# Whole Wheat bread without extra fat or sugar?



## web monkey (Jan 18, 2007)

I have a really nice pizza/bread dough recipe that comes out light and chewy on the inside with a really nice crust, and a little tang. I'd like to try baking a whole-wheat bread with a similar taste and texture, however all of the recipes I've found have called for significant quantities of fat or sugar in one form or another, and many contain a good deal of powered milk or other "helpers".

Does anybody have any idea why a whole wheat bread would need as many added ingredients as it seems to, and maybe a recipe they wouldn't mind sharing?

Why would leaving the bran in the flour require all the extra ingredients?

Thanks!

Terry


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## momcook (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi Terry,

I believe there are many views on this, but I have two suggestions. The first is to take a look at Peter Reinhart's new book on whole grain bread baking. I was a tester for the book, and he has done incredible research, all described in the first part of the book, on baking with whole wheat and how it effects the flavor and the process. The second thought, far less scholarly, is my own. If your whole wheat flour is store bought, the bran that is left in is often rancid - it just does not stay fresh, and the additives to the recipe help to cover the off flavors. I use freshly ground wheat flour, with everything left in, and have a great, sweet resulting taste with few additions. For my pizza, I add a little stone ground cornmeal to the whole wheat flour, olive oil, and a little salt. I bake on a stone, and get the kind of crust you describe. Hope this helps you some.


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## kylew (Aug 14, 2000)

While I agree that whole wheat flour can go rancid, I think the spped at which it happens is often over stated. I just used some super market flour that had been in my cupboard for several months and my bread was quite tasty. I think the reason for the rancid thing is the increased level of oils in whole wheat flour. 

As to the need for helpers in whole wheat breads, one reason is that the bran can actually cut the gluten strands we work so hard to develop. This causes breads to lose their loft. Some of the healpers add lightness and loft.

Just one man's opinion


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

I agree with Momcook, I use grocery store whole-wheat flour because I don't have the ability to grind my own and I really don't want to invest in a home flourmill. 

Most of the bread that I make is whole wheat and even though I put my bag of flour in the freezer the moment I get home I still add extras....milk, eggs, butter and honey to cover up the slightly bitter/sour taste of the grocery store whole wheat flour. 

But I'm ok with that; I still think that the whole wheat, even with all the added stuff is better for us than white bread.


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

I would say,
use 
whole wheat flour 1 part
BREAD FLOUR 2-3 parts
Water
Yeast
Salt

and MAYBE a bit of Malt Syrup to your yeast slurry to bring the yeast to life.

Not really a need for sugar and fat if you are doing a pizza.

You could also forgo alot of the kneading, this will allow for lots of air bubbles and texture. 

Look for the book, No need to knead.:bounce:

The bread flour will have enough food(starch=sugar) for the yeast and gluten to hold the ww together. 

I do, at home, a lean white bread dough with no kneading for focaccia, pizza, toasting breads and loaves. It's sticky but easy and delish.

my next will be done with added bran and ww flour. 
my cholesteral is way up so time for bran, oats and NO FATS or SUGARS:blush:


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

I'm not sure but I think Web Monkey wanted advice on making pizza crust with 100% whole-wheat flour.

I'm pretty sure that's what Momcook was talking about. 

Do you by any chance have a pizza crust recipe that uses all whole-wheat flour? I’ve looked at a few recipes on-line and they all have the extra stuff added and the 100% whole-wheat flour recipes that I’ve found all say you will have to add gluten. 

Do you have any advice about this?


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## momcook (Jan 23, 2008)

Here is my whole wheat pizza crust. I do use home ground wheat, so it takes a little more liquid than store bought, but this has been a pretty flexible recipe for me.

1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups bread flour (my bread flour is 80% home milled white hard wheat, 20% home milled red hard wheat)
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour (my ap flour is 80% home milled soft white wheat, 20% home milled hard red wheat)
1/3 cup corn flour (fine ground cornmeal)
1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast (I use SAF)

After the first rise, I divide and shape this into two pizzas. In my regular oven, I prebake for 8 minutes on a parchment lined pan, then top and bake 8 minutes more, all at 450 degrees convection. In my small brick lined cuisinart, I do not have to do the prebake, just 8 minutes on the stone. 

