Sprouted KAMUT Bread with no Flour

A couple of months ago, a visitor commented on my Sprouted Wheat Bread with no Flour post and asked if I had experimented with making a sprouted bread completely with KAMUT.

KAMUT is a heritage grain and a descendent of Emmer wheat. The kernel of this wheat is larger than modern wheat and it has a rich, buttery flavor.

Well you know me, I’m always up for a challenge especially when it involves sprouted bread so I decided to give it a try.

I started this experiment several weeks ago, but the KAMUT berries sprouted before I had time to use them and they ended up sprouting too much to use in bread. I ate them in salad instead.

I had some time over the Thanksgiving Holiday so I tried this experiment again and this time it worked.

 

Sprouted KAMUT Bread with no Flour

Makes: 1 Loaf

Adapted from: The Laurel’s Kitchen Bread Book by Laurel Robertson with Carol Flinders & Bronwen Godfrey

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (1 1/4 lb or 575 g) KAMUT berries
• 1 teaspoon (1/8 oz or 3.5 g) instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) warm water
• 2 teaspoons (11 g) salt
• 3 scant tablespoons (40 ml) honey

 

Method:

Step 1: Sprout the KAMUT berries

Rinse the grains and cover with room temperature water.  Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the grains soak for 12 to 18 hours.

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Tip: The trick to sprouting wheat berries is to sprout them just enough so that the sprout is barely peeking out. If you only let it sprout a little bit, then you can make lighter yeast bread. If you let them sprout too long before you grind it, then it makes a dense loaf.

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Sunday morning. I started this process mid morning on Sunday and rinsed them the first time early Monday morning before work.  It ended up being about 20 hours.

 

After 18 hours, drain the berries, then rinse with fresh water, and place the bowl in a dark place with a damp cloth over it.  Rinse the grains every 12 hours for 2 days or until the sprout is just beginning to appear on the grain.

Monday evening. The berries were a little soft but not quite ready so I rinsed them again and placed them in a colander over a bowl to drain overnight. I covered them with a kitchen towel.

Tuesday afternoon. I removed the grains from the colander and placed them on a kitchen towel to dry.  The sprouts were just barely starting to peek out. I covered them with another towel. I’ve tried this with paper towels but the grains stick to the paper so using a kitchen towel works better.

 

Tuesday evening. I placed the sprouted grains in a plastic bag and put them in the refrigerator until I was ready to bake the next evening. You can keep them in the refrigerator for a day or two, but they will keep growing so don’t wait too long or you’ll end up with gummy bread.

 

Step 2: Process the Dough

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Note: A good food processor works really well for this part. If you’re using a standard food processor, divide all of the ingredients in third and process the mixture in batches using the metal blade (not the dough blade).  Knead the three dough balls together before the rising and baking.

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Take the berries out of the refrigerator. Add the sprouted berries and the rest of the ingredients to a food processor and process the mixture until the ground wheat forms a ball. This will take about one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then process again for another couple of minutes. Stop processing before the ball falls apart.

 

I processed the sprouts until they formed a dough but left some of the pieces to add texture.  Then I kneaded it on the counter for a few minutes.

 

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

Place the dough ball in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about an hour and a half. I placed it in my proofing box at 70 degrees F. to proof.

 

Check the dough by gently poking the center about 1/2-inch deep with your finger.  If your finger leaves an indentation and the dough doesn’t fill back in, it is ready for the next step. 

 

Take the dough out of the bowl and press it into a smooth round, then place it back in the bowl to rise again for 1 1/2 hours.  If your dough is cold (which it probably will be since you started with cold wheat berries), then the first rise may take awhile. Check the dough again by pressing it with your finger.  If an indentation remains, the dough is ready to be shaped.

 

Step 4: Shape the Loaf

Place the dough onto a lightly greased surface and knead it into a round using wet hands.

 

Gently flatten it into a rough round on a lightly oiled surface.

