Here's where we learned to make bread with freshly milled flour (FMF), what we use to make it, how we make it, and some tips so you don't make the same mistakes I did when starting out.
I learned to make bread with FMF thanks to this video from Bread Beckers. I also use Sue's Basic Bread recipe that is copied below for use with a bread machine.
Equipment needed:
Grain mill - I have a "real mill" on my Christmas list, but to start out, I purchased the mill attachement for my Kitchen Aid stand mixer -- it works fine for bread and saves you a little money upfront.
Bread machine - After many failed and moldy bread starters, a bread machine was the answer to my fails. Costly, yes. Worth it? Also yes. This thing is as handy as a microwave. More on that later. Buy the Zojirushi.
Ingredients needed (and my commentary):
1 1/2 cups hot water but not too hot - I usually microwave it for about 50 seconds
1/3 cup oil Please buy REAL, tracable EVOO from Greece, it matters
1/3 cup honey Again, buy REAL, local honey, it matters, too
2 tsp salt Not the one with the girl and the dog - buy REAL SALT
1 egg You know I am going to say farm fresh
1 tbsp lecithin It's from sunflowers and an emulsifier - get it here
1 tsp vital wheat gluten This is optional, but a great add-in if you have it - get it here
4 1/2 cups FMF Measure and mill 2 cups Hard Red Berries and 1 cup Hard White
1 tbsp instant yeast After you open it, store it in a mason jar in the fridge - I like this yeast
Directions for using the Zojirushi bread machine:
I know it's an investment, but buy it. I promise it's worth it.
Program the Homemade course and two memory settings on your machine -- Memory 1 for bread and Memory 2 for dough. You can watch this video (~15 minutes) to learn how to program your machine which will save you so. much. time. You only need to program it once, even if you unplug your machine, it will remember the settings.
Here's the settings you will program from the video:
Memory 1 (bread): Rest - 18, Knead - 20, Shape - off, Rise 1 - 45, Rise 2 - 30, Rise 3 - 0, Bake - 45, Keep Warm - off.
Memory 2 (dough): Rest - off, Knead - 20, Shape - off, Rise 1 - 15, Rise 2 - off, Rise 3 - off, Bake - 0, Keep warm - off.
Note: Memory 2 is great for making dough dough thats ready to final rise before baking for rolls, cinnamon rolls, etc.
To make your basic wheat bread using the Zojirushi bread machine:
Scoop 2 cups of hard red wheat berries and 1 cup of hard white wheat berries. Add the grain to your mill of choice and begin milling.
Pull out the bread pan from the bread maker, make sure the paddles are attached, and add all the ingredients except the FMF and yeast. Stir it up so the salt will absorb in the water.
Then take your freshly milled flour, dump it evenly in the bread pan and let it rest on the liquids. DO NOT stir it. You want the flour to cover the liquids but not mix with the liquids.
Make an indention/well in the middle of the flour and add your yeast. The yeast does not need to come into contact with liquids just yet - that's why we still aren't stirring.
Put the bread pan in the bread maker and select the Homemade course, Memory 1 and press start. The bread will bake itself and be complete in 2 hours and 38 minutes.
Once it's finished, take out the pan, turn it over and the bread will slide out. Let the bread cool on on a wire rack.
That's it - enjoy :)
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