I'm so embarrased! Why is my bread dough like 'grits'

[LaBellaVita]

Need help from the Miss Survival Susie Homemakers!

 

I'm starting to use my grains and have tried to make bread 3 times in the last week, today included, and I need major help! Why is it when I use my freshly milled flour, my dough looks kind of like (brown) grits? I have the Family Grain Mill and it makes flour (not the finest, but looks like flour to me )... it just doesn't look right, its not elasticy and stretchy at all, just this clumpy, grits-textured blob that falls apart... and letting it rise doesn't help, its just a puffier blob of grits.

 

Do I need to double mill my flour?

 

Please help!!! I am wasting so much flour I'm

 

Thank you!

[mom11]

HI!

 

Maybe you need more liquid. I think someone here, mentioned adding ice chips, to the dough, when you knead it.

 

Good luck!

[Kevin B 123]

I too have a Family Grain Mill, and it makes a “gritty’ flour, so I generally mill it twice, after allowing the heat to dissipate from the first milling. Where it is GOOD to be milling your own whole grains into flour, the resulting flour, unless it is of a FINE POWDERY consistency, may not be creating enough GLUTEN to hold the loaf together. My Kitchen-Aid stand Mixer attachment for grinding grain also makes a “gritty” flour, and I often mill it twice.

 

Are you using HARD wheat, or SOFT wheat? Hard wheat has a greater gluten count than does SOFT wheat

 

I learned to combine Bread Flour with my whole grains, and sometimes Vital Wheat Gluten flour ( to ensure a higher gluten content)! When I make RYE, Whole Wheat, or a multi grain loaf, I prefer to Vital Wheat Gluten Flour as an additive.

 

Another thing I learned to do is add the salt, the Gluten flour, after first rise, during second kneeing. Sometimes I add a bit of sugar, and some yeast at this point as well, to help insure the dough rises well!

 

In many doughs, I use “Dough Enhancer”which helps int shelf life of the bread, softens the texture some too.

 

Moisture content of a dough is Just-as-vital-to-a-good-bread, as is proper kneading. To wet a dough can make a thick hard crust, wetter yet a dough and the yeast action can not LIFT the dough ( little or no rising).

[LaBellaVita]

thank you! I did do some double milling today, wondering if that was my problem, but I didn't do the whole batch.

 

I'm using a mixture of hard red and hard white.

 

Bread flour? I'm trying to use my preps so I learn how to use them before , and while I do have a 50 lb bag of bread flour, I was hoping to not have to be tied to flour and just use grains...

 

I did use gluten.

 

Well, this is the Breadbecker's recipe I used:

 

1 1/2 C hot water

1/3 C oil

1/3 C honey

2 t salt

1 egg (optional, I used it)

2 T Lecithin (did not add)

1 t gluten (optional, I used it)

4 - 4 1/2 C freshly milled flour

1/2 C flax seed (optional, I used it)

1 T yeast

 

Guess I'll try it in the morning, with flour, and see if I can get good bread tomorrow. Right now I feel a little bread jinxed.

[Mother]

LBaV, I use all grain to make bread and it does turn out a lot more coarse than when made with fine milled flour but should rise okay, or at least mine does.

 

Here are some things I do that might help.

 

I always double or even triple mill my flour, letting it cool between milling. If you want really fine flour, sift it between times and use the siftings for cooked cereal or just add the siftings to the end of your bread recipe for a crunchy addition.

 

I use hard red and hard white also, usually a bit more red than white as that's the ratio I store.

 

I use all warm liquids and try to use the flour shortly after the last milling so it is also warm.

 

I use no dough conditioners except for a bit of vinegar, which will help with the rise.

 

I add salt to the flour before mixing it in rather than adding it with the yeast as sometimes it can slow the yeast down.

 

I "proof" my yeast, adding it to warm water and a small amount of honey or sugar to "feed" the yeast. Once it starts bubbling well I add the rest of the liquid ingredients and the egg(s)if I'm using them along with the oil or melted fat source.