 

Shape the dough into a loaf by folding the bottom third up to the middle, then fold the top down toward the middle like an envelope.

 

Step 5: Proof the Loaf

Turn the loaf seam-side down and roll it back and forth until you get a uniform shape.  Place the loaf seam-side down in a greased 8” x 4” loaf pan.

 

Let the loaf rise in a draft-free place until it returns a gently made fingerprint.  This could take another hour or two.  I placed the loaf in the proofer at 70 degrees again.

 

Step 6: Bake the Loaf

Bake the loaf for about an hour at 350 degrees F.  If your bread rises a lot, the baking time won’t be as long.  My bread didn’t rise that much so I baked it the full hour to make sure it wasn’t gummy in the center.

Step 7: Cool the Loaf

Remove the loaf to a wire rack to cool.

 

Step 8: Slice and Enjoy!

This bread is a little dense, but it has lots of chew and flavor. I sliced it thin and ate it with butter and cheese.  You can really taste the wheat flavor. I happen to enjoy that. The texture on the inside is not gummy at all. 

 

I rushed the final proofing a little bit because it was getting late so I think this bread could be made a little bit lighter if you give it more time to rise. I also think it could be processed a little more in the food processor.  I was trying not to over process it, but it may have been a little under processed.  I will try this bread again sometime, but I ran out of KAMUT berries.

 

You might also enjoy Sprouted KAMUT Bread with bread flour.

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

Sprouted Einkorn Bread with no flour

A few weeks ago, a visitor to my blog commented on the sprouted wheat bread with no flour post. She wanted to know if I had experimented with and had any success with sprouted bread lately.  Well, now that you mention it, it has been awhile since I’ve made bread using only sprouted wheat. So you know what that means… it’s time to experiment again. For this experiment, I used the ancient grain Einkorn rather than hard red spring wheat.  

I really enjoy making sprouted wheat bread. The sprouting process is fun and it provides a host of nutritious benefits. Sprouting the grain produces vitamin C and increases the vitamin B and Carotene content, and neutralizes phytic acid, which is a substance that inhibits the absorption of calcium and a number of other minerals. Complex sugars are also broken down and enzymes which aid in digestion are produced during the germination. All good things in my book.

 

I’ve made this Sprouted Einkorn Bread with no flour two times so far. The first time, I let the grains soak for about 12 hours, then rinsed and drained them and let them sprout overnight at room temperature. The next morning, I rinsed and drained them again and put them in the refrigerator for a day before I baked the bread. In this heat, that turned out to be a bit too long to let the sprouts grow, particularly since they continue to grow a bit in the refrigerator. I also used the wrong size loaf pan for the first attempt. I used a 9” x 5” loaf pan, but should’ve used the smaller 8” x 4” size.

Here is a photo of the first attempt.  I took photos of the sprouting process for the first bread, but somehow I lost them. I do have photos of the 2nd attempt. This bread was a bit dense, but had great flavor.  It tasted good with Spicy Peach Butter and with cheese. 

 

The key to success with this bread is to only let the grains sprout until the tiny sprouts are just barely beginning to show.  So for the second attempt, I only let the grains soak about 16 hours.  The sprouts were just barely peeking out.  After the 16 hours, I drained the grains thoroughly and put them in the refrigerator overnight.  I started the process of making the loaf the next day. 

This is the process I used for the 2nd loaf.

 

Sprouted Einkorn Bread

Makes: One Loaf

Adapted from The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole Grain Breakmaking by Laurel Robertson.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups (575 g) Einkorn berries (makes about 6 cups sprouted)
• 1 teaspoon (3.5 g) active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) warm water
• 2 teaspoons (11 g) salt
• 3 scant tablespoons (40 ml) honey

 

Directions:

Step 1: Sprouting the Einkorn Berries

Tip: Only sprout the berries until the sprout is just beginning to show and the berry is tender.  In hot weather, it doesn’t take very long.

