This recipe is from Peter Reinhart's book and is simple to make. It makes one large loaf and is best to use finely ground whole grain flour. His method is a bit different than most when baking but it's the method that I have had the most success with in obtaining light high loaves.

Soaker
184g hard red or hard white flour (1 1/3c + 1T.)
28g  oat bran (4T.)
14g flax seeds (1 1/2 T.)
4g salt (1/2 tsp.)
198g water (3/4 c. + 2T.)

• Mix all the soaker ingredients together in a bowl until all of the flour is hydrated and the ingredients form a ball of dough.
  
• Cover and place in the fridge, this is good for 3 days.

Biga
227g hard red or hard white flour (1 3/4c.)
1g instant yeast (1/4 tsp.)
170g water (3/45 c.)

• Mix all of the biga ingredients together in a bowl and form a ball of dough. It will be tacky, let it rest a few minutes and knead a few times until smoother. Cover and place into the fridge. This is good for up to 3 days

Final Dough
The next day or the day of baking take the biga and soaker out of the fridge. I use them cold but you can let come to room temperature. You will be adding the final ingredients to them.
In a small container mix together:
56g hard red or hard white flour (7 T.)
5g salt (5/8 tsp.)
7g instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
42g honey, or agave nectar or brown sugar (2 1/2 T)

14g vegetable oil (1 T.)

• Lay the biga on the counter and flatten into a disk, then lay the soaker on top and flatten into a disk.
• Cut thru the disk,  into about 12 pieces and put into your mixing bowl. As you are cutting the dough add the final ingredient to the cut up pieces.
• Finally add the vegetable oil to the mixing bowl.
  
• Put the dough hook on and mix for 3 minutes at low speed. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky. If it seems too sticky let the dough rest 5 minutes and come back to see how it feels. If it needs more flour or water adjust as needed. Test to see if you have a windowpane.
  
• Bulk proof for 45-60 minutes until it is about 1 1/2 times it original size.
  
• Shape as a freestanding batard or place into a greased loaf pan. I use a 9 inch pullman pan.
  
• Cover so the top stays moist and let it raise another 45-60 minutes.
  
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, I use a steam pan in the bottom of the oven while preheating.
  
• Place the loaf into the oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes then rotate the pan if needed and continue baking another 20 minutes.
  
• To test for done, the loaf will reach an internal temperature of 195 degrees. It will be rich brown and have a hollow sound when thumped on the bottom.
  

Yeast is a hot commodity lately, it's no where to be found in the supermarkets. There is a way to make your own yeast using fresh or dried fruit and even potatoes will work. This does take a few days to get the yeast going. Watch The Video

Creating yeast water couldn’t be easier, simply combine fruit and water, and you’ll be ready to bake naturally leavened bread in about week. Yeast is all around us, all we have to do to harness it's power. When you create yeast water you are harvesting the yeast that naturally occurs in fruit and vegetable skins or pulp. Avoid using mango, pineapple, kiwi and papaya. these fruits contain a protease enzyme. This enzyme destroys protein and inhibits gluten development.

Supplies Needed:

• 34oz jar glass is best but plastic will work
  
• Funnel

Recipe: From PJ Hamel at King Arthur Flour

• 500g (2 1/4 cups) of water (tap water is fine)
• 50g (1/4 cup) of granulated sugar
• 2 dried dates (pitted or whole)
  

Note: You can use other fruits like organic raisins about 1-2 T. Also different types of sugar would work, even molasses or honey.

Directions:

• Add the fruit, water and sugar to the jar and screw the cap on the jar. Shake vigorously to dissolve the sugar. Loosen the cap a half-turn and put the bottle somewhere warm 78.8°F is optimal. I put the bottle on my freezer or the top of the hot water tank would work in my house.
  
• Shake the bottle twice a day for 4 days. Unscrew the cap daily to let out any pressure buildup, screw it back on, then shake well.
  
• By the end of 4 days, the water should be frothy on top, and you’ll definitely be able to smell the fruit fermenting.

Day 5: Add the following to the bottle:

• 1 dried date
• 5g (1 teaspoon) salt
• 20g (1 1/2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
• 400g (1 3/4 cups) water

Shake the bottle vigorously to dissolve the sugar. Put it back in its warm spot, and shake twice a day, uncapping and recapping each time, for 4 more days.

Baking

• Each bottle of yeast water will yield about six average-sized loaves of bread, minus the 200g you need to save for future loaves.
• Use the yeast water instead of the water or liquid in the bread.
• It may take longer for your loaf to raise, that will depend on the amount of the yeast water used and the strength of the yeast in the water.

