how to bake with whole grains

How to Bake with Whole Grains.

White flour usually loses most of its nutrients during production, which makes baking with whole grain flour a healthier alternative. However, it’s not simply a matter of swapping one ingredient for another. If you’ve never baked with whole grain flours before, knowing which ones are most ideal for beginners is an important first step. After that, keeping a few guidelines in mind regarding what to expect and how to adjust recipes from white flour to whole grains will lower the amount of trial-and-error that you’ll have to do. Even better, searching for recipes that specifically call for whole grains will help make your introduction to baking with them a cinch.

Ingredients.

Whole Wheat Scones.

4 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for dusting (500 g).

2 tablespoons baking powder.

1 teaspoon salt.

1 stick unsalted butter.

1 cup packed light brown sugar (220 g).

1 cup raisins (165 g).

1.5 cups buttermilk (355 ml).

Spelt Cookies.

¾ cup packed brown sugar (165 g).

½ cup softened butter (113.5 g).

1 egg.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

1.75 cups spelt flour (210 g).

1 teaspoon baking soda.

½ teaspoon salt.

Barley-Buttermilk Muffins.

1.5 cups barley flour (180 g).

1 teaspoon baking soda.

2 teaspoons baking powder.

¾ teaspoons sea salt.

2 tablespoons brown sugar.

¼ cup vegetable oil (59 ml).

1.33 cups buttermilk (315.5 ml).

1 large egg.

Method 1 Choosing Which Flour(s) to Use.

1. Decide between white and regular whole wheat. Regular whole wheat flour is arguably the most widely available whole grain flour, and perhaps the most often cited in recipes. However, be aware that it has a nutty and tannic flavor that may not always lend itself well to your baked goods. As an alternative, consider using white whole wheat instead, which has a milder flavor and can be used in direct ratios when substituting regular whole wheat or white flour in recipes.

The difference between the two is which type of wheat berry is used to make them. Regular whole wheat flour comes from red wheat berries, while white whole wheat comes from white wheat berries.

2. Opt for whole wheat pastry flour for lighter bakes. Both regular and white whole wheat flours tend to result in heavier finished products. If the baked good you’re making is supposed to be light and crumbly, but the only whole grain available is whole wheat, go with whole wheat pastry flour. Expect pastry flour to have less protein than regular flour, and therefore less gluten when baked, which is what weighs down the texture of baked goods.

3. Start with spelt when branching out from wheat. If you’re looking to use flours other than whole wheat, begin with spelt. Utilize its sweet but mild flavor to avoid overpowering your baked goods, which is a risk with stronger grains that have bolder flavors. At the same time, eliminate the need to convert measurements in recipes, since spelt can be substituted in direct ratio to whole wheat flour.

4. Add barley for creamy textures. If you want a baked good that melts in your mouth, go with barley. However, be aware that it’s texture is very soft, so don’t ditch the whole wheat or all-purpose flour entirely. Instead, use half of the original amount that the recipe calls for (or, if you’re using spelt, an equal measurement of that), and then substitute the other half with barley.

5. Use oat to support chocolate, fruits, and nuts. Whole wheat flour usually results in a heavier baked good, which you often need to support the weight of solid add-ins (like chunks or whole pieces of chocolate, fruits, and nuts). However, if you want your baked good to be less dense while still mixing in these ingredients, substitute half of the whole wheat or all-purpose flour in your recipe with oat flour. This will result in a lighter bake that’s still sturdy enough to keep those ingredients from sinking to the bottom as it bakes.

6. Avoid “multigrain.” If you’re looking to eliminate baking with white flour entirely, read the package of any flour labeled as multigrain. Obviously, “multigrain” means that it is a combination of multiple grains, including whole grains. However, expect to find white flour listed as one of the flours mixed into many varieties of this product.

Method 2 Adjusting from White Flour to Whole Grains.

1. Expect changes in flavor and texture. Keep in mind that using whole grains instead of white flour will affect your baked goods’ taste and consistency. This doesn’t mean that all baked goods will taste better or worse with whole grains--just different. That said, depending on the type of baked good you’re making and your own personal tastes, anticipate having to do some trial-and-error with some recipes before you nail it.

