Buckwheat Bread

[sa1937]

My one personal comment is that I like my homemade version of Udi's bread for french toast better, but DH prefers this one more for french toast. Since it's not my bread, I'll just do whatever he likes best.

Halfrunner, I would love to try your homemade version of Udi's bread, which I can't find around here. Could you post it, maybe starting a new thread, for those of us who are into experimenting trying to find the "perfect" yeast bread recipe?

This weekend I plan to try to make another loaf of your buckwheat bread but this time not cover it for rising since my last loaf got screwed up that way.

[halfrunner]

This is my latest version of Udi's White Bread.

1 c. potato, tapioca or corn starch

1/2 c. rice flour (I use a mix of brown & white rice flour)

1 tsp. powdered egg white solids

2 tsp. xanthan gum

2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. yeast

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp. oil

1 1/2c. (ish) slightly warm water

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Directions:

Let yeast bloom in 1/2 c. water for 10 min.

Meanwhile, take the 4 egg whites and whip them to very stiff peaks, adding the cream of tartar just as they begin to turn white. Set aside.

Then combine all the remaining ingredients (and yeast) in a very large pyrex bowl. Mix well, adding enough water until the dough is like mashed potatoes. I usually end up using slightly more than the 1 1/2 c. water, and always do this part by hand. You could use a mixer for this part, but not for adding in the egg whites.

Gently fold in the egg whites 1/4 at a time. (It will be a good arm workout to get the whites totally incorporated.)

Gently pour into 2 greased bread pans ("normal size") and let rise about 40 min., then bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. until really nicely browned.

This bread should not rise too much before baking or it tends to collapse slightly as it cools. 40 min. is about the longest I'll let it rise.

As for the egg white solids, some people have used meringue powder, and you can get more information about how that works if you search for the reverse engineering udi's bread thread here in the baking and cooking folder.

[sa1937]

Thanks so much! Will definitely try it...right now I have the ingredients for buckwheat bread measured out so I can bake a loaf of that today.

I have meringue powder so will search the "reverse engineering" thread, which was posted some time ago.

[RiceGuy]

Incidentally, I've had good results using buckwheat flour in place of the sorghum in the recipe I gave in the Uprisings thread. Watch for an update too, coming soon!

For a safe buckwheat flour, try the one from Open Original Shared Link. It's the only one I've not reacted to, aside from when I make my own using a coffee grinder. Works for pancakes on its own, at least for me, though I've not tried for perfection there.

[halfrunner]

Buckwheat is actually not wheat but a berry. Do be aware, as someone else here said, most buckwheat pancake recipes also use regular flour. I have replace that with fine white corn flour and they came out great.

My recipe for buckwheat pancakes originally called for half buckwheat and half wheat flour. I use all buckwheat with no problem. Another option is to use 2/3 buckwheat flour and 1/3 cream of rice hot cereal (dry). That gives them a great texture.

Buckwheat has turned out to be the most wheat flour-like gluten free flour that I've played with.

[mushroom]

This is my latest version of Udi's White Bread.

1 c. potato, tapioca or corn starch

1/2 c. rice flour (I use a mix of brown & white rice flour)

1 tsp. powdered egg white solids

2 tsp. xanthan gum

2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. yeast

1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tbsp. oil

1 1/2c. (ish) slightly warm water

4 egg whites

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

Directions:

Let yeast bloom in 1/2 c. water for 10 min.

Meanwhile, take the 4 egg whites and whip them to very stiff peaks, adding the cream of tartar just as they begin to turn white. Set aside.

Then combine all the remaining ingredients (and yeast) in a very large pyrex bowl. Mix well, adding enough water until the dough is like mashed potatoes. I usually end up using slightly more than the 1 1/2 c. water, and always do this part by hand. You could use a mixer for this part, but not for adding in the egg whites.

Gently fold in the egg whites 1/4 at a time. (It will be a good arm workout to get the whites totally incorporated.)

Gently pour into 2 greased bread pans ("normal size") and let rise about 40 min., then bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 min. until really nicely browned.

This bread should not rise too much before baking or it tends to collapse slightly as it cools. 40 min. is about the longest I'll let it rise.

As for the egg white solids, some people have used meringue powder, and you can get more information about how that works if you search for the reverse engineering udi's bread thread here in the baking and cooking folder.

I keep looking at this recipe and asking myself, "How is it possible to make TWO loaves of bread out of 1-1/2 cups flour??" Am I missing something?

[halfrunner]

I keep looking at this recipe and asking myself, "How is it possible to make TWO loaves of bread out of 1-1/2 cups flour??" Am I missing something?

Nope. Much of the structure comes from the egg whites. This bread has a texture almost more like angel food cake than bread, but makes the best french toast.

The measurements are accurate. I double checked my recipe.

[mushroom]

Nope. Much of the structure comes from the egg whites. This bread has a texture almost more like angel food cake than bread, but makes the best french toast.

The measurements are accurate. I double checked my recipe.

Looking forward to making angel food cake french toast

[halfrunner]

bump

[mushroom]

Well, it did make two loaves all right.... but they fell all the way down to two inches thick

[halfrunner]

Well, it did make two loaves all right.... but they fell all the way down to two inches thick

I've never had that happen , mine always come out about as tall as my loaf pan.