Save 200g yeast water plus add the following for future use

• 700g tap water
• 35g sugar
• 3.5g salt
• 2 dried dates
• Shake twice a day for 2 to 3 days, until the yeast water is foaming nicely. Strain out the dates, and store water in the refrigerator.
• Yeast water makes a bread with mild, rather than an assertive sourdough tang. This can be a pro or con, depending on your personal taste.
  

Pros

• There’s very little upkeep; once yeast water is made it can live in the refrigerator for up to a couple of months without being fed.
• Yeast water isn’t fed with flour and there’s no discard; so you’re not throwing away flour, as you might with a standard starter.

Cons

• Since there’s no discard with yeast water, you don’t have the chance to make a lot of yummy recipes that call for sourdough starter discard.
• Making a starter with yeast water takes longer: up to around 16 hours, as opposed to around 6 to 8 hours for a standard sourdough starter.

Focaccia bread are the pizzas of northern Italy they are usually baked in sheet pans and are around 1 inch thick. This is a high hydration dough that is usually topped with simple ingredients like onions, rosemary, and olives. You can top it with what ever you like. This recipe is from Peter Reinhart's "Whole Grain Breads" cookbook.

Ingredients:
4 c. hard red or hard white flour (510g)
1 1/4 tsp. salt (10g)
1 1/4 tsp. instant yeast (4g)
2 c. +2 T. water (482g) warm water
1 1/2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 T. olive oil (21g)

Directions:

1. Place all the ingredients in your mixing bowl except the olive oil. Mix for 2-3 minutes on low speed. The dough will be very sticky but smooth, if needed add a bit extra flour.
2. Now add the olive oil and mix another 15 seconds, long enough to just coat the dough. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. At this point the dough should have some structure not batter like. If it is still too wet and feels like batter add more flour and mix again. The dough should pass the window pane test.
3. Prepare a 17 x 12 inch sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper and oiling it with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
   
4. Grease your hands with olive oil and dump the dough onto the parchment paper in the pan and spread the dough out. It might be difficult to spread and will only cover about half the pan that is fine. Cover with plastic and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. It will raise slightly overnight.
5. The next day remove the pan from the refrigerator about 4 hours before you plan to bake it. Remove the plastic and drizzle 1-2 tsp olive oil over the top. Now with your fingertips press out the dough, starting from the center of the pan moving out to all the corners. This will create dimples as you press. You may have to stop several times and let the dough rest about 10-20 minutes and continue stretching it out.
   
6. Once the dough is stretched out loosely cover the dough with plastic and let it rest at room temperature for about 2-3 hours depending on the room temperature. 
7. Prepare you toppings, Pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. Once you have it in the oven reduce the temperature to 450 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. Add any cheeses at the last 3 minutes of baking
8. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing. If you want a crisp crust remove the parchment paper and put the slices on a screen to crisp up the bottom crust. If you like a soft crust leave it too cool on the parchment paper.

This is a recipe from The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book. All of her recipes are made with 100% whole grain flours. This bread is a good all-around loaf for sandwiches and just perfect for a Reuben sandwich. Below is the exact recipe from Laurel's Kitchen, but I have had better luck with this recipe using a couple of different mixing techniques. Read both methods and decide what will work best for you, they are the same ingredients just put together differently.

Yields: 2 loaves
Bake: 50 minutes
Oven: 350 degrees

Ingredients:
2 tsp. active dry yeast (7g)
1 c. warm water (235g)

3 c. rye flour (385g)
4 c. hard red wheat flour (600g)
2 T. carob powder (18g)
2 1/2 tsp. salt (14g)
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds

1 c. tepid water (235g)
1 1/2 T. honey (30g)
2 T. cider vinegar (30g)
2 T. vegetable oil (30g)

1 c. more water if needed to knead (235g)*

Same Recipe but different mixing techniques:
The reason I have adopted a few different techniques is wheat and rye do not absorb liquid at the same rate. Rye has more fiber and is slower to absorb liquid. Also, they both have gluten but wheat gluten is stronger and is what will lift this bread. I develop the wheat gluten first before adding the rye flour to the mix. Rye also breaks down when over kneaded, which is very easy to do. To overcome all these issues, I take the liquid in the recipe and add some to the wheat flour and develop the gluten until I get a window pane. Then add the rest of the liquid to the rye flour mix and add this to the developed wheat dough. I mix them until just combined, that way the rye is not over mixed.

