The next time you get out your grain mill to grind some fresh-ground whole wheat, whip up one of these delicious, old-fashioned recipes. (Not yet into grinding your own? Learn more in Using a Grain Mill.)
Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
1 pkg. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs. sea salt
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1/4 cup shortening
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups sifted unbleached flour
Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
Dissolve brown sugar in lukewarm water, add with shortening, whole wheat flour (stirred before measuring) and 1 cup of the unbleached flour to yeast. Beat thoroughly to mix well.
Stir in remaining flour to make a dough that leaves sides of the bowl. Turn out on floured board, cover and let rest for 10 to15 minutes. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Place in greased bowl; turn dough over once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 and a half hours. (I usually put the dough in the oven and put pans of hot water around it. The humidity helps.)
Punch down. Turn onto board and divide in half; round up each half to make a ball. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Shape into loaves and place in two greased bread pans. Let rise until dough reaches top of pan on sides and the top of loaf is well-rounded; about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit) about 45 minutes, covering loosely with foil for the last 20 minutes if necessary, to prevent excessive browning. Makes two loaves.
Whole Wheat Gingerbread Recipe
1/2 cup butter
2 Tbs. sugar
3/4 cup light molasses
1 cup sifted unbleached flour
1 cup stirred while wheat flour
1 tsp. ginger
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup raisins
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and molasses and stir to blend.
Sift together into a large mixing bowl unbleached flour, whole wheat flour (return chaff to sifted ingredients), ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in nuts and raisins.
Beat eggs and milk together until blended, add to mixing bowl along with molasses mixture. Stir to moisten all ingredients. Then beat mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until well blended (about 70 strokes). Bake in 8-inch-by-8-inch buttered pan for 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.
Whole Wheat Pancakes Recipe
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
2 well-beaten eggs
Combine all above ingredients. (I also include about 1/4 cup wheat germ). Make large cakes and spread while hot with butter and syrup. (I like jelly.) If you have access to lots of maple syrup, add it to the batter replacing the sugar and part of the milk. Makes about 16 pancakes, depending on the size.
Whole Wheat Waffles Recipe
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup melted shortening or oil
Combine flour, baking powder. Stir to mix. Beat egg whites and set aside.
Beat egg yolks; add milk and shortening. Add all at once to flour mixture and beat until dry ingredients are moistened.
Fold in egg whites, leaving little fluffs of them showing in batter. Pour onto hot waffle iron, bake until steaming stops or signal light indicates waffle is baked.
Whole Wheat Biscuits Recipe
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk (about)
Cut shortening into the flours, and baking powder. Stir in enough milk to make a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl and sticks to the mixing fork.
Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead 15 times. Roll a quart to a half-inch thick. Cut with 2-inch cutter (or drinking glass dipped in flour) and place on ungreased sheet. For soft sides place close together, 1-inch apart for crusty sides.
Bake in hot oven (450 degrees) 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve at once. Makes 12 to16 biscuits.
Whole Wheat Muffins Recipe
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbs. sugar (beet, or turbinado)
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup oil (corn or sesame seed)
Sift together flour, baking powder and sugar.
Combine egg, milk and oil. Add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring only enough to moisten.
Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degree (hot oven) about 20 minutes. Makes 12 medium-sized muffins.
Whole Wheat Cupcakes Recipe
1-3/4 cup whole wheat flour (stirred before measuring)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Cream shortening; gradually adding sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg yolks, one at a time beating well after each. Sift together dry ingredients (return the chaff to the sifted ingredients) and add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and carefully fold into batter. Pour into two greased 8" layer pans or into cupcake tins. Bake in preheated moderate oven (375 degrees) for about 25 minutes; cool on rack for 5 minutes; remove from pan.