10 July, 2020

How To Make Wheat Bread

Comments : 1 Posted in : Bakes on July 10, 2020 by : Fizza

Here is an easy recipe for homemade Whole Wheat Bread using basic ingredients found in every kitchen.

Flour sugar salt oil with YEAST produces a delicious whole wheat bread with no preservatives or colour and a great taste, that you will find baking your own bread is so much better than buying it at the store. The recipe is simple and it takes around  2 and a half to 3 hours to make bread.

You can give different flavours to your bread.

1. Ring shaped stuffed bread
2. Vegetable Bread
3. Tri flavored whole wheat bread
4. Marble bread
   

Gluten in Flour

• For the bread to rise, gluten is needed in flour. Each type of flour has a different amount of gluten in it.
• Bread Flour is highest in protein content and good in gluten content. So it holds air in it and doubles and gives a good texture to the bread.
• Refined Flour (maida) has less gluten, maida bread will be smaller in size compared to the bread flour bread of the same recipe, even the texture will be heavy compared to the bread flour bread.
• Wheat Flour has little gluten compared to refined flour, wheat bread will be smaller very dense, and very heavy compared to refined flour bread. Wheat flour dough does not rise too much as gluten is less so trapping of air is less as in bread flour and refined flour bread.

What is yeast ?

• Yeast added to make bread is a natural leavener. It produces fermentation in the dough, causing the dough to rise without having to add any chemical additives.
• Yeast keeps your digestive system healthy and in balance. Yeast is a healthy mix of bacteria from your gut. It can help you absorb vitamins and minerals from your food and even fight disease.
• Yeast can be of 2 types
• Dry Yeast is in a granular form and must be activated in warm water before adding to the flour.
• Instant Yeast can be added directly to the flour and other ingredients without having to be activated in warm water.
• To make bread you have to activate the yeast. In a bowl mix granulated sugar and yeast add lukewarm water ( water should not be hot ). Let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes. Yeast mixture will become frothy and cover the entire surface of the water. Yeast is ready to use.
• Yeast added to make bread is a natural leavener. It produces fermentation in the dough, causing the dough to rise without having to add any chemical additives.
• Yeast keeps your digestive system healthy and in balance. Yeast is a healthy mix of bacteria from your gut. It can help you absorb vitamins and minerals from your food and even fight disease.
• Yeast can be of 2 types
• Dry Yeast is in a granular form and must be activated in warm water before adding to the flour.
• Instant Yeast can be added directly to the flour and other ingredients without having to be activated in warm water.
• To make bread you have to activate the yeast. In a bowl mix granulated sugar and yeast add lukewarm water ( water should not be hot ). Let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes. Yeast mixture will become frothy and cover the entire surface of the water. Yeast is ready to use.
• Yeast can be stored in the freezer, it stays for a long time. Just when needed take out the required quantity and keep it back in the freezer.

Bloomed frothy Bubbly Yeast. Ready to use.

Kneading The Bread Dough

• In the flour add yeast and sugar mix salt oil knead a soft dough. When you make the dough the yeast digest all the starch sugar and flour in the recipe. And will release gas, that gas will be trapped inside the bread dough. This gas helps the bread to double.
• Kneading allows the gluten to form which enables the dough to rise and be lighter.
• Knead for 10 – 12 minimum with hand.
• Always Knead a Soft Dough
• Kneading allows the dough to trap the gas released by the yeast.
• Kneading involves keeping the dough on a flat surface and pressing it with the heel of your hand in forwarding rolling and rotating.
• In the flour add yeast and sugar mix , salt and oil knead a soft dough.
• When you make the dough the yeast digest all the starch sugar and flour in the recipe and will release gas. that gas will be trapped inside the bread dough. This gas helps the bread to double.
• Kneading allows the gluten to form which enables the dough to rise and be lighter.
• Knead for 10 – 12 minimum with hand.
• Always Knead a Soft Dough
• Kneading allows the dough to trap the gas released by the yeast.
• Kneading involves keeping the dough on a flat surface and pressing it with the heel of your hand in forward rolling motion, rotating and repeating it.
• After kneading the dough for 10 to 12 minutes do the window pane test.
  

