He wholemeal bread Is a form of bread made with flour that has not been sifted or refined and therefore retains all components of the cereal. We can find some varieties of this delicacy covered with whole grains or fragments of wheat, although it is usually used more with decorative intention in comparison with the nutritional value that can contribute.
It is true that the composition of wholemeal bread varies in quantity and ingredients used, depending on the country in which we find ourselves, even within the same country we can appreciate different ways of elaborating it.
In some cases, the bread is made with whole-grain flour, thus containing all components of the grain under the same conditions that it occurs in nature, without any alteration.
On the other hand, we also find cases in which bread can include a lower proportion of the grain, using bran or wheat germ.
But did you know that altering your composition can even reduce your risk of rancidity? If not told to Canadians, they withdraw a proportion of the wheat germ to fulfill this purpose.
Sometimes the term"wheat bread"is also used to refer to whole wheat bread, but generally as a marketing strategy to give the impression that a bread is produced with the whole grain. Although it is an ambiguous term, it can be misleading since most white bread is also made with wheat flour and can therefore also be called"wheat bread".
In the United States most of what is marketed under the name"wheat bread"has very little grain content. It is mainly made with white flour which adds dye to give it a golden look, giving a deceptive view that its content is formed entirely by whole grains of wheat, when the reality is that it is not.
What did you not know that you can alter the bread in this way with the use of dyes? We still have a lot to learn about whole wheat bread, let's kiss!
Bread production
Although it seemed so simple in its beginnings, making whole-grain bread at one hundred percent proved to be complicated since the dough would be very dense and heavy. For this, at the beginning of the development of the integral bread, it was suggested to mix the conventional flour with the flour made from whole grains.
With the evolution of the same it was investigated until finding the recipe of exact proportions, elaborating the integral bread with one hundred percent in content of whole grains.
For that very reason, in the search for the exact recipe it was proposed to get the best of whole grains. Famed gastronomic journalist Mark Bittman, newspaper contributor New York Times , It was proposed to follow closely this process of integral bread making, thus discovering the three secrets that made possible its manufacture from whole grains.
Well, where are those secrets to finding the perfect recipe? For according to Bittman, we find them in the food processor, in the increase of the mass at night and the fermentation of the mass itself. The greatness of making whole-grain bread entirely from whole grains requires a lot of time, only this way you can get a quality whole-grain bread.
This first secret discovered was the replacement of kneading by the food processor. From the kneading by hand, which takes about 15-20 minutes, we are giving the dough a precipitate treatment using a relatively large amount of yeast.
From the food processor we can"knead"the dough in just 45 seconds. In this way, we get the same movement of the yeast and its development in the same way as in the increase used of the same during an entire night.
This increase throughout the night is another of the secrets. There are those who prefer not to knead manually and they themselves know that the rise during the night is what really makes a good bread, both white or whole or whole grains.
But why does this happen? It turns out to be so because, by reducing the yeast, you can give up the kneader, being able to get a little more yeast in a completely natural way. This gives the bread a more chewy texture, even associating them with the best white breads.
But the most important secret of its elaboration is in the fermented mass. In this way an integral one hundred percent bread obtained from whole grains is obtained. But of course, all fermented whole-grain bread takes a long time, but again, without kneading.
Composition of wholemeal flour and properties
Well, what makes this type of flour different and what properties does it hold? And what happens when you keep the grain of whole wheat? Let us say that the result of grinding the whole wheat grain, preserving all its parts in full, makes us delimit different parts that will make the flour to make the whole wheat bread.
On the one hand, we get the shell, also known as bran, which contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, silica, etc. It also contains fiber, which is fundamental in the regulation of intestinal absorption and mobility.
On the other hand, we also get the wheat germ, which contains proteins and vitamins very important as B1, B2, B6, E, K, etc. Along with large amounts of minerals such as potassium, phosphates, calcium or magnesium, and some trace elements in small quantities, such as zinc, iron, manganese, iodine and fluorine among others.
Finally, we also obtain from the grain of wheat its internal part or albumen, which contains starch and other carbohydrates, necessary for the nervous system. The presence of group B vitamins, which are found in the wheat germ, helps to transform and take advantage of these nutrients adequately. Therefore, carbohydrates are assimilated in a healthy way.
