Comments on: New video: How to shape a loaf (using whole grain dough)

By: jeff

jeff — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:45:39 +0000

Marla: We do not. I’m guessing that you can add about a cup of it to our regular recipes and start experimenting. I’d use some sweetener (1/2 cup honey or equivalent or 1/3 cup sugar), and bake at 350F, not in a hot oven or this mixture will scorch. Jeff

By: Marla

Marla — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:05:34 +0000

I was wondering if you have a recipe that uses coconut flour?

Thanks.

By: jeff

jeff — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:56:07 +0000

Leena: The science changes all the time, and I can’t make authoritative statements here on the site, and I definitely can’t give medical advice. I’m not aware of any credible body of science that would support statements about a relationship between bread yeast and human diseases (but keep in mind that my lack of awareness doesn’t mean that such evidence doesn’t exist, or that it will never exist). I’m no expert on the question you’ve asked.

All I can say is that the yeast in bread is biologically distinct from yeasts that cause disease in humans… Jeff

By: leena

leena — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:21:24 +0000

Hi This question is for Dr.Jeff:
I was just wondering about yeast products in general.Are they okay for our health.Some people say they are harmful (esp for autistic children, or immunocompromised persons)while others say they are beneficial. Was just wondering what your take on this is Dr.Jeff. Also should a person avoid yeast containing foods if they are prone to yeast infections?Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask this but I was really wondering about this ? for a while now.

By: jeff

jeff — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 01:03:24 +0000

Sarah: All bets are off when you mill your own flour, results are all over the board because moisture content, fineness, the amount of water it will absorb, and other parameters all vary unpredictably. From what you say, I’m guessing that you will benefit from more water— try an extra quarter cup, then next batch another quarter cup.

Zoe and I gave different answers because home-ground flour can be off in either direction– but from what you say, sounds like it’s too dry.

Which of our recipes are you using, and from which book? Jeff

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 21:59:46 +0000

Hello! I love all of your ideas and techniques–they seem very practical! I have tried two batches of the HBin5 master recipe so far…and not with very good results. The dough is not very elastic–I can just reach my hand in and pull a chunk out, no knife needed. And my loaves end up really flat, there’s not much oven spring going on there. As far as I can tell, there are two parts to this problem. One, I live at high altitude. I know your book says to increase the vital wheat gluten and decrease the yeast in this case, which I have done. It did help a little, but the bread still came out rather flat, and the dough was not stretchy. Two, I mill my own flour. I looked at everyone else’s questions and comments to see if you already answered my question about adjusting for home-milled flour. I found something rather interesting…near the top of the page, Jeff said to make the dough wetter, as home-milled flour soaks up more water. Near the bottom of the page, Zoe answered someone else asking the same question by saying that the dough would be too wet, and to add either more vital wheat gluten or flour. So, for baking home-milled wheat bread at high altitude, which do I need more of to get that lovely stretchiness and dome shaped loaves? Water, or flour and vital wheat gluten?

Thanks for your help! I can’t wait to see my loaves turn out as beautiful as yours!

By: Rosemary

Rosemary — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:14:47 +0000

One picture is worth a thousand words. I finally get this! Thank youi!

By: jeff

jeff — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:33:49 +0000

Judy: You may want to use vital wheat gluten if you’re not making your whole grain loaves from our second book. We did a post on how to use VWG at http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=142. I’ve not seen a perforated pan like you describe…

Smaller loaves need less resting and baking time. Orange sized piece probably needs to rest after shaping only about 30 minutes, and baking time decreases to 20. Maybe 25?

By: Judy

Judy — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:17:11 +0000

Unless they’re in a pan, my 100% whole wheat loaves want to expand sideways instead of rising. I end up with flattish bread. Where can I buy a small, round, perforated bread pan?
Another question: How long would I bake a smaller loaf – made from a piece of dough about the size of a Navel Orange?

By: zoe

zoe — Fri, 14 May 2010 04:57:48 +0000

Hi Adrienne,

You need to allow the dough to rest an extra 30+ minutes and it may take up to 45 minutes to bake. This will depend on how tall the loaf is, the flatter loaves bake faster.

Thanks, Zoë