It is essential to know about the special methods when making whole wheat bread. Homemade whole wheat bread has a distinct taste and texture, not to mention, all the nutrients that will keep you slim and fit. Some individuals use 100% whole wheat flour but fail to acquire the right firmness. You may end up with a very hard loaf if you do not follow the guidelines strictly.. Here are some tried and proven tips from the experts.
Basics
You will need three things to achieve perfect 100% whole wheat bread. Firstly, always use the right amount of protein flour for making your bread. As an alternative to that, you can put vital wheat gluten in to your bread dough. Secondly, avoid putting flour in for a long time before it is needed. Third tip: knead your dough constistently and without stopping. It is helpful to use a food processor, as it saves you effort and time. You can also use your hands or a mixer with a dough hook to get the job done.
Developing strong gluten in order to get a soft crumb and nice texture is essential, as whole wheat flour is heavier then white flour. The higher protein content you have, the more gluten available. Make sure you don´t add too much flour - you would be risking your loaves being too tough. The continuous kneading mentioned before will help the gluten to form a strong and consistent matrix.
The Recipe
To make a full loaf, you will need 2 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten, 3.5 cups of 100% whole wheat flour, 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, 1 package of dry yeast, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 tablespoon of liquid lecithin and warm water. When using food processors, it is always essential to add ice water. Once you master the recipe, feel free to add more ingredients like seeds and nuts.
The mentioned ingredients are the right amount for making a loaf about 1 1/4 pounds, and is suitable to be baked in a 4.5 x 8.5 inch pan. This pan is ideal compared to metal or glass pans. The metal can create an ideal exterior crust along the sides, baking the loaf evenly throughout. This pan also cleans up very easily.
Understanding the Process
There are a number of processes to be followed to make 100% whole wheat bread that has a soft and crumb texture. You can knead using a food processor, your hands or the mixer, but the process is radically the same. There are always four processes: mixing, kneading, rising and baking.
It's also possible to bread makers to do the tough work.
Using a bread machine is not such a bad idea at all. It helps enormously when it comes to having done all steps in the right order and adding the right amount of all ingredients. You can have the machine operate independently to do the four processes. That is great when you have a dough with white flour. It is not as suitable for the dough made of 100% whole wheat flour. Whole wheat bread needs to be prepared with enough rising and kneading time. However, do check the capabilities of bread machines, as they have improved massively and can help so much.
For some very good overviews and discounts for the best Zojirushi Bread Machine and Panasonic Bread Maker, visit: http://www.bestautomaticbreadmaker.net