• Take a small golf size dough ball, dust the ball with flour.
• Hold it between your thumb and two fingers.
• Gently stretch the dough into a thin translucent sheet.
• If the dough stretches without breaking means the dough is ready .
• If the dough tears it means the dough is not ready, knead for another 3 minutes then do the window pane test.

Fermentation

• The dough should be kept in a large greased covered container for expansion of the dough.
• Depending on the weather the dough takes 30-45 minutes to rise.
• Always keep the dough in a warm place, preferably near the gas( if something is cooking ) the warmth will help it to rise faster.
• Fermentation is complete when the dough is double in size.

What is Punching the dough ?

• Punching Is a method of deflating the dough, it releases any air pockets.
• Pull the dough on all sides, fold it over the centre and press down.
• Then turn the dough upside down in the container.
• Place it in a greased baking tin cover with a cling.

Proofing The Dough

• The final rise of the bread dough before baking is called proofing
• Before baking proofing is done for 20 – 30 minutes in a baking tin or tray. The dough should again double in size.
• To test, touch lightly, if the dough springs back slowly, it is done.
• Always fill the baking tin half, allowing good space for it to rise.
• Slightly grease the baking dish with oil, place the dough with a neat surface on top, brush with milk/oil/egg.

                   

Glazing The Whole Wheat Bread Dough

• Glazing before baking can affect the finished look of the bread. While applying the glaze be careful not to stick the dough to the rim of the bread tin. This not only makes it difficult to remove the bread from the tin but can also keep the bread from expanding during the cooking process. For those glazes that are done before baking lightly brush the bread when it has risen and is ready to go in the oven. Do not press hard.                    
• Egg  Wash gives a  shiny, golden look to the crust. For a clear egg wash, use only the egg white with 1 Tbsp water and a pinch of salt.
• If you want an extra golden shine, allow the first coat to dry and then add one more coat of egg wash.
• For a darker shine, use the whole egg  1 Tbsp water and a pinch of salt.
  
• Use the egg wash BEFORE  the bread is cooked NOT after the bread is baked.
• Milk Wash: Brush the bread dough with milk. For a sweeter glaze, dissolve a little sugar or honey in warm milk. Gives a golden crust.
• Honey Wash gives a  soft, sweet, sticky crust. You brush this on a warm loaf of bread. Do this AFTER the bread is baked. Let the bread sit out for several hours to let the honey soak into the bread.
• Oil Wash also gives an added shine so brush the dough BEFORE and AFTER baking.

Baking the Bread

• Baking is done in a  preheated oven for 30 min at 180 degrees with both rods on. The temperature settings in a different oven may work differently. Do check your bakes 5 minutes earlier than stated in the recipe for the first time, as time in different oven varies. If top baking is getting burn, cover the bread with foil in tent shape, bake for 15 min with foil, after 15 min removes foil, and bake for another 15 minutes.
• Let the bread cool before slicing.

Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• Wheat Flour 250 gm
• Yeast 1 and 1/2 Tsp
• Sugar 1 Tbsp
• Oil 2 Tbsp
• Salt 1 and 1/2 Tsp
• Milk or Butter for Brushing
• Warm Water to make dough

Method:

• Combine yeast and sugar in a bowl add ¼ cup lukewarm water cover and keep for 10 min till frothy.
• Combine flour yeast mix and salt. Knead a soft dough using warm water.
• Add oil and knead for 10 min.
• Keep the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling keep in a warm place for 30 – 40 min till double.
• Punch and knead lightly, shape the dough in the cylindrical shape and keep in a greased bread tin of 7-inch tin, cover with a cling, place in a warm place till double.
• Brush with whisk egg/milk/butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees with both rods on. Cover with foil and bake for 20 min.
• Remove the foil and bake for 10 min.
• Once baked allow to cool completely before slicing.