Differences between whole-grain bread and traditional bread
The characteristic of the white bread is the use of white or refined flour. From its milling, only the albumen is extracted to produce the flour, both the shell and the germ are discarded.
Therefore, white bread is deprived of important nutrients in a balanced diet. To this we must add that white bread is added additives and preservatives that can become harmful to our health.
On the other hand, we find white bread and whole bread bran bread, which is made with white flour, to which the shell is added and still remain insufficient as far as the beneficial contribution. This is because it does not have the wheat germ.
As for whole-wheat bread, made with whole-grain flour, they contain the whole grain as specified at the beginning. In this way, it is provided to the bread of all the components that it possesses, the grain of wheat in its natural form. Needless to say, this type of bread far exceeds the amount of nutrients provided by white bread.
It is worth noting that it is considered one of the most complete foods for the organism, hence the reason why we find it in the base of the Nutritional pyramid .
Other aggregates of whole wheat bread
It is true that, from the recipe of whole-grain bread that preserves the whole grain, we can give off a multitude of variations due to the combination of different ingredients.
This means that, depending on the location and use of the ingredients, we get one type or another of whole wheat bread. Some of these common aggregates that we can easily find in whole wheat bread are:
- Rye: Rich in potassium and silica. It is also excellent as a blood thinner. In this way it flexibilizes the glasses and is usually recommended in cases of hypertension , arteriosclerosis And vascular diseases in general.
- Oats: It is a very nutritious cereal, rich in easily assimilable fats, along with calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins of complex B and E. At the same time, it is a very complete food as it stimulates the functioning of the thyroid gland and Helps to regulate the diabetes . Its essential oils are also essential to prevent heart problems and arteriosclerosis. And surprisingly it also has diuretic properties, and helps regulate intestinal transit.
- Poppy seed: Contains soothing properties and in particular helps in the respiratory and urinary tract.
- Sesame seed: It is one of the foods with more calcium. It is also rich in phosphorus and contains Vitamin E .
- Flax Seed: Contains iodine and a high percentage of vitamin E. As regulator of intestinal transit is excellent.
- Caraway: It is also a good digestive, hepatic, antispasmodic and diuretic tonic.
- Corn: Not having gluten or gliadin, makes it very appropriate for celiacs. As for fats, it is the most complete cereal.
- Sunflower seed: Is very nutritious and contains lots of proteins, fibers and minerals, especially iron and potassium. It is also rich in phosphorus and contains in large proportion vitamin E.
- Honey: Due to its easy assimilation, is fundamental for its high energetic and stimulating value. Contains lots of vitamins and minerals.
- Sea salt : Its composition is richer than that of table salt, so it gives the body large doses of minerals, such as iodine.
Recipes
And of course, after talking so much about this nutritious product, we have been hungry, so let's get"hands on the dough"to prepare a delicious whole baguette!
For this we will need the following ingredients:
- 100 grams of rye or whole wheat flour (about 3/4 cup).
- 400 grams of white flour (about 3 cups), adding a little more for the kneading.
- 10 grams of kosher salt (about two and a half teaspoons).
- 6 grams of instant yeast (about two teaspoons).
- Water.
Only three steps are enough to produce a good quality bread:
First step
Using a chopper, mix the dry ingredients and with the machine running we are adding water until a ball is formed. In about 30 seconds we can get this result if we use a cup and a half of water, although it may be possible that a little more is needed. Then let the machine mix for about 30-45 seconds. After this we leave the ball in a bowl, covering it with transparent plastic paper and wait until it rests, 2 to 3 hours.
Second step
Once the dough has rested, cut it in 3 pieces using the minimum amount of flour to avoid sticking. After this, we give it a baguette and cover it with a cloth for about twenty minutes. To avoid sticking in the oven, we can use parchment paper or floured a baking sheet. After this we leave our baguettes in the oven preheated previously to 240 degrees.
Third step
After about 30 minutes of cooking, we make the baguettes several cross cuts and leave them in the oven for another 20-30 minutes, gradually lowering the heat to prevent them to toasting too much. After this we let them cool in a grid and enjoy!