My best guess would be to cut back the water a little. If your house is pretty dry (because of the a/c), you might not need as much water.

[mushroom]

I've never had that happen , mine always come out about as tall as my loaf pan.

My best guess would be to cut back the water a little. If your house is pretty dry (because of the a/c), you might not need as much water.

Well.... we do run about 10% humidity here, but not because of the a/c And I don't know if the altitude has anything to do with it. However, I generally have trouble with things with beaten egg whites folded in (except for souffles, which are expected to fall a bit anyway. ) Will try it again in humidity at sea level.

[mushroom]

I've never had that happen , mine always come out about as tall as my loaf pan.

My best guess would be to cut back the water a little. If your house is pretty dry (because of the a/c), you might not need as much water.

Well.... we do run about 10% humidity here in Nevada, but not because of the a/c And I don't know if the altitude has anything to do with it. However, I generally have trouble with things with beaten egg whites folded in (except for souffles, which are expected to fall a bit anyway. ) Will try it again in humidity at sea level.

[halfrunner]

Well.... we do run about 10% humidity here in Nevada, but not because of the a/c And I don't know if the altitude has anything to do with it. However, I generally have trouble with things with beaten egg whites folded in (except for souffles, which are expected to fall a bit anyway. ) Will try it again in humidity at sea level.

Altitude will definitely make a difference. Try adding an extra egg white and only beating to soft peaks, not stiff. You'll have to be more gentle incorporating the egg whites, though. Then try a shorter rising time. Apparently rising time gets shortened in higher altitude environments. When you see the dough getting near the top of the bread pan, put it in the oven. It will still rise a little in the oven.

[halfrunner]

I had a brainstorm today. Here's the tweaked recipe. DH raved, it seems less dense and more like normal homemade bread. It's pretty much the same recipe that I started with.

2 1/2 c. buckwheat flour

1 1/2 c. rice flour

1/2 c. starch (potato, tapioca or corn)

3/4 tsp. dough enhancer or vinegar

3 tsp. salt

3 tsp. xanthan gum

3 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. ground (or milled) flax seed

2 tbsp. yeast

2 beaten eggs

1/2 c. oil

2 1/2 - 3 c. water

Here's the "tweak": add 3 tsp. baking powder

I don't know why that popped into my head, but boy did it improve the bread texture.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a stand mixer, mix well. Add oil, egg and 2 1/2 c. water (you will have to eyeball the rest) and beat for about 2 min. on low speed. The consistency should be like sugar cookie dough thickness.

Divide into 2 (4x9x2.5 ie "standard") loaf pans (I used dark nonstick) and let rise in a warm place for 25-30 min. Heat oven, bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

Bread should sound hollow when gently thumped. Immediately remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack for 3 hours or until completely cool.

Note the change in rising time. With the baking powder, it only needed 25 min. to rise. It also shrunk about 1/4 of an inch during baking, but that's not a really big deal.

[Maggie Mermaid]

I had a brainstorm today. Here's the tweaked recipe. DH raved, it seems less dense and more like normal homemade bread. It's pretty much the same recipe that I started with.

2 1/2 c. buckwheat flour

1 1/2 c. rice flour

1/2 c. starch (potato, tapioca or corn)

3/4 tsp. dough enhancer or vinegar

3 tsp. salt

3 tsp. xanthan gum

3 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. ground (or milled) flax seed

2 tbsp. yeast

2 beaten eggs

1/2 c. oil

2 1/2 - 3 c. water

Here's the "tweak": add 3 tsp. baking powder

I don't know why that popped into my head, but boy did it improve the bread texture.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a stand mixer, mix well. Add oil, egg and 2 1/2 c. water (you will have to eyeball the rest) and beat for about 2 min. on low speed. The consistency should be like sugar cookie dough thickness.

Divide into 2 (4x9x2.5 ie "standard") loaf pans (I used dark nonstick) and let rise in a warm place for 25-30 min. Heat oven, bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.

Bread should sound hollow when gently thumped. Immediately remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack for 3 hours or until completely cool.

Note the change in rising time. With the baking powder, it only needed 25 min. to rise. It also shrunk about 1/4 of an inch during baking, but that's not a really big deal.

I only have Pyrex (glass) loaf pans, any advice on adjustments? Thanks!

[halfrunner]

I only have Pyrex (glass) loaf pans, any advice on adjustments? Thanks!

Not really, other than grease it really, really well. Just start at the low end of the baking time and watch it like a hawk until the bottom of the loaves is evenly brown. That is how I can tell cakes etc. are done.

Two pyrex baking pans that are "normal" size should not be any different other than browning speed.

[nina]

Not really, other than grease it really, really well. Just start at the low end of the baking time and watch it like a hawk until the bottom of the loaves is evenly brown. That is how I can tell cakes etc. are done.

Two pyrex baking pans that are "normal" size should not be any different other than browning speed.

Halfruner,which pan size you use? 9x5 or 4.5x8? Thank you love your buckwheat recipe!

[halfrunner]

Halfruner,which pan size you use? 9x5 or 4.5x8? Thank you love your buckwheat recipe!

My pans are 9x5.And I'm glad to help.

Laura

[nina]

Thank You Laura.