Such a wonderfully informative article! I grind my own wheat and frequently try to convert yeast bake goods to whole wheat, with varying success. This was so helpful; great to know that the rest and some extra liquid are so crucial.
I have used my dad's bread recipe for decades, and I have also found that the 50/50 sub works much better than 100% whole wheat.
I do have a question, though. It seems when I use whole wheat that I need more flour in proportion to the liquid in order to make a smooth dough; you seem to suggest I would need less. Should whole wheat dough be left slightly sticky before the first rise, as opposed to smooth?
Thanks for all of your hard work helping us to understand the hows and whys of baking!
February 28, 2014 at 8:55am