topic Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour in Kitchen

Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

gloriajean — Fri, 30 May 2025 18:26:42 GMT

I have some recipes in my Bread Machine cookbook, and some call for whole wheat bread flour. Just bought some, 25 pounds of it, and used 3 cups in recipe that called for it, it's an Oat Bran bread. The first one I threw out, came out crumbly, second one was crumbly too, but I tried to knead it at much as it could be, and it's in a bread pan, and hardly rising. I guess whole wheat bread flour is so heavy, that it doesn't even mix well in the bread maker. Next I think I will use just half of it, and white bread flour.

Anyone have a good experince with it?

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

Sooner — Fri, 30 May 2025 19:09:55 GMT

@gloriajean wrote:
I have some recipes in my Bread Machine cookbook, and some call for whole wheat bread flour. Just bought some, 25 pounds of it, and used 3 cups in recipe that called for it, it's an Oat Bran bread. The first one I threw out, came out crumbly, second one was crumbly too, but I tried to knead it at much as it could be, and it's in a bread pan, and hardly rising. I guess whole wheat bread flour is so heavy, that it doesn't even mix well in the bread maker. Next I think I will use just half of it, and white bread flour.
Anyone have a good experince with it?

@gloriajean We add about 1/4 cup or less of white flour to all whole wheat recipes and they are great. They just taste slightly better and give the dough a little better texture. But you wouldn't eat them and say it's not whole wheat.

Sometimes even less than a 1/4 cup makes a difference.

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

Nightowlz — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:12:10 GMT

Whole Wheat needs some gluten. If you don't want to add gluten use some white or bread flour with the wheat. 60/30 or 60/40 mixture should work well. Or try what @Sooner posted.

Wheat flour also absorbs more liquid so you can add more water. Let the flour liquid rest longer so it can absorb the liquid.

Why is my bread machine whole wheat bread so dense?

Why is whole wheat bread always dense?

Bread becomes dense because of two core faults;

1) a lack of gas production or

2) a lack of gas retention.

Gas production: This fault can be alleviated by increasing the amount of yeast and/or sugars, warming the temperature or a longer proofing time.

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

Sooner — Fri, 30 May 2025 20:48:15 GMT

@Nightowlz wrote:
Whole Wheat needs some gluten. If you don't want to add gluten use some white or bread flour with the wheat. 60/30 or 60/40 mixture should work well. Or try what @Sooner posted.
Wheat flour also absorbs more liquid so you can add more water. Let the flour liquid rest longer so it can absorb the liquid.

Why is my bread machine whole wheat bread so dense?

Why is whole wheat bread always dense?
Bread becomes dense because of two core faults;
1) a lack of gas production or
2) a lack of gas retention.
Gas production: This fault can be alleviated by increasing the amount of yeast and/or sugars, warming the temperature or a longer proofing time.

@Nightowlz Spot on! I will note that we still add gluten even if we lighten with just a little white flour--and it doesn't take much.

Bread is an art as much as a science and you are right you have to look at the dough and see what it might need--too wet, too dry. And flour is never the same because every load of wheat processed is not exactly the same.

You can't just measure or weigh and ensure success. You really need to take a peek and see what that dough is like.

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

wagirl — Fri, 30 May 2025 21:41:20 GMT

When I used ww bread flour, it was just a small amount added to the white bread flour.

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

LizzieInSRQ — Fri, 30 May 2025 23:22:06 GMT

Im still trying to get past in the post where 25lbs of whole wheat flour was purchased...wow!

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

shoesnbags — Sat, 31 May 2025 00:21:43 GMT

@LizzieInSRQ wrote:
Im still trying to get past in the post where 25lbs of whole wheat flour was purchased...wow!

Me too. @gloriajean , why did you buy so much?

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

candys mine — Sat, 31 May 2025 01:12:31 GMT

@gloriajean I don't bake bread but all the recipes I have seen call for white flour added to the wheat flour.

"They" say to keep wheat flour in the freezer as it has oil in it and doesn't keep as long as white flour.

Hope you can streamline the recipe. Wheat bread is yummy!

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

brandiwine — Sat, 31 May 2025 14:14:17 GMT

You need to add at least 1/2 cup white bread flour (has more gluten) and 2 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten. I also increase my liquid by a tablespoon. Good luck

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

gloriajean — Sat, 31 May 2025 16:42:19 GMT

I asked my husband to order some whole wheat bread flour because my recipes for certain breads call for it, he couldn't find any smaller, so bought the big one. I have it stored way in tupperware and lock n locks big containers now.

I will use them, but now I will also add the white bread flour when making them. I don't feel like trying that same recipe again, but there are others that call for whole wheat bread flour. I never knew that there was such a thing as whole wheat bread flour, I have both kinds, whole wheat and the whole wheat bread flour. Maybe I should put some in gallen baggies and freeze.

Thanks for the suggestion of using Vital Wheat Gluten and maybe adding more water etc. Good to know.

Thanks all for your responses, they are much appreciated, always.

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

ruthbe — Sat, 31 May 2025 17:53:19 GMT

if you are making bread out of wheat flour, do a little research first. That is if you are doing it for the nutritional reasons for wheat.

Wheat loses a substational portion of nutrients after the first 24 hours after miling

(grinding berries to flour)....and even after a few days can lose up to up to 90%.

Your best bet is to buy the wheat berries and grind them at home. I have done this and it is very easy. I happen to have a vitamix and they have a special container to do this. You can also grind popcorn to use for cornmeal. Makes great corn bread.

Re: Question about Whole Wheat Bread Flour

Sooner — Sat, 31 May 2025 19:04:06 GMT

@ruthbe wrote:
if you are making bread out of wheat flour, do a little research first. That is if you are doing it for the nutritional reasons for wheat.
Wheat loses a substational portion of nutrients after the first 24 hours after miling
(grinding berries to flour)....and even after a few days can lose up to up to 90%.

Your best bet is to buy the wheat berries and grind them at home. I have done this and it is very easy. I happen to have a vitamix and they have a special container to do this. You can also grind popcorn to use for cornmeal. Makes great corn bread.

@ruthbe I'll bet if you call around to some local farm supply stores or check at farmer's markets you can find some better corn to grind. I'll bet somewhere there are people growing field corn near you or know how to get it.