Whole Grain Bread recipe

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/4/2006 5:55:18 P.M. Central Standard Time,

toffeejacket@... writes:

Marie, I would be interested in knowing how you make your bread from

soaked whole grains. Do you then grind the soaked grain?

---Judy

Hi Judy,

The bread does have whole wheat flour, but I add a lot of whole grains.

This was one of my recipe experiments. I wanted to add more fiber and

whole grains to the bread. I make this bread about once a week and every week

it's a little different. I am never quite sure why, but I've learned what to

do. Depending on the grains they might hold a different amount of water so

this is how I improvise each week depending on the dough. If I want to make a

bigger loaf and the dough is too moist I'll add more flour. If I want to

keep the 'ingredients' the same I only add a little bit of the 2 cups of hot

water at a time and then I might not use it all up.

Also - I learned this trick by trial and error. In the oven the bread

would rise as it was baking and it would be higher on one side than the

other. In order to have the bread be even on both sides, I take a sharp knife

(when the loaf is already in the pan) and cut all the way down to the bottom of

the dough and then separate the two halves of the dough on the top (meaning I

spread them apart). This allows the bread to cook evenly on both sides.

I am often changing up the grains I use. I've used ground flax seeds

instead of the whole seeds. The seeds don't open up with soaking. Even

though you still get the fiber with the whole flax seeds they have to be opened

up

to get the nutritional value.

Here's the bread recipe:

Moist Whole Grain Bread

Ingredients:

½ Cup Wheat Berries

½ Cup Steal Cut Oats

½ Cup Whole Flax Seeds

Cold Water

1 Tbsp Active Dry Yeast

1 cup Warm water

4 Tbsp Dry Sweet Dairy Whey or Milk Powder

1tsp salt

4 ½ cups 100% Whole Wheat Flour

1) Place the wheat berries, steal cut oats and flax seeds in a pan and

cover with twice as much cold water. Let these soak over night. The seeds

will absorb the water and expand, becoming more digestible for eating. You can

use your favorite combination of 1 ½ cups whole grains, whatever you have in

the house.

2) Drain the seeds, place in a sauce pan and cover with more cold

water. Bring the seeds to a boil for one minute and remove from heat. Drain

again and allow them to cool.

3) In a large mixing bowl, place the warm water (105 degrees F) and add

the yeast. Allow this to sit for 15 minutes which will activate the yeast.

4) Add the sweet dairy whey, salt and seeds, after the yeast has had a

chance to activate.

5) Grease a 2-pound bread pan so it’s ready when you have the dough

mixed.

6) Begin adding the whole wheat flour to the other ingredients one cup

at a time and mix thoroughly.

7) Knead the dough in the bowl until it begins to change texture (it

becomes a little more evenly moist, yet not too sticky).

8) Transfer the dough into the greased bread pan and allow to sit in a

warm place for 30 minutes or until it rises about ½ inch above the top of the

pan. Cut the dough in half before placing in the oven and spread the upper

halves of the dough apart.

9) Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

10) Bake the loaf for 45 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.

11) Place on a wire rack and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before it

is sliced.

If you begin making this bread about 2 hours before you want to eat it and it

’ll be ready and hot when you’re ready to eat.

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Marie. I'll let you know how it turns out. (-:

----Judy