Recipe:
3 c. rye flour (385g)
2 T. carob powder (18g)
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds
2 T. cider vinegar (30g)
275g water

4 c. hard red wheat flour (600g)
2 tsp. instant yeast (7g)
2 1/2 tsp. salt (14g)
2 T. vegetable oil (30g)
2 T. honey (30g)
425g water

Directions:

1. The Rye flour, carob, caraway seeds, vinegar, and water add to the mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment until is mixed. Take out of the mixer and put on the counter
2. Add the wheat flour, yeast, salt, oil, honey and water to the mixer and mix with the paddle until mixed. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Put the dough hook on and knead the wheat flour for 5-10 minutes until the gluten is developed. The dough will be elastic, remove from the bowl and place dough on the counter
4. Make a disk out of the wheat dough and the rye dough. Lay one on top of the other and cut into hunks and return to the mixer.
5. Knead until completely mixed, do not over knead. The dough will be sticky, if you need too, remove and finish the kneading by hand.
   
6. Continue with the directions from step 7 bulk proof.

I think one of the hardest things to achieve is a good place to proof your dough. Everyone's home is different in temperature and humidity so what might work for some is not the best option for others. There are so many options to proofing your dough, some folks even proof overnight in the fridge.

I ferment the dough in the fridge overnight but then I get it out and put the bread together in the morning. After kneading the dough I bulk proof it in my proofing box. I have tried many different proofing boxes and this one is simple to make, very inexpensive, easy to clean, and stores away until needed. In my kitchen space limitations are an issue, I keep the proofing box on a rolling cart that must fit under a shelf. So the height of the plastic tub in my circumstances was an issue. I used two plastic tubes about 6 inches in height. There was nothing available in the correct height and width that would work for my situation. 

Supplies Needed

• 2 plastic tubs minimum of  6 inches in heights the length and width is up to you - clear plastic is best so you can see into it.
• Fish Aquarium heater - they are under $20.00 (check temperature range on the model)
• Clips to hold the tubs together
• Some sort of rack to fit inside that water will not damage and hold your bowl or pans above the warm water.

I have my proofing box on a rolling cart, which makes it easier to move around. Once filled with water it can be a bit on the heavy side. When not in use my proofing box is rolled under a shelf out of the way.

According to the directions you must fill the water about 1 inch in depth above the  fish aquarium heater. The heater will hold the water at a constant temperature of 90 degrees just about perfect for bread.

The rack is just something I found at the thrift shop and chopped it in half to fit inside the tub. Once loaded with the loaves, I put the other tub on top and clip them together. Since they are clear you can see how the bread is coming along.

Cleaning is a breeze, just drain the water and wipe down the tubs and store away. I hope this information will help you to come up with a workable solution to getting your bread to raise to new heights.

 No matter what type of flour you use or style of bread you bake you need to develop the gluten enough to achieve a "windowpane". This is the most reliable method to determine when the gluten in the dough has been developed enough to give you a nice light high loaf.

To determine if your dough is ready cut off a small piece of the dough and gently stretch and pull on the piece turning it as you are pulling. The idea is you want to see if you can pull the dough enough to form a thin translucent membrane, like a windowpane. If the dough rips right away the gluten is not developed enough and you will continue to knead the dough and try the test again.

Because of all the fiber (bran) in the dough it is more difficult to achieve the windowpane. That is why I believe an indirect method for making bread with whole grains is so much easier. The fact you let it ferment overnight allows the bran to soften and will reduce it from cutting the gluten strands when trying the achieve your windowpane.

If you are kneading your dough by hand there is little chance you will over knead it, your arms will give out first. I use a 7 quart mixer which is larger than most have at home so it does not take that long to achieve a good windowpane about 5 minutes. If your mixer is smaller it may take a few minutes longer. Put your timer on, after remove the dough and check it with your hands is it stretchy, you will get the feel of it with practice. The pictures below give you a good idea of how thin you need to stretch the dough to see light thru it.

Naan is like pizza dough or a thick flour tortilla. One of the things I love about it is you can use your leftover sourdough starter to make it. This recipe comes from Peter Reinhart's book, "Whole Grain Breads". The recipe in the book does not use sourdough but here is how to use your starter.
Recipe (Whole Grain Breads)
3 1/2 c. Hard Red or White (454g)
1 1/8 tsp. salt (9g)
1 tsp.  instant yeast  (4g)
1 1/2 c. +2T  (369g) buttermilk  or soy milk, or water combination
2 T. butter melted (28g)

Example of how I used my Desum
Desum weight 463g at 75% hydration
To find out how much flour and water is in 463g this is what you do

463g Desum = 265g flour
1.75

465g Desem - 265g flour = 198g water
This piece of Desum is made up of 265g of flour and 198g of water

Adjusted Naam Recipe From Below
189g Hard White flour
9g salt
4g instant yeast
171g buttermilk
28g butter
Dough weight 684g divided by 8 = 108g ea

Directions
In mixer add flour, salt, yeast, melted butter, buttermilk or combination of water with the liquid. Put on the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until it comes together. Switch to the dough hook and kneed for about 3 minutes until it forms a ball. It will be slightly sticky, especially if you used your sour dough starter. If it's too wet, add a bit more flour about 1 tablespoon for now.

