THE BEST RECIPE
This is the recipe you already have and use. Just replace a small part of the white flour with wheat flour. (White wheat has less ‘flavor’ than red wheat. Use 'hard' not 'soft' wheat berries...they have more gluten) Next time, try replacing a larger portion. Maybe you’ll make it to 100% wheat, maybe not.
GINA’s BREAD (4 Loaves)
Into mixer: 6 cups water (130ø)
¼ cup powdered milk (bishop’s storehouse) (for moist bread with brown crust)
4 tsp. liquid lecithin (option, improves texture, preservative)
¾ cup oil
1 cup honey or sugar
8 cups wheat flour
5 T. yeast
½ cup gluten (option, improves rise. Use less as you increase white flour)
½ tsp ascorbic acid (option, boosts yeast, preservative)
Turn on the mixer for 20 seconds. Then let the ingredients “sponge” for 15-30 minutes.
Add: 3 Tbsp salt
White flour. Turn on mixer, sprinkle in flour until it starts to clean the sides of the bowl. It might take 3-5 cups of flour. Get the adding step done in 1-2 minutes.
Let the mixer run on speed 2 for 7 minutes.
Take the bread out and shape into loaves, OR let rise in the mixer for an our (then deflate and shape).
Use non-stick spray on pans.
Let the bread rise in the pan 20 minutes. (or in the 150ø oven)
Bake 350ø for 35 minutes. Cool on racks for 5 minutes before removing from pan.
Or: “Now who brings home the dough?”
Prices from providentliving.org, and my shopping experience
Prices for a 4-loaf batch (about 12 cups flour)
6 cups water
8 cups red wheat flour ($6.05/25 lbs)(11.25 oz/2.5 cups)(1 lb/16 oz) = $0.54.45
4 more cups red flour = $0.27.22
1 cup sugar ($14.05/25 lbs)(6.5oz/1 cup)(1 lb/16 oz) = $0.22.83
¾ cup oil ($0.10/oz)(0.894 g/ml)(236.58 ml/cup)(0.03527oz/1g) = $0.55.94
5 T. yeast ($6.50/2 lbs)(0.25 oz/2.25 tsp)(3 tsp/1 Tbsp)(1 lb/16 oz) = $0.33.85
3 Tbsp salt ($0.69/491 servings)(1 serving/0.25 tsp)(3 tsp/1 Tbsp) = $0.05.06
One loaf could cost as little as: $0.50 per loaf ($2/batch). You can make it better (and more expensive) by adding or substituting the following in each batch.
4 cups white flour ($9.10/25 lbs)(12 oz/2.5 cups)(1 lb/16 oz) = $0.43.68
8 cups white wheat flour ($7.40/25 lbs)(11.25 oz/2.5 cups)(1 lb/16 oz) = $0.66.60
1 cup honey ($3/12 oz)(8oz/cup) = $2.00
¼ cup powdered milk ($36.95/25 lbs)(2.5oz/0.5cup) = $1.84.75
4 tsp. liquid lecithin ($4/32 Tbsp)(1Tbsp/3tsp) = $0.16.66
½ cup gluten ($14/3.5 lbs)(6.5oz/cup)(1lb/16oz) = $0.81.25
½ tsp ascorbic acid ($42/681 servings)(1/2 tsp/serving) = $0.06.17
If you use ALL the additives/replacements listed, it’s closer to $2 per loaf.
How much would it cost to buy a heavy, healthy, wheat loaf? Let’s say $3.
$12/batch of 4 loaves …means you saved up to $10 for making a batch of 4 loaves.
How much time did you spend making the bread?
5 minutes measuring and mixing (then do something else while it proofs)
5 minutes adding more flour and preparing pans (do something else while it rises)
5-10 minutes shaping and pressing oven buttons
For 15 minutes of work, you earned $10.
You got paid $20-$40/hour to work as a baker in your home!
Whichever of us “earned” the money, I like the satisfaction of “earning it over again” by stretching the bucks. Not all money-saving chores pay well enough to be worth my time, but baking does!
GINA’S GRANOLA
In a large bowl mix: 6 cups rolled or quick oats
1 cup wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
option: flax meal, rice krispies, other flaked grains, seeds or nuts
In a glass measuring cup, whisk: 1 ½ cups (homemade fake) maple syrup, ½ cup oil, 2 Tbsp vanilla. Then pour the mixture over the dry and stir to coat. Spread onto a baking sheet.
Bake 350ø for 30-45 minutes, or until toasted
Add: raisins and dried fruit after baking
DOUGH ENHANCERS : WHY USE THEM?
There are many reasons you would want to use a dough enhancer.
Dough enhances can improve the texture, taste and crust of
the bread. Most of them also act as preservatives which
keep your bread fresher long. Best of all they are natural, so are perfectly safe to add to your bread.
