But a little background. We got turned on to einkorn wheat because it's touted as the most ancient wheat, and the only wheat that's never been hybridized. It has more nutrients, vitamins and dietary minerals than the commonly available regular wheat. Having 30% more protein and 15% less starch ranked it high in our quest for the best nutrition we can put in our bodies. It also has a low gluten content which makes it desirable for those with a wheat intolerance. (Just ask Susan and she will verify that fact.) Although there isn't a gluten intolerance in our family, the other attributes of einkorn make it a grain I'm trying to incorporate into our diet.
Last night I made my favorite white bread recipe substituting half of the unbleached white flour with einkorn. It rose well and came out of the oven looking good.
This morning we sliced it for breakfast. The texture was as good as that made with all "regular" wheat flour. (But, of course, I used only half einkorn flour in it.) You can see by looking at the loaf (too much glare on the slices to show their true color) that the bread is more golden in color than white, and that's because the einkorn wheat berries are a lovely golden color producing a flour with a pleasant yellow/gold tint to it.
The flavor was great. Einkorn flour is very rich and "buttery" tasting in everything I've made with it.
I was successful in making my pie crust using all einkorn flour last week. My usual recipe, using all unbleached white flour, is flaky and tender. The einkorn crusts when baked into a pie were very tender, but I wouldn't call them flaky. They had more of a "solid" texture (lacking a better word to describe it) while still being tender and quite acceptable.
I need to keep experimenting, and if I learned all that is presented in this very informative book, I'd be a success. I might even maybe be able to learn to make and bake bread with an einkorn sourdough starter which would make my husband very, very happy.
14 comments:
I've used Einkorn to make butter biscuits. They crumbled like crazy, but tasted fine. I know there must be a secret to working with it.....
More baking//experimenting is needed.
Oh darn
Hate when that happens!
;)
Sue - And don't forget the eating/taste testing that MUST be done with all those baked goods!
Yepper, the einkorn flour doesn't "stick together" as other flour does. Lack of gluten in it? I find I need to add more of the einkorn flour to a mixture than when using "regular" flour.
I will have to do some reading, I'm intrigued! I've been baking bread this week as well, although just standard sourdough. Thinking of branching out again.
Mama Pea,
The big question was did you like the bread when using the einkorn flour?? If you did, then it's a keeper for making bread. I've never tried einkorn flour, I may just have to start.
Hugs,
Sandy
Erin - I have yet to master "standard sourdough!" Must get going on that . . .
Sandy - Yes! Truth to tell, we've liked everything I've made using the einkorn flour. It definitely has a rich, buttery flavor that is very tasty.
I was afraid that was the only way to have a nice, dense loaf. I can't add other flour, so will have to struggle on with my crumbly (but delicious) loaf. Once I get my bearings (maybe in April) I might do some experimenting, too. Your bread looks so delicious...I know you'll enjoy the cookbook. I have a copy and have made some other Einkorn edibles that were equally delish!
Susan - For someone (like you) with a gluten intolerance, the all einkorn flour sandwich loaf is a GREAT bread.
Mama Pea would you be interested in a great sourdough recipe? I mean it almost bakes itself. It is my standard bread for around here. I can email you the recipe. I toss in a slow rise everything but the kitchen sink bread as an alternative to it when I get a yen for a change.
My friend did a "home bakery" under the cottage certification and sold at various farmers markets for two seasons. She used a large variety of flours I will see if she tried einkorn and how it worked for her.
I'll be honest, I have never heard of that. I should know this too. I'll be checking our library for that book too. I just told Hubby I want to look for a healthier bread (sandwich) recipe for us. Thanks.
Kristina - The thing is we all tend to eat a lot of bread -- for sandwiches and toast in our house -- so having the most nutritious flour to use in our breads just makes sense. I think you'll like it. Google Jovial Foods as that's where we buy our einkorn berries. (They sell the ground flour, too, of course.)
Goatldi - Would I be interested in a great sourdough recipe that almost bakes itself? Yes, please. If it's not too much trouble for you, please do e-mail me the recipe. And thanks!
Wow, I'm so impressed. I've heard of some of these heirloom flours and really need to get some seed to see how it grows for us.
Leigh - Einkorn wheat is grown in Italy so your climate would certainly be better in which to grow it than ours here in northern Minnesota! Wouldn't it be great if you could grow your own?
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