 

I add the flour slowly, beating well after each addition until too stiff to stir. Then I dump the whole thing out on a floured table and start kneading. I take my time and enjoy taking my frustrations out on the dough . Bread is one of those things that is the better for extra handling.

 

When I start to feel the bread come to life, that is spring back on it's own I know I've developed the gluten well enough to react with the yeast. (I don't use extra gluten in my breads) I try to work it until it really springs back but I like to leave whole grain bread a bit sticky so I know there's enough moisture in it.

 

I roll the dough over and put fresh flour under it and just leave the whole thing set on the table for the first rising. I try to make sure the kitchen is not cold but if it is, I then put it in my BIG bread bowl near a heat source. I cover the dough with a bit of oil and then a towel or plastic wrap while it's rising.

 

When it's doubled in size I punch it down and knead it a bit more. At this point, if I have time, I let it rise again until double before punching it down and then forming it into loaves or buns or ??. This allows the grain to soften as well as the gluten to develop. If I have made a big batch (often four or six loaves worth at a time now, used to be 12) I will form whatever amount I can put in my oven at once and let the rest set to rise a third time then form it in loaves or ? to rise while the first is baking. The more it rises and is punched down the better the gluten develops, within reason that is. You CAN push the envelope and have it dump totally.

 

I know that sound like a lot of work but really it's not, just more time. I love working with the dough and always allow plenty of time for it to rise and to play with it. I rarely have a batch that is not edible and normally the texture is very good.

 

Before you ask me for a recipe,,,,,,I don't USE one. I use three or four pkgs of yeast, in a cup or more of warm water with about a tablespoon of sugar and allow to proof for ten/fifteen minutes or until it bubbles all over. I add several cups of liquid, which includes oil or melted butter, eggs, milk or water or left over veggie or fruit juice, and etc. I sometimes add pureed veggies like green beans or carrots or fruit (about a cup total of those) as that adds nutrients and texture, I sometimes put in left over dried crushed bread/cereal/or other dried flour products that's finely crushed or ground. Sometimes I add left over peanut or other nut butters and whatever else seems to fit in bread. I am always careful not to overwhelm the yeast with extras though and that the foods I put in are not too strong.

 

The amounts of flour I add is variable to the type of liquid and I never measure but use the texture and feel of the dough to go by, a learned skill. If you are using refined flour the dough will be silky feeling and very fine. It will spring back faster and need less kneading. With whole grains the dough is stickier and you have to keep using flour to work into the dough on your fingers to ‘roll’ it off into the dough again and again. It will take longer to get it to start to spring back and will take more kneading. At the end of the kneading the dough should be a bit sticky but not gloppy on your fingers. After the first rising I sometimes clean the flour off the table and oil/grease it and the dough and my hands and knead it that way so as not to add too much flour.

 

The one thing I do know is that making bread is more an acquired art or skill than a recipe. It’s a learning experience and you NEVER stop learning. There is always a new flour or ingredient or process or ? to try out. It is good exercise, builds muscles, and it’s FUN!.

 

Okay, one more suggestion. Try making quick biscuits with your flour. That will give you a good idea of the gluten content. If Baking Powder or Soda can make it rise the yeast should also.

 

Hope something in this post helps. There are as many ways to make bread as there are bread makers and I’m enjoying reading the replies also. Good luck.

 

[LaBellaVita]

Mother, you are my HEROINE!!!

 

Thank you so much! Your answer was way more than I expected!

 

I will print out your reply and start playing w/ my flour again. I do knead my dough until it springs back so it sounds like I'm doing that right.

 

I made some really yummy challah bread last Friday, but the weird thing was I had to add like 2 extra cups of flour (regular) to my recipe to get it to where it was kneadable, it was so globby and sticky! I don't know what is going on w/ my breadmaking lately but I think I need to take it to prayer.

 

I've made good bread before, and thought I was getting it down, but lately w/ the way my luck has been going it makes me feel I just had a stream of good luck.

 

Getting back on that horse...