There is something about rubbing freshly ground flour between your fingers. It has a grit, a texture, that you don’t get even in stone ground flour. I suppose this would have been highly undesirable in times past, peasant flour in a way. Yet, there is something alluring about it. The smell is incredible, it smells sweet. The flavor compares to nothing. It is fresh flour, ground minutes before you use it! I kept putting off grinding our flour until I painfully ran out of pre-ground flour and faced a stark truth: either I start grinding or I had to skulk my way into the store and buy flour – and admit that to Kirk – considering he had bought me 25 lbs of white wheat berries that were staring back at me. And that months ago Kirk had bought me a Vitamix Blender with the dry container on the side…I was out of excuses.
Frozen wheat berries ready to be ground after measured:
Grinding the flour in the dry container, it takes about a minute. I do 1½ cups berries each round, it seems to give better results, although you can do up to 2 cups at a time:
Closeup of the flour:
Freshly ground and ready to use:
As for the bread? A simple 6 ingredient recipe that I adapted from 100 Days of Real Food. It goes together quickly, although you should babysit the dough in the first kneading to make sure it is perfect. It is a simple bread where the freshly ground flour shines through in taste.
Honey White Whole Wheat Bread
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups water (around 80°)
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 20 ounces freshly ground white whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2¼ tsp active yeast
Directions:
Add the water, honey and oil to the bread pan. Place 17 ounces of the flour on top. salt and yeast, set for a 2 lb whole wheat loaf, medium crust. During the first kneading watch the dough and add more flour as needed – you may need 2 to 3 ounces more, add it slowly, watching the dough knead, it should pull away from the sides and be smooth but not sticky.
After baking knock out and let cool fully before slicing.
Makes a 2 lb loaf. Store wrapped, best if eaten within 2 days.
~Sarah
Proudly made in our Vitamix Blender:
