Essentially the same principles are involved in the production of bread from all kinds of wheat flour. Good material and good care are absolutely necessary to good bread. Flours and meals made from the entire grain of wheat ferment more readily than does ordinary white flour, and hence, without careful management, bread made from the former is more liable to become overfermented and sour. In making whole-wheat breads, use as short a course of fermentation as practicable, and let it proceed at a medium temperature. Knead the dough more thoroughly than for white flour.

Such breads require a hotter oven at first and a longer time for baking. From one to one and one-half hours are needed, according to the size of the loaf and the heat of the oven.

Whole-wheat breads will be lighter if at least one-third white flour be employed. If the bread is made with a sponge, the white flour is best used for that purpose. The length of time the whole-wheat flour is undergoing fermentation will in this way be somewhat lessened, and thus its liability to become sour decreased.

Whole-Wheat Bread

The materials needed for the bread are: One pint of milk, scalded and cooled, one quart of wheat-berry flour, one pint of Minnesota spring-wheat flour, one-third cup of soft yeast, or one-fourth cake of compressed yeast dissolved in one-third cup of cold water. Stir enough flour into the milk to make a stiff batter, put in the yeast, and let it rise until foamy. Save the milk so warm that when the flour is put in, the batter will be of a lukewarm temperature. Wrap in a thick blanket, and keep at an equable temperature. When light, stir in, slowly, warm flour to make a soft dough. Knead for fifteen minutes, and return to the bowl (which has been washed and oiled) to rise again. When risen to double its size, form into two loaves, place in separate pans, let rise again, and bake from three-fourths to one and one-half hours, according to the heat of the oven.

Whole-Wheat Bread No. 2

Scald one pint of unskimmed milk; when lukewarm, add one-half cup of liquid yeast, or one-fourth cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in one-half cup of warm water, and a pint of Pillsbury's best white flour. Beat this batter thoroughly, and allow it to rise. When well risen, add three and two-thirds cups of wheat-berry flour. Knead thoroughly, and allow it to become light in mass; then shape into two loaves, allow it to rise again, and bake.