Today, in the bread baking blog, we're making sprouted wheat bread using wheat berries that were sprouted a few days ago. The wheat berries provide a crunchy and sweet flavor to this delicious golden loaf.
"Breads with sprouted grains have been tremendously popular with bakers for decades. The wheat berries add texture and nutrition to this light whole-wheat and honey bread. Sprouting the grains takes a few days, but is a simple process."
-- The Pleasure of Whole-Grain Breads by Beth Hensperger.
Sprouted Wheat Bread
Makes: 3 loaves
First step: Sprout the wheat berries
Makes: 2 cups
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw wheat berries
Directions:
Place the wheat berries in a bowl and add tepid water to cover by 1 inch. Let stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.
Drain the wheat berries and rinse with fresh water.
Divide between two 1-quart jars.
Cover with cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.
Place the jars on their sides in a warm, dark place. Twice a day, rinse and drain the wheat berries with tepid water poured through the cheesecloth.
After 2 to 3 days, the wheat berries will sprout.
Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 3 days.
Grind in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. (I used my blender to grind the sprouted wheat berries) Do not overprocess; the berries should be chunky.
Next Step: Make the Bread
Sprouted Wheat Bread Recipe
Makes: three 8-by-4-inch loaves
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 packages) active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of ginger
2 cups whole wheat flour (I'm using freshly milled red spring wheat)
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (105° to 115°)
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sprouted wheat berries, chopped
4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour
Wheat germ, for sprinkling
Melted butter, for brushing
Directions:
Pour the 1/2 cup warm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast, sugar, and ginger over the water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl using a whisk or in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the whole wheat flour, milk powder, and salt.
Add the warm water, honey, and 4 tablespoons butter.
Beat for 1 minute. Add the yeast mixture and beat 1 minute longer.
Add all the wheat berries
and the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed until a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl forms, switching to a wooden spoon when necessary if making by hand.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and spongy, 1 to 2 minutes for a machine-mixed dough and 3 to 4 minutes for a hand-mixed dough, dusting with flour only 1 tablespoon at a time, just enough as needed to prevent sticking.
Place in a lightly greased deep container, turn once to coat the top, and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Grease three 8-by-4-inch loaf pans and sprinkle the bottom and sides with wheat germ.
Turn the dough out onto the work surface and divide into 3 equal portions.
Pat each portion into a rectangle and roll into a loaf shape.
Place, seam side down, into the prepared pans.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until level with the rim of the pans, about 1 hour.
About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the over to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until crusty and golden.
Brush the tops with melted butter.
Remove from the pans to cool on a rack.
Sprouted Wheat Bread Recipe
Makes: three 8-by-4-inch loaves
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
1 1/2 tablespoons (1 1/2 packages) active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of ginger
2 cups whole wheat flour (I'm using freshly milled red spring wheat)
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (105° to 115°)
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sprouted wheat berries, chopped
4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour
Wheat germ, for sprinkling
Melted butter, for brushing
Directions:
Pour the 1/2 cup warm water into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast, sugar, and ginger over the water. Stir to dissolve and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl using a whisk or in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the whole wheat flour, milk powder, and salt.
Add the warm water, honey, and 4 tablespoons butter.
Beat for 1 minute. Add the yeast mixture and beat 1 minute longer.
Add all the wheat berries
and the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed until a soft dough that just clears the sides of the bowl forms, switching to a wooden spoon when necessary if making by hand.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until soft and spongy, 1 to 2 minutes for a machine-mixed dough and 3 to 4 minutes for a hand-mixed dough, dusting with flour only 1 tablespoon at a time, just enough as needed to prevent sticking.
Place in a lightly greased deep container, turn once to coat the top, and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Grease three 8-by-4-inch loaf pans and sprinkle the bottom and sides with wheat germ.
Turn the dough out onto the work surface and divide into 3 equal portions.
Pat each portion into a rectangle and roll into a loaf shape.
Place, seam side down, into the prepared pans.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until level with the rim of the pans, about 1 hour.
About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the over to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until crusty and golden.
Brush the tops with melted butter.
Remove from the pans to cool on a rack.
Now it's time to enjoy the finished loaf of Sprouted Wheat Bread!
Here is the loaf with a couple of slices toasted. Mmmmmmm! I could make a meal of just this bread.
I asked my youngest son to taste this bread. He said "It tastes like oatmeal bread". That's a good thing. Both of my sons love oatmeal bread. It's one of the first breads I ever made in my bread machine and it's still one of their favorites. I think we may have a keeper. I know I like it!
Thanks for visiting The Bread Experience Bread-Baking Blog. Now, all you need to do is go make some bread for yourself.
We hope you enjoyed learning how to make this bread. Be sure to check back next time when we learn how to make a different type of breakfast bread.
--Cathy
Additional bread making resources:
Breakfast Bread Recipes
How to make bread
Whole Wheat Bread Recipes
Home Milling Resources
Grain Mills
Grains for Milling
Whole Wheat Flour
Whole Wheat Bread Mixes
Whole Wheat Cookbooks
Feel free to leave a comment about this blog, or submit your own bread experience. We'd love to highlight your story on The Bread Experience site.
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11 comments:
Thanks for posting this recipe in such details. Will try it out this week.
Heartfelt gratitude for sharing your love for baking :).
Thanks FIRE Finance. Sprouted Wheat Bread is one of my favorites. In fact, I'm making a batch today. Hope you enjoy. Let me know how it turns out. BTW, it freezes really well. I usually freeze at least one of the loaves from each batch.
Cathy
The Bread Experience
This DOES look like a very yummy bread! I will have to try it, although I need to warn you, I'm not very good at foods that require 'babysitting' i.e. sourdough...I'm a neglectful baker~
Speaking of a neglectful baker, I'm the one who fell asleep while I was baking bread the other day...Lol.
This bread is easy! The only part that requires a little bit of time is sprouting the wheat grains. You just have to rinse them with water twice a day. However, I've actually forgotten a time or two and they still sprouted.
4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour
Is there a way to make this with completely fresh milled wheat flour? I am very new at baking and grinding at home and looking for a recipe to use, The one I have been working with thus far has been a flop every time!
Hi Emikat,
For this particular recipe, the addition of the bread flour makes the loaf lighter and tastier than if you make it completely with whole wheat flour. However, if you want to make the sprouted wheat bread completely with freshly milled flour, you can use a combination of hard red winter wheat and hard white wheat (either winter or spring). Or, you can just use the hard white wheat. Hard white wheat has the same nutritional value as hard red wheat but produces a lighter loaf. It just depends on your preference.
If you're looking for a recipe for a whole wheat loaf from freshly milled whole wheat flour, try this one and see how you like it http://www.breadexperience.com/recipe-for-whole-wheat-bread.html
You might also enjoy some of these other whole grain bread recipes http://www.breadexperience.com/whole-grain-bread-recipes.html
Happy Baking!
Cathy
Hi Cathy,
we found this recipe accidentally, because I'm a bit obsessed with sprouting things right now.
I just wanted to say thanks!
I've made the bread twice, and I really like it a lot.
Bests! JJ
JJ,
Thanks for stopping by! So glad you like the bread. It's one of my favorites as well. I've been working on a completely sprouted wheat bread (with no flour), but so far, it's just a brick. ;)
I would love to know how that all sprouted wheat bread is coming out. And have you tried just an all whole wheat? I am still mixing my gorgeous locally grown and milled red spring wheat with white bread flour, and I feel so dirty!
Hi JJ! I'm still working on the all sprouted wheat bread.
Once I'm finished with the BBA Challenge (only 3 breads to go), I hope to have more time to focus on other experiments. Stay tuned...
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