How to Make Whole Wheat Bread #3

Why do you need to put in the salt or the yeast when making bread?  There are just a few basic ingredients for making bread besides the flour and the liquid.  We often get asked can we leave that ingredient out or substitute this for that.  Let' take a look at the other ingredients for bread individually.

OIL:  Oil is needed to lubricate the dough so that it will stretch easily without tearing.  It also adds flavour, tenderness and keeps quality to the bread.  It could also take the form of butter (I like mine melted), margarine, shortening or oil.  We have also used applesauce and dates to substitute for both the oil and the sugar in the breads.  I use a Canola Oil but we have found that many oils like Saflower oil or even Olive oil work just fine.

SUGAR:  Sugar helps start the rising action of the yeast.  If there is no sweetness to the bread it would also be very bland in taste.  We prefer honey (unpasturized clover) which doesn't have a strong flavour to it.  I want to taste the wheat in my bread.  Some honey like Fireweed honey available here on the coast is very strong and definitely will change the taste of the bread.  Brown sugar, molasses, applesauce or date sugar, mentioned above, or even a 500 mg. chewable Vitamin C tablet can replace sugar or honey.  All or part of the sugar may be replaced with any of these alternatives.

YEAST:  First some great tips for your yeast.

1. Be sure your yeast is FRESH or it will not give rising power,  Use the yeast before the "use by" date on the package.  If you do not bake often you may buy the smaller individual packages.  If you purchase a larger package of yeast, you can refrigerate the remainder in a closed container.  We have other instructions for the Vacuum Sealed yeasts.  See below.

2. The liquid used in the bread making must never be more than 120 degrees F. or lukewarm.  Higher temperatures will kill the rising power of the yeast.

Kinds of Yeast

• REGULAR DRIED YEAST: Sprinkle the required amount over 1/2 cup lukewarm water.  Allow it to foam and then add the remaining liquid ingredients.
• QUICK RISING OR INSTANT YEAST: This is the most convenient.  It can be mixed with the flour or sprinkled over wet ingredients as they are being mixed. 
• COMMERCIAL VACUUM SEALED YEASTS LIKE SAF YEAST:  This yeast is used by most commercial bakers and we have it available in our store.  This yeast is mixed in with the dry ingredients so we put it on top of the flour in our kneading machines or at the bottom of the Automatic Breadmakers with the flour on top of it.  This works much faster than the two above yeasts,  as it comes vacuum packed, which prevents the air from getting to it, so when you open it, it is as fresh as the day they packaged it.  When you purchase the Saf yeast you get a solid package that, once you open it, becomes a powder.  It is much finer than regular yeast.  It will keep 3 month on the shelf (which is where we recommend you keep the part of the package that you are currently using) and 6 months in the freezer once it is opened and placed in a tight fitting container. Unopened you can store this yeast for up to 3 years.
• FRESH YEAST: Fresh yeast is available at baker's shops. It can be stored wrapped for 2 weeks in the fridge, or can be frozen for 3 months.  To use, mash and mix well with some of the liquid.  Blend in well.

Any bread recipes can be made with any kind of yeast, just substitute.  The results will be the same however, the bread making time may be extended.  Personally we use the Commercial Saf yeast and recommend it to our customers.

EGGS:  Eggs add colour, flavour, richness, texture, and more nutrition (extra protein).  Many bread recipes call for eggs to make a richer tasting loaf.  We are told that eggs contain 10 vitamins and 8 minerals.  The yolk is one of the few foods that contain Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin,  Eggs also enhance the protein of wheat for a lighter loaf.  It is however, an optional ingredient in most breads.

SALT: Salt improves the flavour of yeast breads.  Without salt the bread tastes bland.  It also keeps the dough from rising too quickly, so it inhibits the yeast.  Too much salt, however, will slow the yeast action down.  If you wish to make salt-free bread than keep an eye on it while it is rising as it will rise much faster than bread with salt in it.  If you have to limit the salt in your diet you can reduce the salt by half in the bread but don't take it out altogether.  Sea Salt is also fine to use in the breads.

VINEGAR:  Vinegar helps to produce light loaves and buns.  It helps to offset the effect that alkaline in the water has on the rising power.  This is also an optional ingredient.

GLUTEN FLOUR:  We often call this product just gluten.  This is added to a lower protein flour to increase the stretchiness of the dough to make a lighter loaf of bread.   It is extracted from the wheat and is a straight protein.  A couple of tabelspoons  in a 4 loaf batch will make it a lighter fluffier dough.  We have added up to 1/2 cup of gluten to make fluffy, spongy, rye bread.  (Rye has almost no gluten and generally doesn't rise much).  Gluten comes in various degrees of protein.  We carry a high protein gluten flour but it is also available in the bulk section of many stores.  We can add gluten to an all-purpose flour to make it into a bread flour.  That is how Bread flour is made anyway.  I would suggest adding gluten to your bread if you are trying to get the husband or kids to eat more whole grain breads as it will give it the texture of white bread.

DOUGH ENHANCER:  When using whole grains to make bread , it can be more of a challenge to get the laoves to be fluffy.  We suggest you use dough enhancer.  We add 2 Tablespoons to our 4 loaf batch of bread.  Dough enhancer is Whey, Lecithin and Vitamin C.  There are no chemicals in it.  Bakers use this all the time as the Vitamin C is a natural preservative and helps the bread keep longer in the freezer or just on the counter, without drying out and becoming crumbly.  It enhances the gluten that has been developed in the breadmaking process and strengthens the bread as it is baking helping hold up the loaf.  The Whole Wheat bread turns out lighter and moister and the bonus it that it keeps longer as well.

You can make your own dough enhancer with 2 eggs, and 2 Tbsp. vinegar to a 4 loaf batch of bread.  For bread recipes with no sugar or sweetener in them, add a chewable 500 mg. Vitamin C tablet.

100% Whole Wheat Bread from a Zojirushi Automatic Machine