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I have a question about making whole wheat bread, and I need your help!!
I have a bread machine, and every single time I make whole wheat bread, it comes out HARD, I have used gluten, I have done it without gluten, I have used olive oil, coconut oil, butter, vegetable oil, I have tried different ways, and I still keep getting HARD BREAD!!
This last time I used 100% STONE GROUND WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR.
Is there any secret to making nice soft home made bread, either in a bread machine, or in your oven????
The thing that I like about using the bread machine, is that it does not heat up the house, especially during the summer!!!
I am trying to do things as healthy as possible, and also trying to save money, I do not understand what bakeries do to make nice soft tasty bread???
If you have any input, ideas, on what I can do to improve on my bread making, I would really appreciate it!!!
Don't Add Too Much Flour During Kneading: It's one of the most common errors bakers make and will leave you with a dry, flavorless and tough bread loaf.
When you use a bread machine, you aren't adding additional flour during the kneading process so I don't think that's the problem - all the ingredients go into the contraption, you set it, and it does the whole thing for you.
I suspect your bread is hard because you are not mixing the flours. Whole wheat flour is heavier than white flour and makes for a dense bread. It is the reason you can't make pie crusts or other pastries with whole wheat because the resulting product would be similar to a hockey puck.
If the recipe for your bread machine calls, for instance, to add three cups of bread flour, then try substituting one of the three cups with whole wheat. You will add the benefits of the entire grain, and still have something edible.
Bread needs a certain gluten content. You cannot substitute flours on a on-to-one basis. Whole wheat appox 1/3 whole wheat to 2 /3 bread flour.
Trry this one. Hint - pour the first rising on an exrememly well floured tray, roll it around a bit (do not knead!) and cover it with a floured tea towel. Pour the mess into the preheated ungreased pot and shake a bit. I have tried it which whole wheat, rye, nuts, olives, ... Freezes well.
Just thinking out loud here, but could how you make the bread have anything to do with where you live and the elevation? I know that can affect some recipes.
Yeast is only one factor. Your protein molecules have to form chains and then a net which is the elastic dough you want. Certain flours such as cake flour do not have the necessary content. Temperature is an other factor.
Try Herve This-Benckhard at the book store. I do not have the English title. He has two cook books out and both go into the chemical process of basic cooking. Boring to read but very informative. It has really helped me to understand what is going on and then modify the process to my needs.
3 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspon yeast
approximately 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
I used to work a dough by hand but now it goes into the KitchenAid :>)
Work a fairly soft dough, let rise 30 minuts, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, give it a quick knead, 9x9 pan or cast iron skillet, let it rise, sprinkle with salt, rosemary, parmesan, garlic ....
Preheated 375 oven 10 minutes, check on it, probably 20 minutes total. Cool on rack. Makes great moist breadcrumbs for chicken:>)
I cannot help you with bread machine recipies as I disposed of mine. I want to have access to what is going on.
Let me know if you want recipies. I will gladly share.
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