I've mixed up the flours, keeping the proportions the same, and had good success with this dough. Hope this helps.


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

What type of mill do you have and where do you get your wheat? 

I haven't looked at home mills in a long time and I’m wondering if they have gone down in price any since I looked at them last.


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## momcook (Jan 23, 2008)

Hi Betty,

I have a Bosch Ultramill, several years old now, so I haven't looked at mills in a while. I order my wheat from Bob's Red Mill, since I'm on the West coast, and they are the closest to me. The grain is very good.


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## bettyr (Feb 18, 2007)

Thanks, I'll check it out.


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## chefjune (May 11, 2001)

I buy my whole wheat flour directly from a farmer at the Greenmarket, and store it in the freezer or refrigerator, exclusively. I don't add a lot of other things to my bread or pizza dough. 

My basic everyday bread recipe (I also often use it for pizza if I have it on hand) is
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups organic ap flour
2 teaspoons SAF dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 tablespoons Grandma's molasses
3 tablespoons evoo
around 2 cups water.

give this formula a try. :smiles:


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## breadmeister2 (Oct 2, 2005)

Years ago I purchased "The New Laurel's Kitchen", there was a companion book called either "The Bread Book" or "Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book", both were printed by Ten Speed Press. The first book is lacto/ovo vegetarian, the bread book is 100% whole grain breads. It doesn't have any recipes which contain any refined flours, and it also encourages home grinding.

One correction I'd like to mention - whole grain flour goes rancid because it contains the germ. The bran is the outer casing of the grain and has no fats to become rancid. The germ on the other hand, has the majority of nutrients, and the fat, which is the part that becomes rancid if improperly stored (cool & dark). 

The bread book I mentioned does have recipes with honey and butter/low refined vegetable oil. Although the author does encourage the limited use of sweeteners (natural or otherwise) and fats. 

The key to making whole wheat bread is the kneading. You have to knead a lot, as the bran acts like a knife to the gluten and works against it. The dough must be well developed (gluten) for it to acquire enough lightness to be accepted by an audience used to the lightness of refined flour. For every six cups of whole wheat flour, Laurel's Bread Book indicates 20 minutes of kneading, increasing the amount of kneading when the size of the recipe is increased. It sounds insane, but I agree. And I've kneaded a lot of bread by hand. I've found that unless you have a commercial sized mixer, the only effective way of kneading whole wheat breads is by hand. After you become efficient at kneading, you can reduce the time spent kneading.

If you want the 'tang', slowing down the fermentation is the key, or using a pre-dough. I made this pizza dough yesterday, and it's been a while since I"ve kneaded by hand. I make the breads for my restaurant and use a mixer pretty much all the time.

1/2 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast (not the instant)

Mix together and allow to proof 5 min.

6 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. salt
2 1/2 cups water (the cooler the slower the fermentation, the better flavor)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. honey

Blend the flour and salt, add the yeast mixture, water, olive oil and honey. Knead 20 minutes, or until smooth and silky, adding small amounts of flour if sticky or dip fingers in water to add moisture if dry. Form into a ball and place in a draft free spot, covered for 2 hours. Poke a wet finger in the dough, if it sighs or the hole remains, punch down, kneading briefly again and reform into a ball. Allow to rise 45 min., or until ready (as detailed above). Divide into 2-4 pieces (I did 4 nice sized pizzas), top with desired pizza sauce and toppings and bake in a blistering hot oven. I cheated and wired a 240V commercial pizza oven (about the size of a very large microwave), we don't use it at the restaurant, but I use it at home. It can heat up to 700 degrees F!!! Anyway, before I had this, I would bake the pizza on tiles, or the floor of my oven (gas), if electric, place it on the lowest rack you can, and crank it up to 475/500 degrees. The intense heat will allow the bottom to become crisp while the top bakes, you might need to practice a few runs until you find the right temp. setting and how long you bake it, as all ovens are different.

Breadman


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