
Have you ever looked at a list of whole grains and wondered how to use them in baking instead of cooking them? We get questioned about whole grain baking often. This baking guide covers some of the basics but it will help you immensely.
Most of our ancient grains experience is in the realm of quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, millet, teff, and some with buckwheat. We use mostly the whole grain flours and particulates, as opposed to refined flours. Although some circles have a much broader definition, these are the grains that are most commonly considered to be “ancient.” Use fresh-milled meals whenever possible for the best quality and no rancid-fat flavor notes. Store meal flours in a cool, dry place for best results. These flours are gluten-free and therefore need to be either used with xanthan gum, eggs, or coupled with wheat flour to achieve good textures in baking. These flours and meals are often used in cakes, cookies, crackers, flat-breads, tortillas, and muffins.
Usage example – in cookies have found that sorghum and millet impart crunchiness, while whole quinoa flour results in a softer texture.
Depending on the wheat flavor’s strength (red wheat being the most assertive flavor), the bread can change a lot with those flavor changes. The protein content of all these berries will give you excellent bread:
Of course, there are many other tips for baking with whole grain, but these are the most basic uses and directions. Happy baking!