2. Start with darker baked goods. Expect the difference in whole grains’ taste to be most striking when used in goods whose finished color really reflects the use of white flour. Because of this, start off with baked goods whose color tends to be on the dark side with or without white flour. Give your taste buds a chance to adjust before attempting a bake where the difference will be more noticeable.

For instance, go with a chocolate cake instead of a vanilla cake if this is your first bake with whole grains

3. Ease into it with partial substitutions. When you first attempt to bake with whole grains, don’t ditch the white flour right away. Instead, use the white flour for half the total flour called for by the recipe, and use whole grains for the other half. Note the difference in flavor and texture of your first batch. From there, decide if you'd like to increase the percentage of whole grains used in your next bake, or if you'd like to try again with a different type of flour.

4. Convert measurements when needed. Whole wheat and spelt flours can generally be used in equal measurements to the amount of white flour that a recipe calls for. However, expect other whole grain flours to require conversions. For example, if you’re branching out into nuts and using almond flour, you should use double the amount called for in white flour.

Search online for conversion charts to determine what if any conversion is needed for the type of flour that you’ve chosen to work with, like this one:

5. Add more liquid than called for. Be aware that whole grain flours absorb more moisture than white flour. If you’re using a recipe that calls for white flour, expect the finished product to be on the dry side if you substitute the white flour entirely with whole grains. To compensate, add two more teaspoons of each wet ingredient than specified for each cup of flour used.

6. Give the dough more time to absorb moisture. At the very least, let it sit for 20 to 25 minutes after you make it before you go and knead it.[12] For even better results, let it sit overnight. Additionally, try adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or another acidic ingredient. This allows the grains more time to soften while also breaking down more starch, which will make kneading easier.

Method 3 Trying Whole Grain-Specific Recipes.

1. Make whole wheat scones. First, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius). Then, in a large mixing bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut your butter into half-inch cubes (1.25 cm) and then work them into the flour mix with your hands, pinching them together, until they form what looks like breadcrumbs. Next, stir in the brown sugar and raisins, followed by the buttermilk. Now that you have your dough:

Dust a surface with flour and then roll the dough into a rectangular shape approximately a quarter inch thick (0.64 cm).

Cut it up into a dozen squares with each measuring about three inches, then roll any leftover trimmings together to make extra.

Line a baking sheet with cooking oil. Fold each square diagonally so it turns into triangle, then place it on the baking sheet.

Bake for a half hour, or until the tops brown to golden.

2. Bake spelt cookies. First, move one oven rack down as low as possible and another to a higher position. Then set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). While it preheats, use an electric mixer to beat together your brown sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. In a second bowl, combine your spelt flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the second bowl’s contents to the first and stir to combine. To bake:

Use a spoon to portion your dough out onto a baking sheet to form the size cookies you desire, leaving at least an inch (2.5 cm) between each one.

Place the baking sheet on the lowest rack and bake for five minutes.

Switch the sheet to the higher rack and bake for roughly five more, until the edges begin to brown a bit.

3. Make barley buttermilk muffins. Let your oven preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 Celsius). Then either spray your muffin pan with nonstick spray or line it with paper muffin cups. Next, stir together the barley flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl. In a second bowl, use a whisk to combine the buttermilk, vegetable oil, and egg, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir to combine. Fill the tins with the batter and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.

The batter doesn’t need to be creamy smooth, so don't worry if it's a little lumpy.

Things You’ll Need.

Whole Wheat Scones : Measuring cups and spoons, Mixing bowl, Knife, Spoon for stirring, Oven, Baking sheet, Cooking oil.

Spelt Cookies : Oven, Measuring cups and spoons, Electric mixer, Baking sheet, Spoon.

Barley Buttermilk Muffins : Oven, Muffin tray, Nonstick spray or paper liners, Measuring cups and spoons, Whisk, Spoon for stirring.

Januari 25, 2020

Homemade Pizza Crust for Beginners | The Best Homemade Pizza You'll Ever Eat

Homemade Pizza Crust for Beginners | The Best Homemade Pizza You'll Ever Eat.

