For over a year now I’ve been soaking my whole grains, and am very comfortable with the process and happy with the results. So, I thought it would be a good idea to start soaking flours, too, when it comes to working with doughs and batters. When I first heard about soaking flours, I thought what the heck?!? I couldn’t imagine how that would work.
I came to understand that “soaking” just meant combining liquid(s) and flour into a ball. Usually it sits overnight, allowing the phytic acid to break down and fermentation to start. Truth be told, it can be a little unwieldy to work with the soaked dough ball at first. However, I’ve absolutely loved the results, so it’s all worth it.
Over the weekend I baked this whole wheat bread, which turned out amazing! I am in love with this bread. It’s delicious, nutritious, great as toast and for sandwiches, and I notice that it doesn’t affect my blood sugar negatively – I don’t get a high and then a big low that I sometimes do with commercial bread.
I made it with this wonderful locally grown Cayuga Organics whole wheat flour that I get through my CSA, mixed with some Bob’s Red Mill unbleached all purpose flour. I used the raw honey I get through my buying club, which is excellent stuff.
This recipe was originally published on Simply Real Food.
Whole Wheat Bread
I prefer to use honey over maple syrup, because I think honey and whole wheat are a classic combination. As far as using a dough hook, that is a convenience – you could absolutely knead this by hand. Please don’t let the lack of equipment bar you from trying this wonderful bread!
1 1/2 tbsp. active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups tepid buttermilk
1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled slightly
1 tbsp. salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3-4 cups unbleached bread flour
Day One:
Mix 3 cups of wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk. Cover with a towel. Leave out overnight.
Day Two:
In a bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
In a heavy duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the buttermilk/ flour mixture, sweetener, butter, and salt. Beat on medium low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in the yeast mixture. Beat for 1 minute. Add the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook. Knead on low speed, adding the bread flour 1 Tbsp at a time if the dough sticks, until smooth but slightly sticky when pressed, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl and turn the dough once to coat it. Cover loosely and let rise until doubled in bulk, 1- 1/2 hours.
Lightly grease two 9-by-5 inch loaf pans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board. Divide in half and pat each half into a long rectangle. Fold one rectangle like a letter, overlapping the short sides in the middle; press to flatten. Beginning at the narrow end, tightly roll up the dough into a thick log. Roll the log back and forth with your palms until it is the same length as the pan. Pinch the ends and the long seam to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, in prepared pan, tucking the ends under to make a neat, snug fit. Repeat with the second portion. Cover loosely and let rise until about 1 inch above the rim of each pan, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350. Bake until the loaves are golden brown and pull away from the pan sides, 35-40 minutes. Turn out onto racks and cool completely.
