BS: White Whole Wheat Flour

Subject: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: CarolC
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 09:05 AM

I found out about this recently when JtS brought home a loaf of bread that was labeled "Whole Grain White Bread". I was skeptical that white bread could be whole grain, so I Googled "white wheat", and I found out that there's a variety of wheat that has a light golden outside instead of the darker outside that red wheat (the kind that is most common in the US, at least) has, and that it produces a flour that is almost white. I also read that the absence of the tannins and other things that make red wheat bitter, produces a milder flavor in the white wheat.

I've been looking around to see if I could buy some here where we live, and just yesterday I found out that Lowes Foods carries the King Arthur brand of white whole wheat flour.

We've been trying to eliminate as much as possible the use of any refined wheat products, so I was thrilled to find this, since I find most things made with 100% whole wheat flour to be a bit overwhelming. I've been adding a small amount of white flour to my bread dough to lighten it up a bit. I used the white whole wheat yesterday instead, and I think it turned out very well. I hope pasta makers will begin to offer products made with this kind of wheat in the not too distant future.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 09:46 AM

We've had this advertsed in Australia for sometime.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:01 AM

Spelt is an ancient grain and a good wheat to use to get rid of some of the allergy problems with the triticale (I think that's the species name of the standard wheat that is made into white flour or whole wheat).

The King Arthur white whole wheat is expensive but it is good tasting, and it does mean the loaf is lighter in color. It also has a very nice taste when it is toasted. But you can't do a straight substitution of that whole wheat for white or your loaf will be like a paving stone. I typically use 3 cups of bread flour to one cup of whole wheat, sometimes going to 2 1/2 cups / 1 1/2 cups, but that is as much as I can make work in a loaf (and at this level it takes a lot longer to rise and doesn't rise as much).

You might want to look for the varieties of spelt, I think you can get the white/whole wheat types. I'll look next time I'm over at the Central Market grocery store where I buy bulk flour (they also have bagged flour elsewhere in the store, so I'll take a look over there also).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: bobad
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:12 AM

One must beware of definitions. In Canada, for instance, it is legal to advertise any food product as "whole wheat" with up to 70% of the germ removed. To be assured of getting bread or baked goods that are made from the whole grain one must look for 100% whole grain on the label.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: Goose Gander
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:35 AM

My wife sent me out to buy whole wheat flour for some baking, and I came back with King Arthur white whole wheat. "This isn't whole wheat flour," she said. "Oh, but it is," I said. "Look at the label." She wouldn't use it, so I eventually used it for my cornbread recipe:

2 cups corn meal
1 cup flour
two eggs
1 cup milk
quarter cup melted butter
half cup honey
3 teaspoons baking soda
a pinch of salt

Sift and mix dry ingredients. Mix egg, milk and butter. Combine and pour into greased, pyrex pan. Cook 45 minutes at 375 fahrenheit. Suggestion: serve with chili.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: RangerSteve
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:45 AM

I'm pretty sure that I've seen whole wheat white pasta in the store. I think Barillo makes it.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: gnu
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 01:44 PM

Ben's Bakery here in Moncton, NB, Canada make it. It tastes good and it's better than regular. Thing about any of it is the required nutrition an all "processed" foods here in Canada. The fibre contents are spelled out, so you can decide if you think it's a good purchase.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: CarolC
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 03:02 PM

The white whole wheat is 100% whole grain wheat. The ingredient list says only 100% hard white whole wheat flour. So anyone who is trying to avoid process foods can have it with no worries.

In the United States, the most commonly used forms of wheat are hard and soft red wheat. Hard red wheat is used for breads and soft red wheat is used for pastries. Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye. Spelt is a specialty wheat and not the common form that we get when we buy a bag of all purpose, whole wheat, or pastry flour.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:09 PM

Spelt tastes good, and comes in white and wheat, but it is expensive. It has packs fewer allergy problems.

I couldn't remember what triticale was like, and didn't take time to look it up--at one time I knew, but mostly, I remember that it is what Tribbles eat!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:10 PM

Hit send too soon. "It packs fewer allergy problems."

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: CarolC
Date: 06 Oct 08 - 11:17 PM

Interestingly, wheat is not one of the allergies that I have problems with (thankfully). I just find the taste of some things made with 100% whole (red) wheat to be somewhat bitter. I think a lot of other people do as well, or it seems there wouldn't be so many people who don't like whole grain wheat products.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 12:21 AM

I recently found some of that white whole wheat bread at the supermarket here and tried it. It was good. I did have to convince myself it was okay, i.e. truly 100%, before I could eat it.:-)

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 12:28 AM

I just had a couple of slices of the bread I made last night with about 2/3 whole red wheat and 1/3 whole white wheat. It's good but a bit crumbly. I will probably add some gluten to the dry ingredients for the next batch.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: Paul Burke
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 03:08 AM

Surely the point about white bread isn't the colour, but the weight and texture. I love white bread from the local baker, and it's a pity that dietary restrictions make me eat the (almost as good, and brown) wholemeal most of the time.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: CarolC
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 03:23 AM

I'd say taste is an important factor also. If the whole grain white wheat is less bitter than the whole grain red wheat, that's an important consideration for me.

Subject: RE: BS: White Whole Wheat Flour
From: clueless don
Date: 07 Oct 08 - 08:42 AM

In my limited experience, baked goods made with white whole wheat have tended to be drier than those made with regular whole wheat. However, that is very anecdotal, and I can't rule out that some other factor was at work.

On the other hand, my wife and I have had reasonably good results substituting spelt for regular whole wheat. As I recall, one can buy "white spelt" or "whole grain spelt".

Don