"Eat more whole grains" is the mantra of nutritionists and doctors everywhere.  We nod in agreement, but don't always choose whole grain products.  Is it possible to have whole-grains that are a first choice instead of a "have to" choice?  Yes, we think home-baked bread is a great way to incorporate in our diets the "good carbs" found in whole grains.  Grain, in the form of flour, is the primary ingredient for bread making.  Understanding the flour choices will make good bread baking results a little easier to achieve.  Read more.

At the basic level, yeast-leavened bread is grain, liquid, salt, and the yeast.  For bread-making newbies, working with yeast can seem intimidating, and for experienced bread bakers the new varieties of yeast may be confusing.  Here's the scoop on today's yeasts!  Read more.

"It's the best thing since sliced bread."  Sliced bread was a revolutionary idea only for those without a good bread knife!  A regular chef's knife will make a quick mess of a good loaf of bread.  Whether you bake your own bread, or enjoy a fresh product from a local boulangerie, a good bread knife transforms the enjoyment of a fresh-baked loaf.  What makes a good bread knife?  Read more.

Q:   What is the best way to knead dough?

A:   Kneading dough inspires the formation of the protein strands and promotes an evenness of all the ingredients.  Kneading may be accomplished (1) in a food processor with a dough blade, (2) in a stand mixer outfitted with a dough hook, or (3) by hand.  If kneading with a food processor, make sure the quantity of dough does not exceed the capacity of the unit.  Using a stand mixer is just about ideal for the ease it affords.  Of course, traditionalists swear to the therapeutic value of kneading dough by hand - the repetitive motion and the tactile feel of the developing dough "gives as much as it gets."

Q:  How can I tell if my bread is done baking?

A:  Start by following the recipe's suggested baking times.  The bottom of a finished loaf will sound hollow when thumped.  As the King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking book suggests, a hollow thump may be subjective.  They recommend using an instant read thermometer to test doneness as follows:  190 F for a standard loaf pan, 200-210 F for a large, free-form loaf.

Q:  What are the differences between metal, glass, or silicone loaf pans?

A:  A traditional loaf pan is 9 x 5 inches and accommodates recipes containing 3.5 - 4 cups of flour.  Glass loaf pans require that the oven temperature be 25 degrees F lower than called for in the recipe.  Metal loaf pans with dark surfaces will produce a darker crust.  Silicone bread pans may be used without any adjustment to the recipe and offer the advantage of a truly non-stick surface.  For stability during transfers in and out of the oven, place silicone bread pans on a baking sheet.

Q:  What is the correct way to measure grain flours?

A:  Correct measurement of dry ingredients is the first step in successful bread baking.  Today's flours do not need sifting, but flours should be "fluffed" with a fork, then scooped into the measuring cup.  Do not pack, shake, or otherwise settle the flour in the measuring cup.  Weighing dry ingredients is the most accurate method for measuring flours.  Humidity will affect the weight of flour from day to day, but with less variation than volume measuring methods.

King Arthur Flour's Whole Grain Baking, Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains, © 2006, The Countryman Press, Woodstock, VT.

If you weren't lucky enough to learn bread making first-hand from your mother or grandmother, the information contained in this book compensates well and prepares you to become an expert on whole grain baking.  More than just a cookbook, this encyclopedic book is loaded with information needed for incorporating more whole grains in your baking life.  The facts are presented in an accessible context with explanations of the science behind cooking and baking with whole grains.  The King Arthur Flour cooks take the position that incorporating whole grains does not exclude the use of white flour, but rather they choose to apply the strengths of different grains and flours to the task at hand, creating the best tasting product.  More than just bread, the cookbook covers cookies, crackers, quick breads, pies and pastry.  It's a great read and a great resource; it's like having the wisdom of a hundred experts at your side!

Interested in learning more about Baking?  Two other resource books to check out:
King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion, and Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Toasted Sesame and Sunflower Loaf

Excerpted from King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking, © The King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Countryman Press/W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. To order, call 1-800-245-4151 or go to www.countrymanpress.com

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

"While wheat and oats are the most common whole grains found in yeast breads, pumpernickel (whole rye, the rye equivalent of whole wheat flour) and cornmeal also make frequent appearances.  Here their flavor joins the nutty taste of sesame and sunflower seeds in a soft sandwich loaf.  A touch of sesame oil highlights this bread's "nuttiness" and gives the loaf an enticing aroma as well. . . . "

1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) sesame seeds
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1-1/4 cups (10 ounces) milk, heated to lukewarm
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (1-3/4 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup (1-1/8 ounces) whole yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup (1 ounce) whole rye (pumpernickel) flour
2 cups (8-1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1-7/8 ounces) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast

(1)  Place the sunflower and sesame seeds in an ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking sheet.  Bake them in a preheated 350 F oven until the sesame seeds are beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes [Stir frequently].  Remove them from the oven.

(2)  Combine all the ingredients, including the seeds, and mix and knead them-by hand, mixer or bread machine-until you have a soft, smooth dough.  Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

(3)  Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.  Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a 9-inch log.  Place it in the prepared pan.  Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise till it's crowned about 1 inch over the rim of the pan, 1 to 2 hours.  Near the end of the bread's rise, preheat the oven to 350 F.

(4)  Uncover and bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, tenting it with foil after 15 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190 F.  Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack.  Brush with melted butter if desired; this will keep the crust soft.  Cool the bread for 30 minutes before slicing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving:  (1 slice, 50g): 9g whole grains, 147 cal., 5g fat, 5g protein, 19g complex carbohydrates, 3g sugar, 2g dietary fiber, 1mg cholesterol, 159mg sodium, 138mg potassium, 10RE vitamin A, 2mg iron, 36mg calcium, 127mg phosphorous.