Grinding your own whole grains to make flour may seem beyond the reach of the average home baker, but a grain mill simplifies the process and lets you create small batches of freshly milled flour anytime you want. Using such a fresh whole-grain product can also bring plenty of health benefits to the bread loaves you bake. According to the USDA, whole grains contribute to facilitating weight management as well as reducing risks of heart disease, constipation, high blood cholesterol and immune system complications.
Step 1
Position the flour bowl in your grain mill. Place the wheat berries into the cavity of the mill, add the cover and turn on the mill. The mill should be set on "high" or "fine" to produce lightly textured flour. You'll get between 3 and 4 cups flour from 4 cups whole red wheat berries.
Step 2
Combine 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/3 cup lukewarm water in a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients with a whisk and let them sit for about five minutes or until the mixture begins to turn bubbly and foamy.
Step 3
Add the rest of the water, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt to the mixing bowl. Whisk the mixture briefly.
Step 4
Remove the flour from the bowl in the grain mill and pour it into the mixing bowl. Combine the ingredients until they form one dough mass.
Step 5
Knead the dough with your hands, a bread machine or a stand mixer with dough hook attachment for 5 to 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and supple.
Step 6
Cover the dough bowl tightly with a sheet of plastic wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator. Let it chill and rise in the refrigerator for a minimum of eight hours and a maximum of several days.
Step 7
Take the bread dough out of the refrigerator and shape it roughly into a round or a rectangle. Place it in a loaf pan or set it free-form on a sheet of parchment paper. Cover the bread with plastic wrap.
Step 8
Let the shaped bread rise for one to two hours or until it is very puffy. Near the end of rising time, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 9
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the bread for 45 minutes to one hour or until it is browned and crisp. According to KingArthurFlour.com test kitchen baker Irene Shover, bread made with freshly milled flour will taste sweeter and nuttier than loaves made with store flour, since the grain does not have time to oxidize.
Things You'll Need
- Grain mill
- 4 cups red wheat berries
- Mixing bowl
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
- Whisk
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- Plastic wrap
- Parchment paper
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