Thursday, March 11, 2010

whole wheat no-knead, 5 minute a day bread at last!

Do you remember the 5 minute a day bread from last year? I went from kitchen to kitchen teaching a lot of my family how to make it. Everyone loved it! This week I tested the whole wheat version and IT WORKED. Yes we have had three loaves now of really yummy whole wheat bread. There are some issues and I'll explain after I give you the recipe.
5 1/2 Cups whole wheat Flour
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated yeast
1 Tablespoon kosher salt (to taste, I use half)
1/4 cup Vital wheat Gluten (This is a must!)
4 Cups lukewarm water (you can add a teas dried herbs to this water)
Cornmeal or parchment paper
1 to 2 whole seed mixture for sprinkling on top
flax seed, caraway, raw sunflower, poppy seed, anise. etc
You make this just like the white bread, mix it up, don't knead it. Put it in a bowl and let sit for 2 hours. NEVER punch down this dough. Cover lightly and put in the fridge. You have there 4 loaves of wheat bread.
When it's time to bake do just like you did with the white bread, put in the baking stone and a pan below it with a cup or so of water.
Take out a grapefruit size of dough form on your parchment paper and leave for about an hour.
Just before you put it gently in the oven put some slashes in the top to let it push out.
30 minutes before you are ready to bake turn on the oven to 450.
Gently move dough to oven and bake for 30 minutes.
If you cut this warm it will seem a bit damp, it's not usually under cooked it's just needing to cool a touch. Give it 8 to 10 minutes.
If you have forgotten any of this go to......
Now the only way you can get much of a rise out of wheat (ground wheat grain is sharp and cuts the yeast bubbles, it's also heavy) Is to use that 1/4 cup of Vital wheat Gluten. I got mine at Central Market and I got Bob's Red Mill. It's likely to be a P.C.C or a good natural grocery. I've heard you can order it online also. I have enough for 6 months of bread.
Do try this!