I am also going to bet that you add dough enhancers to your
bread already and didn’t even know it. Everything other than
flour, water and yeast is a dough enhancer in some fashion
or another. For example sugar or any sweetener acts as a
food for yeast thereby giving the yeast more energy and that
in turns gives you a better risen and lighter loaf of bread.
Now if you use honey for your sweetener you are also getting
a natural preservative that will help keep the bread fresher
a little longer.
If you recipe calls for eggs, here again we have a dough
enhancer. First the egg is a leavening agent that gives you
a lighter loaf of bread and the lecithin rich yolk also helps
improve the breads texture, moisture level and it is also
a mild preservative.
So, you see you have been using dough enhancers all along.
These information contained in this document is here to help
you understand the different ingredients and what they do
to your dough, how the help preserve it and how to combine
them to get the best effect.
Lecithin
Helps keep bread fresher longer & works with the gluten
to make a lighter bread. It also helps make the bread moister
and acts as a mild preservative. Made from soy or egg yolks.
Comes in liquid or granular form.
Use: 1 Tablespoon per cup of flour
Non-Diastatic Malt
Super food source for the yeast which give the bread better
structure & makes the bread softer & tender. Made
from dried sprouted barley and is not the same as malted
milk powder. Comes in liquid or granular form.
Use: 1/4 teaspoon per cup of flour
Ascorbic Acid
Creates an acidic environment for the yeast which helps
it work better. It also acts as a preservative & deters
mold and bacterial growth. If you can’t find pure ascorbic
acid crystals you can use Fruit Fresh (canning isle) or a
crushed/powdered vitamin C tablet.
Use: 1/8 teaspoon per loaf
Dry Acid Whey
It is the essence of buttermilk with out the milk solids.
Like with Ascorbic Acid it helps create a good environment
for the yeast work quickly and vigorously, giving a maximum
rise in short periods of time. Acts as a preservative & deters
mold and bacterial growth. When buying Dry Acid Whey make
sure it says “acid” on the package. If it doesn’t
assume it is sweet whey which isn’t the same and won’t work
correctly.
Use: 1 teaspoon per cup of flour
Vital Wheat Gluten
Vital wheat gluten occurs naturally in all wheat and wheat
derived white flours. Some white flours have more or less
than others. Vital wheat gluten only does one thing, it helps
improve the rise and texture of bread. With out it you have
a rock, door stop, paper weight. Generally, if you are using
white bread flour you don’t need to add any. However, all-purpose
or whole grain flours need Vital Wheat Gluten.
1 Tablespoon per cup of flour
Pectin
Pectin adds moistness to the bread and it replaces fat in
the bread. This is the same pectin used to make jams and
jellies. It comes in liquid and granular form. The granules
are easier to work with and store.
Use: 1 teaspoon per loaf
Ginger
Ginger is a yeast booster it gives it a “quick-start”,
and keeps it working. Because of its astringent properties
it also helps keep the bread fresher longer and it deters
mold and bacterial growth. It is best to used powdered ginger
in your bread. You don’t have to worry you won’t taste it
in the amount used.
Use: 1/4 teaspoon per loaf
Dry Milk
Milk helps with crust browning, bread moisture, taste and
nutritional value. It also helps the dough to relax for those
times you want to roll it out or shape it. Dry milk or powdered
milk work the same.
Use: 1 Tablespoon per cup of flour
Gelatin
Gelatin helps with bread texture and moisture. It is also
of nutritional value and is good for the hair and fingernails.
Make sure to use unflavored gelatin.
Use: 1 teaspoon per loaf
Fats
Fats. Fats help with taste, texture and the moisture of
the bread. Most French bread recipes don’t contain fat as
it takes away the chewiness of the bread. You don’t need
to be worried about the fat content of most bread. Most recipes
use a tablespoon or two and that is for the whole loaf. A
single slice is very low in fat.
1 Tablespoon per cup of flour
Eggs
Eggs add rise, color, texture and taste to bread. Also,
if you use the yolk as well you get some of the effects like
using lecithin.
Use: 1 large egg replaces about 1/4 cup of liquid in the
recipe.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk helps the yeast work quickly and vigorously,
giving maximum rise in the time frame allotted by bread machines.
It also softens the texture of the bread. Like with any acid
type addition it also helps keep the bread fresher longer
and it deters mold and bacterial growth. You may need to
add 1/2 to 1 tsp. of baking soda to the bread to offset the
tartness of the buttermilk. I personally, like the tartness
as it reminds me of sourdough.
Use: 1/2 Cup replaces the same amount of other liquid in
the recipe.
Garlic
Garlic is a flavoring in larger amounts, but in smaller
amounts it helps the yeast, it make the dough easier to roll
out and it is a preservative & deters mold and bacterial
growth.