Begin by rinsing the grains and covering them with tepid water.  Let them soak for about 12 to 18 hours at room temperature.

 

Here are the Einkorn grains after soaking for 16 hours.  The sprout is just barely peeking out.

 

This is a close up of the tiny sprouts.  Aren’t they cute!  The grain is soft and pliable at this point. Place the sprouted grains in the refrigerator until they are cool.  You can leave them in there a day or two, but keep in mind that the sprouts will continue to grow in the refrigerator so don’t leave them in there too long or you’ll end up with a sticky and dense bread that doesn’t bake through all the way.

 

Step 2: Mixing the dough

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for about 10 minutes until foamy.  Then add the sprouts, the dissolved yeast, honey and salt and process in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, not the dough blade. You can do this part in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size/power of your food processor.  I just got a more powerful food processor so it was able to handle the whole batch at one time.

 

Process until the sprouted grains form a ball.  This will take about a minute.  Then scrape down the sides of the bowl, and process two minutes more.  If you’re doing this in several batches, divide the ingredients by thirds and process each batch, then knead the dough balls together.

 

Step 3: Bulk Fermentation

Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl.  Cover and place it in a warm draft-free place.  Let the dough proof for about an hour and a half.

 

Gently poke the center of the dough with a wet finger.  If the hole doesn’t fill in, then the dough is ready.  If is does fill in, let it proof a little while longer.

Note: At this point, I ran out of time so I placed the dough in the refrigerator overnight.

 

Next Day:

I took the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for a couple of hours to warm up to room temperature. 

Continue Step 3: Bulk Fermentation:

Press the dough flat and form it again into a smooth ball.  Place the dough ball in a greased bowl and allow it to rise again.  This second rise shouldn’t take as long as the first rise since the dough will be warmer.

 

Step 4: Shaping the Dough:

Using water to prevent your hands from sticking, gently spread out the dough into a rough rectangle.

 

Shape the dough into a smooth loaf and place in a greased 8” x 4” loaf pan.  This time I used the appropriate size loaf pan.

 

Step 5: Proofing the Dough

Let it rise about 30 minutes in a warm, draft-free place (such as your oven with the light turned off). 

 

Step 6: Baking the Loaf

Bake the loaf for about an hour at 350 degrees F.  If your bread rises really well, it may not take that long.  It didn’t take mine quite an hour to bake through.

 

Step 7: Cooling the Loaf

Remove the loaf from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing.

 

Step 8: Slice and Enjoy!

This bread rose better than the first attempt, but I think it would’ve risen better if I hadn’t put the dough in the refrigerator overnight. It was dense, but not as dense as the first one.  It had a great flavor.  I gave this one to my taste tester to enjoy.

 

I hope you’ll try this bread and let me know how it works out for you.  I plan to try it again sometime without placing the dough in the refrigerator overnight to see the difference.  It should rise a little bit better. 

Happy Baking!

Cathy

 

Whole Wheat Bread with no added fat or sweetener

Are you looking for a 100% Whole Wheat Bread that can be made with no added fat or sweetener? 

I have just the bread for you…

It’s called Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread and it’s made with Super Sprout^TM from Lindley Mills.  Super Sprout^TM is a whole grain organic wheat that has been sprouted using a proprietary method and milled into flour for baking. The wheat flavor of this sprouted flour is deeper, smoother and more well-rounded than plain whole wheat flour.

I learned about Super Sprout^TM  at the Asheville Bread Baking Festival during Peter Reinhart’s workshop. He baked some Sprouted whole wheat loaves and Sprouted Whole Wheat focaccia with Cranberries for the demonstration. Both were delicious.

I took the following photo before the room was filled to capacity.  Everyone wanted to see what Peter Reinhart was up too.  We weren’t disappointed.

 

Here is Peter Reinhart showing us the loaves.  We got to sample them as well.

This is Peter Reinhart demonstrating how to make some artisan loaves with the dough.

