mix the oats, whole wheat flour, salt, sugar and oil to the dough on low speed for a couple of minutes before increasing the speed slightly while adding the bread flour until the dough no longer sticks to the mixing bowl. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with damp cloth to let it rise. Cut the dough and shape it in the greased pans after an hour and once again, let it rise. After another hour, you can now bake the dough in the oven at 350F for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Other Whole Grain Flours
Spelt flour gives your bread a nutty and distinct flavor, but it is unsuitable for people who are intolerant to gluten. For people with an autoimmune disease, making them intolerant to gluten, the best whole grain flour alternatives are sorghum, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, millet, or quinoa. The drawback, however, is that the bread will not have an open crumb texture. In the same manner, the bread will also not have a lofty rise. Oat flour on the other hand, gives your bread a sweeter taste. Dark rye flour, rye meal, and pumpernickel are also great alternatives to all-purpose flour. Try making this gluten-free, homemade bread that is appropriate even for those under a Keto diet:
Ingredients:
- 7 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
While your oven is preheated to 350F, put a parchment paper in a loaf pan. Beat the eggs until frothy, before adding in butter and coconut oil. When the mixture is smooth, add in the almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Continue beating until the dough is very thick, before transferring it to the loaf pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
You can also try making a gluten-free white bread with the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 1/4 cups warm water
- 1 1/3 cups rice flour
- 2/3 cup sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Mix first the yeast and sugar in warm water before combining with rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, cornstarch, vegetable oil, eggs, xanthan gum, and salt. Transfer the dough on a greased loaf pan and let it rise for about an hour, before baking in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Best Practices
In making a healthy homemade bread, it is best to start substituting your ingredients with a healthy alternative in small portions. Keep in mind that dough that is made from refined flours are generally better in taste in texture as compared to the healthier alternatives. Therefore, it is best to play around with the mix and proportion of the whole grain flour with the refined flour until you come up with a proportion that suits your taste. Whole grain flour usually requires more liquid in the dough mixture.
Easy Fixes
In using a whole grain flour, perhaps you need to manage your expectations because there is a greater chance that your bread will be flatter. You can try to use high-protein bread flour instead or add a wheat gluten to the recipe. In instances wherein your bread is dry, try soaking your flour in water before combining it with other ingredients. On the other hand, if your bread falls apart, try to let your bread dough rise in the refrigerator for another hour or so the next time.
Storage
While it is true that whole grain flours are healthier than all-purpose flour, these tend to spoil much sooner. Hence, it is best to store whole grain flours in your freezer to keep them fresh for until six months. Nevertheless, keep the flour in an airtight container to seal in its freshness.
There are already various bread recipes that cater to the preferences of different people. Vegans may incorporate fresh produce in the bread recipe, in the same manner as meat-lovers marry sumptuous meat on bread. Likewise, you can make your own bread to cater to your own cravings, in the comfort of your home. All you need is the perfect recipe, and the right tools.