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.

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.

Pretzel Buns are all the rage now in the bakeries and high end restaurants. How to achieve the dark crunchy crust is not hard and something you can do with your favorite roll or bun recipe. By simply adding a final step to your bread making process your buns will look like a million bucks.

13 Stages of Bread Making
Mix your dough and bulk proof until double in bulk. Punch it down, round the dough and divide your dough into the sizes you want for your buns. Place your buns on your pan, keep them covered and let them raise. While they are raising you will prepare the water bath.

Water bath Recipe
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup baking soda

The water bath gives your buns a dark brown color and a wonderful pretzel flavor. You do not need a large deep pan, a 10" electric frying pan works very well.

Bring the water, salt, and baking soda to a boil. When your buns have risen, drop several of them into the boiling water bath. Cook for about 30 seconds then flip them over for another 30 seconds. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and put them back onto the baking sheet. repeat this procedure with all of the buns.

For that signature pretzel bun look, use scissors or a sharp knife to cut 1/2″-deep crosses into the center of each bun. This step is optional; but will give your buns a pattern when they bake.

Sprinkle each bun with the topping of your choice. If you use sea salt as the topping reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. You could use any seeds, onions anything that will give them a nice look.

The additional water bath causes the buns to brown quicker then usual so I suggest that you put then on a lower rack in the oven to bake. Bake as usual but keep your eye on them. If they are getting a bit to brown cover them with foil for the remaining baking time.

Hint:
Bake smaller buns for a shorter amount of time; larger buns, longer. If you have a digital thermometer, the temperature of a perfectly baked bun will be 190°F at its center.

If you’re baking two pans of buns, and they both won’t fit on a lower rack, it’s OK to bake one while the other sits. The water bath has stopped a lot of the yeast action, so the waiting buns won’t let them over-rise.

Salt-topped buns are best consumed the day they’re made.The salt on top of the buns will dissolve into the bun. This will result in a puckered appearance of your buns. Buns topped with seeds rather than salt hold up better, though they still suffer a little bit of puckering due to the salt in the water bath.

Sources
King Arthur Flour

If  you have a few recipes that work for you and would like to use them  more often but change them for a different look and taste knowing something about herbs is helpful. The basic whole grain bread I teach in my class is just that recipe, it's easy to make and always turns out great. With the addition of a few items it can be a whole different recipe.

When adding additions to bread there are two considerations:
1) Will the additions alter the liquid in the recipe, what I mean by that, is the addition something that is moist,  like sweet potatoes or onions.  You may have to reduce the liquid in the recipe to accommodate the extra moisture.  If it's something that sucks up the moisture, for example oats or bran you may have to add more liquid to the recipe.

2) Will the addition be difficult to eat, (hard or tough) you may need to soften it. This for example would be seeds or nuts. My rule is if it's hard to chew, then cook it before adding it to the bread. Then there may be the issue of additional moisture added to the recipe that you may have to deal with.

Usually I want to keep it simple and not guess at the liquid variable or precook anything at the last minute. So adding dry, or fresh herbs is one way to achieve a different taste without all the hassle.

Add your additions to the recipe on day 2 when mixing the Biga and Soaker together with the final ingredients.

Rosemary Herb Combination per loaf
2 tsp.  finely chopped (dried) rosemary or 2 T. fresh
1 tsp. chopped (dried) oregano or 1 T. fresh
1 tsp. chopped (dried) Basil or 1 T. fresh

This is a very nice combination that I use in rolls, but makes good hamburger buns also. When I make hamburgers with grilled onions and cheese these rosemary buns are just the perfect combination.

Olive Bread  per loaf
1/2 c. Kalamata olives drained well, pitted and chopped
1 tsp. finely chopped (dried) rosemary or 2 T. fresh
1/2 tsp. sesame seeds

Lots of flavor, but if you don't drain the olives well, you may have to add a couple of extra tablespoons of flour in your final recipe.

Carrot Herb Bread per loaf
Recipe is for dried herbs, if you use fresh use twice the amount
50g carrot grated (about 1 med. carrot)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sage
1 tsp. dill weed
1 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin seeds

Note: This makes nice rolls and a pretty loaf, and is my favorite for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Sweet Spice Mix (2 tsp of the mix per loaf)
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves

Use no more than 2 tsp. of the mix for a loaf of bread. The cinnamon will effect the yeast growth. This is  great in any sweet bread, quick bread or pancakes. Even 1 tsp. added to your coffee grounds when you perk coffee in the morning and will give it a special flavor. This is perfect in scones, cinnamon toast,  or sweet rolls I always make extra because it's so good in any sweet bread recipe

Experiment with your own combinations and create something special.
Tamara