This easy pizza dough recipe is great for beginners and produces a soft homemade pizza crust. Skip the pizza delivery because you only need 6 basic ingredients to begin!

This is my go-to pizza dough recipe. It was published on my blog 6 years ago and after making it for the millionth time, I decided it’s time for an update with a video tutorial and clearer recipe instructions. Plus, many of you said you want to conquer your fear of yeast this year! Consider this your starting guide and refer back to it often.

(And if you’ve ever made homemade bagels or sandwich bread, you can easily make pizza dough because it’s quicker, easier, and requires less steps!)

Pizza dough is the foundation and every great pizza begins with a great pizza crust. Some like thin and crisp pizza crust, while others prefer thick and soft pizza crust. This homemade pizza crust has it all: soft & chewy with a delicious crisp and AWESOME flavor.

Why waste the time when you can just buy frozen pizza dough? Frozen pizza dough is certainly convenient, but from-scratch crust has a delicious flavor and texture that only comes from homemade. Plus, most of the work is hands-off!

Homemade Pizza Dough Ingredients.

All pizza dough starts with the same basic ingredients: flour, yeast, water, salt, and olive oil. Here’s the breakdown of what I use in my homemade pizza crust recipe.

Yeast: I use Red Star Platinum yeast. I have the best results when I use this instant yeast. The Platinum yeast is fantastic because its careful formula strengthens your dough and makes making working with yeast simple. You only need 1 standard packet of yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons) to get the job done.
Water: I tested this pizza dough recipe with different amounts of water. 1 and 1/3 cups is the perfect amount. Use warm water to cut down on rise time, about 100-110°F. Anything over 130ºF kills the yeast.
Flour: Use unbleached all-purpose white flour in this recipe. Bleaching the flour strips away some of the protein, which will affect how much water the flour absorbs. You can substitute bread flour for a chewier pizza crust, but add a couple extra Tablespoons of water since bread flour contains more protein than all-purpose flour.
Oil: A couple Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil adds wonderful flavor to the dough. Don’t forget to brush the dough with olive oil before adding the toppings, which prevents the crust from tasting soggy.
Salt: Salt adds necessary flavor.
Sugar: 1 Tablespoon of sugar increases the yeast’s activity and tenderizes the dough, especially when paired with a little olive oil.
Cornmeal: Cornmeal isn’t in the dough, but it’s used to dust the pizza pan. Cornmeal gives the pizza crust a little extra flavor and crisp. Most delivery pizzas you enjoy have cornmeal on the bottom crust!

This is a Lean Bread Dough.
Pizza crust, like homemade bagels, artisan bread, and focaccia, requires a lean dough. A lean dough doesn’t use eggs or butter. Without the extra fat to make the dough soft, you’re promised a crusty pizza crust. (However, I recommend using some olive oil for flavor and to keep the interior on the softer side.) Recipes like dinner rolls and overnight cinnamon rolls require fat to yield a “rich dough,” which creates a softer and more dessert-like bread.

How to Make Easy Pizza Dough (for bread beginners!).
Watch my pizza dough video tutorial below. It’s really that easy!

Mix the dough ingredients together by hand or use a hand-held or stand mixer.
Knead by hand or beat the dough with your mixer. I like doing this by hand and you can watch me in the video.
Place dough into a greased mixing bowl, cover tightly, and set aside to rise for about 90 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
Punch down risen dough to release air bubbles. Divide in 2.
Roll dough out into a 12-inch circle. Cover and rest as you prep the pizza toppings.
Top with favorite pizza toppings.
Bake pizza at a very high temperature for only about 15 minutes.
Little bakers can lend a hand AND have fun in the process. Let the kids help you press down the dough and shape into a circle. They can add their cheeses and make pepperoni faces on top of the pie. Who doesn’t love a smiley pizza?

How to Freeze Homemade Pizza Dough.

This recipe yields two 12-inch pizzas. After the pizza dough rises and you divide the dough in half (step 5), you can freeze one of the balls of dough to make pizza at a later time. Or you can simply freeze both balls of dough separately. Lightly coat all sides of the dough ball(s) with nonstick spray or olive oil. Place the dough ball(s) into individual zipped-top bag(s) and seal tightly, squeezing out all the air. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Thaw Frozen Pizza Dough.
Place the frozen pizza dough in the refrigerator for about 8 hours or overnight. When ready to make pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest for 30 minutes on the counter.

Ingredients.
1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (between 100-110°F, 38-43°C).
2 and 1/4 teaspoons Red Star Platinum instant yeast (1 standard packet)*.
1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar.
2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil.
3/4 teaspoon salt.
3 and 1/2 cups (440g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for hands and surface.
sprinkle of cornmeal for dusting the pan.

Instructions.
Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes. *If you don’t have a stand mixer, simply use a large mixing bowl and mix the dough by hand with a wooden spoon in the next step.*
Add the olive oil, salt, and flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes (for a visual, watch me do it in the video above!). The dough can be a little too heavy for a mixer to knead it, but you can certainly use the mixer on low speed instead. After kneading, the dough should still feel a little soft. Poke it with your finger – if it slowly bounces back, your dough is ready to rise. If not, keep kneading.
Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray– just use the same bowl you used for the dough. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until double in size. (Tip: For the warm environment on a particularly cold day, heat your oven to 150°F (66°C). Turn the oven off, place the dough inside, and keep the door slightly ajar. This will be a warm environment for your dough to rise. After about 30 minutes, close the oven door to trap the air inside with the rising dough. When it’s doubled in size, remove from the oven.)
Preheat oven to 475°F (246°C). Allow it to heat for at least 15-20 minutes as you shape the pizza. Lightly grease baking sheet or pizza pan with nonstick spray or olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal, which gives the crust extra crunch and flavor. Highly recommended.
Shape the dough: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough in half. (If not making 2 pizzas, freeze half of the dough for another time– see freezing instructions below.) On a lightly floured work surface using lightly floured hands or rolling pin, gently flatten the dough into a disc. Place on prepared pan and, using lightly floured hands, stretch and flatten the disc into a 12-inch circle. Lift the edge of the dough up to create a lip around the edges. I simply pinch the edges up to create the rim. If using a pizza stone, place the dough directly on baker’s peels dusted with cornmeal.
Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for a few minutes as you prepare your pizza toppings. I suggest pepperoni & green peppers or jalapeño slices, extra cheese pizza, Hawaiian pizza, classic margherita pizza, spinach artichoke white pizza, or homemade BBQ chicken pizza.
Top & bake the pizza: To prevent the filling from making your pizza crust soggy, brush the top lightly with olive oil. Using your fingers, push dents into the surface of the dough to prevent bubbling. Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Slice hot pizza and serve immediately. Cover leftover pizza tightly and store in the refrigerator. Reheat as you prefer. Baked pizza slices can be frozen up to 3 months.

Notes.

Freezing Instructions: This recipe yields two 12-inch pizzas. After the pizza dough rises and you divide the dough in half (step 5), you can freeze one of the balls of dough to make pizza at a later time. Or you can simply freeze both balls of dough separately. Lightly coat all sides of the dough ball(s) with nonstick spray or olive oil. Place the dough ball(s) into individual zipped-top bag(s) and seal tightly, squeezing out all the air. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen pizza dough in the refrigerator for about 8 hours or overnight. When ready to make pizza, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest for 30 minutes on the counter. Continue with step 5.
Overnight/All Day Instructions: Prepare the dough through step 3, but allow the dough to rise for 8-12 hours in the refrigerator. (If it needs to be in the refrigerator for longer, use cooler water in the dough which will slow the dough’s rise and allow for more time.) The slow rise gives the pizza dough wonderful flavor! When ready, continue with step 5. If the dough didn’t quite double in size overnight, let it sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before punching down (step 5).
Special Tools: KitchenAid Stand Mixer, Dough Scraper, Pizza Pan, Pizza Cutter
Yeast: Red Star Platinum yeast is an instant yeast. You can use active dry yeast instead. The rise time will be up to 2 hours. Reference my Baking with Yeast Guide for answers to common yeast FAQs.
Pictured Pizza: This recipe yields 2 pizzas. For each, top with 1/2 cup pizza sauce, 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, thinly sliced green pepper or jalapeño, and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning blend or dried basil.

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Juli 19, 2020