The Best Fresh Milled Wheat Bread Recipe
Discover a delicious fresh milled wheat bread recipe that brings the wholesome flavors of whole grains straight from the grain mill to the table. This easy-to-follow recipe uses freshly ground wheat flour for a rich, nutty taste and soft, hearty texture. Perfect for baking beginners and experienced home bakers!
Making freshly milled flour bread is not as hard as you may think. Since getting a grain mill and milling our own grains at home I deiced to set out to make a light fluffy whole wheat bread recipe. After many attemps and failures I have finally got the best easy fresh milled wheat bread recipe nailed down.
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Should I Use Hard or Soft Wheat?
Since this is a yeast bread recipe, it is best to use hard wheat instead of soft wheat. Using hard wheat fresh milled flour in this recipe will give you a lighter, softer loaf of bread. Soft wheat is most commonly used in recipes that require baking powder or baking soda.
Equipment
- Stand mixer – Making bread from freshly milled flour can be done without a stand mixer but I highly recommend one. The dough has to knead for about 15-30 minutes, depending on the mixer. I have a kitchen aid and it takes about 30 minutes.
- Food scale – For best accuracy, I recommend using a food scale for this recipe. If you are using cups, I would suggest using the pictures in this post as a guide to go by the look and feel of your dough.
A full list of equipment can be found in the recipe card below.
Ingredients
- Hard white wheat flour – For this recipe you will need approximatley 3 cups freshly milled flour. Since it is freshly milled wheat it is 100% whole wheat flour. None of the bran or germ is getting removed thus making it a true whole wheat bread. (You can substitute with hard red wheat.)
- Honey – Since this is a freshly milled wheat recipe honey adds depth to the flavor that granulated sugar or other store bought sweeteners cannot.
A full list of ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Fresh Milled Wheat Bread Recipe
1. To the bowl of a stand mixer add the milk, water, butter, salt, honey, egg, and 3 cups (450g) of freshly milled flour.
2. Using the dough hook, mix for 2 minutes or until the dough has formed a shaggy, wet dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a wet tea towel and allow the dough to autolyse for 1 hour.
3. After allowing the dough to autolyse, add the yeast. (You shouldn’t need any extra flour but depending on your humidity level you may need to add more at this point.) Using the dough hook attachment, mix for 25 – 30 minutes or until the dough can pass the window pane test. (If you have a kitchen aid mixer it will take the full 25-30 minutes. If you have a Bosch it will take about half the time.)
4. Allow the dough to rest in a warm draft free area for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
5. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a work surface. No flour is needed if the dough has been properly autolysed and kneaded. Flatten out the dough into a rectangle about 9×13 inches. Tightly roll up the dough. When all the dough is rolled into a loaf shape fold the ends under and pinch the seams together.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer the dough into a well oiled loaf pan. Cover and allow to rest in a warm draft free area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
7. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving. (This is crucial to ensuring the dough is cooked thoroughly. Until it is completely cool it is still cooking internally.)
Notes
- For best results, use a food scale along with the gram measurements.
- Hard wheat is best when making yeast bread.
Storage
After the bread is completely cool it can be stored in an airtight container or bread bag at room temperature. If stored properly it will last 3 – 4 days.
FAQs
What is the window pane test?
The window pane test is a way to check if your bread dough has been kneaded enough. To do it, take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If the dough stretches thin enough to form a “windowpane” without tearing, it’s ready. This means the gluten has developed properly, and your dough is ready for the next step.
What is autolyse?
Autolyse is when the flour and water are mixed together and left to rest before adding yeast. This rest period allows the flour to fully absorb the water, helping to develop gluten and improve the dough’s texture. It makes the dough easier to work with, resulting in a better rise and a more flavorful bread.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes! If you want to double this recipe to get 2 loaves of bread you totally can.
Why is my fresh milled bread so dense?
More than likely it wasn’t kneaded enough. I find this to be the most common issue although it could be that you added too much flour.
What is whole wheat milled flour?
Whole wheat milled flour is flour made by grinding the entire wheat grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This process retains all the nutrients and fiber of the wheat, making it more nutritious compared to refined flour.
If you try this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating or a written review below. I love hearing your feedback!
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