What I Know About Bread

I made bread once again this week, and thought of a few random tips and information that I've learned about making bread. The recipe I use is posted here. I'll add more as it occurs to me, but if you have specific questions, please ask!

Red vs. White Wheat
Did you even know there was a difference? When you see white wheat flour at the store, it's not bleached wheat flour. It's a different strain of wheat. Like a different colored rose, or corn with different sugar content.

Nutritionally, red and white wheat are essentially the same. And you cook with them the same way. But the flavor is different. Red wheat is more common and is what you typically think of. White wheat has a lighter flavor that is much less noticeable in baked goods. Look at the picture above. Looks like white bread, doesn't it! It's half white wheat. Compare it to the loaf I made last week with half red wheat flour.

I much prefer baking with white wheat flour. Some people prefer the heartier flavor of red wheat. At my grocery store, there is no difference in cost between the two. And if you grind your own, white wheat is readily available at LDS home storage centers. (It was unavailable for several years, but seems to be growing well and back on the shelves indefinitely.)

Brand of Wheat Flour
You will be amazed at how much a difference the brand of wheat flour makes. Every time I buy store brand wheat flour, I'm hugely disappointed. No matter the store. Maybe you'll be lucky, but I haven't found one yet that is up to par. Ideally, I would grind my own. But lacking a wheat grinder, I purchase mine. A good, national brand should give you the quality you're looking for.

At my local grocery store, King Arthur flour goes on sale every so often for about 10 cents more than the store brand. This is when I load up. I'm a huge fan of this brand. The flour is light and uniform and finely milled.

Storing Flour
Because whole wheat flour still contains the oils, it won't keep on your pantry shelves as long as all-purpose flour. I've had flour on my shelves for a month or two with no issues. Preferably, I store the current opened bag in the fridge (in tupperware to avoid yucky flavors seeping in). It's good for 6 months that way. The rest goes in my chest freezer.

Freezing Yeast?
Yes, I freeze my yeast. This is because it's significantly cheaper in bulk. I've heard rumors that it can kill the yeast, but I haven't found that to be true. I do always proof my yeast (add it to the warm water/sugar mixture in your dough and give it a few minutes to see if it begins to foam) and it always foams. I don't even bother to freeze it in small amounts. I dump the whole thing into a large freezer bag and keep in in the door. I've had the same bag for over a year, and that yeast isn't dead yet. So go ahead, buy it in bulk, freeze it, and save yourself some money!

Dough Enhancers
The two that I've used are some form of citric acid and gluten.

Citric acid inhibits bacterial and microbial growth. Meaning that your bread will last a bit longer out on the counter before growing mold. I've used a splash of lemon juice, but apparently you can purchase citric acid crystals as well. I was able to taste it, ever so slightly, but John said he couldn't at all. It's possible that the crystals don't add a flavor. (I've also seen it called Ascorbic acid.) I just looked it up, and you should add 1/8 tsp per loaf. So maybe I added too much.

Gluten. Ah, gluten. Gluten is key. It's what stretches and allows your bread to rise. Most homemade bread recipes don't need it more. Kneading the dough actually builds up plenty. I've only used it in my breadmaker. But if you're having rising issues, try adding 1tsp per cup of flour. And make sure you're kneading enough!

The other enhancer I've been meaning to try is lecithin. It's supposed to keep bread fresher longer, work with the yeast to make a lighter bread, and help keep the bread moist. Once I find some and try it out, I'll let you know if it worked.

My Random Stuff
I typically make two loaves at a time, meaning I make bread about once a week. Being a SAHM, with kids who aren't in school yet, I can usually make that work. If I know I won't be able to one week, I'll make extra loaves and freeze them. I can't remember why, but I freeze them as half-loaves.

My rising time varies hugely with the temperature of my kitchen. If you're kitchen isn't warm, make sure you plan for extra rising time. You may not need it, but if you have a schedule to follow the day you're making bread, not planning in some extra time could cause you problems.

Most recipes will call for you to drape a clean or damp towel over your bowl while the dough rises. When my kitchen is warm, a damp towel works great. It rises and stays moist well. When it's colder, a dry towel sucks some of the moisture out of my dough, drying out the top. A damp towel gets cold, slowing down the yeast even more. So when my kitchen is cold, I use plastic wrap. It keeps the moisture and any heat given off by the yeast in.

If you're looking for a 100% whole wheat bread recipe, I'm the wrong one to ask. Because of my youngest, I don't know that I'll be making any for several years. He's addicted to bread and I need to be careful about his stomach. But enjoy the half and half recipe. We do!