r/HomeMilledFlour

I asked the other day on kneading techniques for fmf since I don't have a decent mixer. I found that doing slap and folds has resulted in some decent gluten formation. The dough tightens up and gets stretchy after about 20 to 30 minutes. However after it's baked, the center is very open, a little crumbly especially with thin slices. The edges are more dense. The bread is delicious and it can hold up to condiments and sandwiches as long as it's sliced thick enough. I wonder if my shaping technique is the problem. I do a classic envelope fold and roll, tucking in the ends and pulling the bottom tight against the silicone mat to create tension on top. I'm using the bread loaf recipe from Grains in Small Places, which includes milk, butter, honey and an egg. Any advice on getting more consistent crumb throughout the loaf is appreciated.

Bread is the basic 100% whole wheat sandwich bread from Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads. It's a two-day process so I like to make an extra loaf to freeze. The muffins are from a video by Rose Homestead on Youtube, with a teaspoon of apple pie spice and a cup of craisins. I left them in the oven a minute too long, so they're a little darker than they should be. Oops!

Milled with nutri bullet I always use it. Decent result, 1.5 hour autolaise, salt, water, dry instant yeast. Taste is delicious! Burst was quite good I thought for 100% home milled with the everything left in.

I'm a little embarrassed to need to ask this and I understand it's not necessarily a fmf question but I'm doing fmf baking (or attempting to, it's been a frustrating and bumpy road for me) so putting it here. For this example, this is the recipe I am referring to- https://grainsinsmallplaces.net/crusty-fresh-milled-flour-100-spelt-bread-no-mixer-required/#recipe

She says to use water that is 90-110*F and to mix it into the flour, yeast and salt. When I did this I did not get much of a rise after 3 hours and then remembered that my yeast lists higher temps and that I struggle every time I try to make bread so I get frustrated and don't for a few months until I've forgotten and repeat the whole dang experience.

The only instant yeast I can get in my area is Fleishmann's rapid rise and it says this on the jar-

-mix undissolved yeast with dry ingredients

-add liquids that have been heated to 120-130

-add remaining ingredients

-knead. cover, let rest 10 mins (replaces first rise in 2 step recipes) dough will not rise during this time

-shape dough as directed in recipe. cover and let rise until doubled in size

-bake as directed

I tried again, using water at 124* and checked it hourly for 3 hours but it didn't double. (I'm in Oregon, it was not cold in my house. ) When I went to toss it, the dough felt really dense and I would not have been able to get surface tension.

I tested the yeast and it doubled after 10 minutes.

This is what I'm feeling dumb for asking.. if I am using this yeast, should I always use water above 120* and skip the first rise? If so, why hadn't my dough doubled after 3 hours the second time? Should I have just kept waiting? I am going to put a reminder label on the jar since it's proven that I'm so tuned in to following the recipe that I can't remember the yeast specifics on my own. Or should I try ordering a different brand? I am so tired of wasting wheat and feeling like a failure!

Waited for this baby for about 9 months. I haven’t plugged and use it yet. Just unboxed it. I noticed:

1st photo (and other photos): showing 2 white lines on the hopper
2nd photo (and other photos): the right corner seemed scraped unlike the left one.
Last photo: hopper seal unevenness.

For anyone who has Komo Mill Fidibus Classic, was this normal for you too?

PS: Looks better in photos, honestly

It won’t win a beauty pageant, but it sure is yummy! I used my usual bread pan despite there only being 1.5 cups of flour in the loaf from my wheat harvest so it was wider than it was tall, but it rose just fine and tastes amazing!

For anyone curious, I planted red winter wheat in NE FL last November. Harvested in May, dried the shocks, then threshed and winnowed. Milled in my coffee grinder (thanks to a comment from a previous post), autolysed for over an hour (thanks to another comment from a different post), let it rise for 3 hours, baked, and here we are! Incredibly labor-intensive process from planting to eating. I learned so much and also have decided I will never try to grow my own grains here in suburbia again!

These homemade oatmeal fudge bars made with fresh milled flour are soft, gooey & naturally wholesome! There’s something dangerously comforting about this treat.

Recipe: https://ahintofhomestead.com/oatmeal-fudge-bars-fresh-milled-flour/

Trying out my new Wondermill by baking a 100% FMF hard white wheat loaf. I knew it would be somewhat dense, but the flavor is worth it! This will be my base loaf and I’ll begin experimenting to improve the oven spring. Don’t really want to add anything to it, just work out the basics.

i’ve had this starter in my fridge for like 1 1/2 months. it had this discoloration on top but the bottom looks fine. it’s fresh milled flour so idk if it’s anything different in comparison to store bought flour.

Apologize for the poor cross section photo, but the loaf was quite gummy and made its way into the trash out of frustration. I can't get a FMF artisan loaf to rise properly. I've used a FMF-pecific recipe and adapted my old AP flour loaf recipe but to no avail. The dough never wants to come together, even with vital wheat gluten. I got this one to keep its shape, but that's about all it did.

Any help would be appreciated.

This recipe was 92% hydration.

I originally tried the GISP recipe but it never came together nor rose enough (overnight, no knead, initial "rise" 14H, yeast is not dead)

It's summer and I'm cheap, the house is warm.

Google mentioned this warning about freshly milled flour when I asked how to autolyse flour. What is the problem?

Avoid for Freshly Milled Flour: If you are using a large amount of fresh-milled grain, limit your autolyse to 15-20 minutes, or skip it entirely, as excessive resting can over-degrade the dough's structure.

Full quote:

To autolyse bread dough, simply mix your flour and water together until a shaggy mass forms, ensuring there are no dry pockets of flour. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 20 to 60 minutes before adding the salt and yeast/starter. [1, 2, 3]

The Step-by-Step Autolyse Process

1. Measure: Weigh out the flour and water exactly as called for in your bread recipe. [1, 2]
2. Combine: Pour the water (ideally slightly warm to keep dough temperatures stable) into your mixing bowl, add the flour, and mix by hand or with a spatula until all the dry flour is moistened and a rough, shaggy ball forms. [1, 2]
3. Rest: Cover the bowl tightly with a damp towel, plastic wrap, or a shower cap to prevent the dough from drying out. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 60 minutes. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
4. Add Remaining Ingredients: Once the rest period is over, add your salt, yeast (or sourdough starter), and any "reserved" water from your recipe. [1, 2]
5. Knead & Ferment: Mix and knead the dough as you normally would. Because the autolyse process has already jump-started gluten development and flour hydration, you will generally find that kneading takes significantly less time and effort. [1, 2, 3]

Why and When to Use It

• Better Gluten Development: The flour enzymes naturally hydrate the starches and proteins, starting the gluten matrix without mechanical kneading. This results in dough that is more elastic and extensible (stretchy), making it easier to shape and allowing for a better oven spring. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Easier Handling: The rest period transforms a sticky, messy wet dough into a much smoother, manageable dough. [1, 2]
• Better Flavor and Color: Less mechanical mixing or heavy kneading is required, preventing over-oxidation and protecting the bread's natural flavors and crumb color. [1]

What to Avoid

• Do Not Add Salt or Yeast (Usually): Traditionally, the autolyse phase excludes salt and yeast (or levain) so that gluten can form without the tightening effect of salt and without the dough beginning to ferment. However, some bakers doing longer autolyses (overnight) will add a tiny amount of salt to prevent enzymatic degradation. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Avoid for Freshly Milled Flour: If you are using a large amount of fresh-milled grain, limit your autolyse to 15-20 minutes, or skip it entirely, as excessive resting can over-degrade the dough's structure. [1]