I liked this method and the bread so much, I decided to get some of the flour and try it for myself.

The nutritional information on the package states that, “sprouting greatly enhances the nutrition and digestibility of wheat. The body sees sprouted wheat more as vegetable than a grain.  The sprouting process jump-starts digestion and provides a far superior nutritional value for your body.” 

 

Super Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread

 

Makes: 1 loaf

Source: Master Formula from Peter Reinhart’s workshop at the Asheville Bread Baking Festival

The dough is very easy to work with. It does not require a long fermentation time to develop the flavor or structure of the bread.

Due to the sprouting process, the sprouted wheat flour remains soft and tender without the addition of oil or fat which is usually added to 100% whole wheat bread.  The flour is also naturally sweet so it does not require the addition of sweeteners for most breads.  However, if you want to make sweet, enriched dough such as cinnamon buns or brioche, you can add some fat and sweetener.

Another interesting difference with sprouted wheat flour is that sprouting the wheat changes the flour enough so that many of the rules for artisan breads, such as the use of preferments and long, slow rising times, can be accomplished by the flour itself in less time because the enzyme activity provided by the long fermentation times is already accomplished during the sprouting process.

 

Ingredients:

16 oz (454g) sprouted whole wheat flour

0.25 oz (7g) (1 teaspoon) salt

0.16 oz (4.5g) (1 1/2 teaspoons) instant yeast (1/2 oz – if using fresh yeast)

14.5 oz (411g) water (room temperature)

 

Directions:

Mix on slow speed with the paddle (not the hook) for one minute.  I used a Danish dough whisk rather than a stand mixer.

 

Let the dough rest for 5 minutes, then increase to medium speed and mix for two minutes.  I mixed it again with the Danish dough whisk.

 

Remove the dough to a lightly oiled work surface and perform one stretch and fold.

 

Transfer the dough to an oiled container (or cover the dough on the oiled work surface with a bowl).

Perform three additional stretch and folds at 5 minute intervals (these intervals can be extended to up to twenty minutes each).

After the final stretch and fold, place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and ferment for 60 to 90  minutes at room temperature (shorter if using a proof box).

 

Shape the dough for either sandwich loaf or hearth baking.  I wanted some whole wheat sandwich bread so I shaped it into a sandwich loaf.  My dough was a little wet so it was a bit tricky to shape.

 

Mist the top of the loaf with pan spray and cover loosely with plastic wrap (for hearth baking you can use a couche).  

 

Proof for 60 to 80 minutes, or as needed.

 

For hearth bread, bake at 450 degrees F/220 degrees C with steam for approximately 30 to 35 minutes.  For sandwich loaf, bake at 375 degrees F/191 degrees C for approximately 45-55 minutes. 

I baked my sandwich loaf at 350 degrees F until it registered 205 on an instant read thermometer.  It was still a little bit sticky in the middle so I turned the oven off and opened the door but left the loaf in the oven for about 5 to 10 minutes more.

Remove from the oven and let the loaf cool on a wire rack.

I brushed the top of the loaf with butter, but once I tasted it, I realized it didn’t need the butter on top.  I should’ve left it alone.

It tasted great plain or with butter or peanut butter.  My boyfriend described it as “total deliciousness!”

 

This bread has been YeastSpotted. Please visit Wild Yeast to view all of the lovely breads in the roundup.

I’m sure you’ll want to try this sprouted wheat flour too; however, you’ll have to wait. It’s coming soon to a store near you. I spoke with the folks at Lindley Mills last week and they’re working on setting up distribution channels. I’ll let you know when I find out any more details. 

By the way, the cost of the flour was very reasonable.  I was able to make this bread for under $2.00 since I didn’t have the extra cost of the fat or sweetener just a little bit of salt and the dried yeast. 

 

Thanks for joining me in the bread baking blog.  I hope you’ll join me again soon.

 

Happy Baking!

Cathy