Use: 1 teaspoon per loaf, will affect flavor
Cake Flour
Cake flour makes for a softer more tender bread. It also
makes a good addition to pizza dough as it helps make rolling
out the dough easier.
Use: Replace up to 1/4 of the flour called for in the recipe
(no more).
Commercial Dough Enhancers
There are several commercially available dough enhancers
on the market. They all work well, but they can be expensive
for what you get so be careful. There are several commercially available dough enhancers, they can be expensive and with a little effort on your part are often needed. But, the choice is yours.
It is affordably priced, you get a good amount and it works
well and doesn’t contain anything you wouldn’t want in your
bread.
Crock Pot Cooked Wheat Posted By The Hillbilly Housewife
1 cup whole wheat berries
3 cups water
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
a Crock Pot or a Slow Cooker
First you need to pick over and wash your whole wheat. I do this by putting it in a fine mesh strainer and running water over it in the sink. When the wheat is well washed, place it in your slow cooker. Add the water and salt if desired. Set the cooker on low and put the lid on. Let it sit overnight, or all day, at least 8 hours, or up to 12 hours. In the morning you will have lovely well-cooked wheat to use for all of your favorite wheat recipes.
If there is extra water in the slow cooker, you may drain it off. If you want to cook the wheat on High instead of Low, then let it cook for 3 hours and then check it. If it is tender then eat it, if it isn’t tender yet, give it another hour on High to cook it through. Store the cooked wheat in the fridge, or freeze it if desired. It keeps for about 2 weeks in the fridge. This recipe may be doubled or tripled if desired. The cooking time remains the same.
You may use this wheat in recipes or eat it plain. I like it for breakfast with milk and honey, or mixed with yogurt and bananas. It is also good as a substitute for rice on the dinner plate.
Carnivores use it to extend ground beef in meatloaf or patties. It can also be added to bread or muffins or mixed half and half with TVP and used in all your old ground beef recipes like Tacos or Chili. This is a marvelously easy way to cook wheat.
GINA’S OAT-GROAT POWER YOGURT
The idea is similar to the above. Take a scoop of oat groats and simply soak them, covered in water, overnight. Drain off the water and keep the tender oats in the fridge. Put a big scoop in your bowl of yogurt, along with FLAX MEAL, and raisins or dried fruit to make POWER YOGURT!
Thermos Wheat Posted By The Hillbilly Housewife
1 thermos
1 cup whole wheat berries
2 cups boiling water
First preheat the thermos by filling it with your hottest tap water. Place the lid on it loosely and allow it to sit while you do the rest of the work. Meanwhile bring 2-cups of water to a boil. When the water boils, dump the tap water out of the thermos. Immediately pour the boiling water into the thermos. Pour the wheat berries into the thermos along with the boiling water. Try to work quickly so the water doesn’t lose too much of it’s heat. Screw the lid tightly onto the thermos. Now allow the wheat to cook in the thermos for about 8 hours, or overnight.
Peanut Butter Cookie Cereal
Posted By The Hillbilly Housewife
3 cups tap water
3/4 cup whole wheat flour or Wheateena or bulgur or cracked wheat
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
Measure the water into a medium sized saucepan. Carefully stir in the whole wheat flour with a whisk or a fork. Stir until the flour is dissolved in the water. Add the sugar, peanut butter and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once it boils, it will need a lot of stirring. Reduce the heat and continue stirring for 3 to 5 minutes. The cereal should thicken up and smooth out. Serve in bowls with milk at the table. This recipe serves 4 or 5 people depending on appetite. Kids usually like this cereal a lot because of the peanut butter. It is a good choice for small children because it is so smooth, remember to cool it down though, so no one gets burned. Older children who are kicking the cold cereal habit are likely to enjoy this one particularly.
Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Cookies
Posted By The Hillbilly Housewife
1 cup margarine (2 sticks) (ask Gina how to replace 1 stick with a substitute)
1 cup peanut butter
2 medium eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Mix together the margarine and peanut butter in a large bow with a big spoon or whisk. When they are blended together and creamy, add the white sugar and brown sugar. Mix it all up until it is light and fluff. Add the vanilla and salt, and mix again. Finally measure in the baking soda, baking powder and flour. Stir it all up, it will be very thick. At this point a spoon works better than a whisk. When you have a nice smooth dough, you can stop mixing. Shape the dough into balls about an inch in diameter. Arrange them on a cookie sheet. Dip a fork in a small amount of flour, and smash each dough ball twice with the tines of the fork, making the traditional cross-hatch pattern. You could also just smash the balls with your palm to flatten them out, if the cross-hatch pattern isn’t very important to you. I find that children are more than willing to help out with the fork flattening of the cookies. Bake the cookies at 375° for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from the pan. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
1 comment:
gina, I'm so glad you posted this. I'm enrichment counselor in our RS and this will be great to share with our sisters. Thanks!
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