Take it out of the bowl and kneed a couple of times on the counter. Let it rest about 5 minutes on the counter. You can ferment it overnight if you like in a covered container. Since I used my sour dough starter I skipped this step and made them right away for dinner.

The recipe calls for the dough to be cut into 5 pieces. I find this is too large of a serving size for me. I divided the dough into 8 pieces (108g) each.

Roll each piece into a ball cover them with plastic to raise double in size. This was about 30 minutes, but if the dough was cold it will take longer.

Roll out to about 8 inches in diameter, and 1/4 inch thick. I rolled mine out on  individual pieces of plastic so I could pick them up and place them into the pan with ease.

I cooked mine in a large hot skillet on the stove top. They cook quickly about 3 minutes, on the stove. Flip them over and finish on the other side. You will know they are done when they start to caramelize with brown spots. Put them into the oven if you want to keep them warm before serving. These freeze very well, so I always keep a supply in the freezer for quick meals.

Pane Bianco is an Italian white bread filled with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and cheese, which is shaped into a figure 8.

 This recipe is based on a recipe in "Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book", called "Busy People's Bread". Looking back on the original recipe I have changed it quite a bit. This is a straight dough which means you do not let it sit overnight to ferment. 

This dough is a bit stiff, so don't be shocked when you are mixing it. Even though it's stiff, It raises very nicely and is very easy to handle and shape. It makes 12 good size Hamburger buns and I also use it for making  a dozen Calzones. How you shape it and stuff it will make a totally different bread. You can make individual rolls a single large loaf or a couple of free form smaller loaves.

Bake: 375 degrees first 5 minutes - then turn down to 350 degrees
           Bake time Rolls 15-20 minutes
           Bake time large loaf will be around 45 minutes 
           Bake time 2 smaller loaves 30 minutes    

Recipe for the dough
642g Hard White (5 1/3 cup)
3/4 tsp. dried malt powder (you can omit if you like)
8g Salt (3/4 tsp.)
10g Yeast (3 1/2 tsp.)

Liquid
45g Cane Syrup (honey) (2 T. +1 tsp.)
408g Water (1 3/4 cup)

20g Butter (1 1/2 T.)
10g Soy Flour (1 1/2 T.) - dough conditioner

Filling
1 cup grated cheese - your preference
1 cup dried tomatoes or oven roasted tomatoes
1 T. dried Italian herb mix - use fresh basil, parsley, oregano, garlic (twice the amount as the dried)
2 T. olive oil
Mix the herbs with the olive oil and tomatoes

Directions

• Develop the gluten, (mix 3 minutes) Remove from the mixer and place the dough on the counter and flatten it out.
• Soften the butter and add the soy flour to form a paste. Spread the paste onto the dough and cut the dough into pieces and add back to the mixer bowl.
• Knead until the butter mixture is incorporated into the dough. The dough will now be softer. If should only take about 2 minutes.
• Bulk proof for 30 minutes
• Meanwhile, cut into small pieces the oven roasted tomatoes or use dried ones. Chop the basil and other fresh herbs or use a dried Italian mix and grate the cheese.
• After the bulk proof, gently deflate the dough. Depending on if you are making a traditional loaf or rolls the technique will be the same. For a large loaf roll out the dough 20 x 8 1/2" rectangle. Spread with the cheese, and tomato herb mixture over the dough.
  
• Starting with one long edge, roll the dough into a log the long way. Pinch the edges to seal. Place the log seam-side down on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. If you want 2 smaller free form loaves cut the log in half.
• Using kitchen shears, start 1/2" from one end and cut the log lengthwise down the center about 1" deep, (DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY THRU just enough to expose the filling) Cut to within 1/2" of the other end.
• Keeping the cut side up, form an "S" shape. Tuck both ends under the center of the "S" to form a "figure 8;" pinch the ends together to seal.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, 30 - 45 minutes. Until it has doubled in bulk and springs back lightly when touched.
• While the loaf is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, for a large loaf tenting it with foil the last 10 minutes to keep from getting to brown.
• Remove the bread from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool.