Making Flour????

[Lady H]

Just wondering if anyone out there makes there own flour???
I am wanting to get right back to basics and I am really not sure on which grains to use for which flour and how long for milling and is that all I have to do???

Thank-you in advance.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Hi Lady H.  I mill some of my own flour.  You can't mill your own white flour as it is an industrial type process, but you can mill grain into wholemeal plain flour.  To make it into wholemeal self-raising flour you can use the recipe in your EDC (adding baking powder etc).

If you aren't gluten intolerant some good grains to start with are wheat and spelt.  They give good results in baking, although you need to add a little more spelt than wheat in recipes (about 20% more).  I generally mill my grains for 1 minute and 30 seconds at speed 9.  If I am milling any more than 200g of grain at a time I do it in batches (allowing time for the bowl to cool down between each batch).  Wholemeal flour goes rancid quickly so it is best to mill as needed.  Remember to sharpen your blades regularly (by chopping ice or popping your blades in the freezer) so that your flour will be milled fine.

I hope this helps.   

[Lady H]

Thank-you Chelsea,

That helps heaps. Do you buy your wheat from stock feeds or can you get it at the supermarket?

Thanks
 

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I buy it online through an organic distributor.  I have found Biodistributors and Santos to be both good.  You can also buy it from health food stores though. 

[cottchick]

I did notice wheat in Coles the other day. Also at City Farmers (Perth). I haven't tried bread with wholly milled grain yet but keen to have a go.

[achookwoman]

Cottchick,  it is a good idea to mill your grain.   Just watch the water/flour ratio.  You may need a little more water if following a basic recipe.  Could be a good idea to start with 50% bought flour and 50% own milled to see haw you go.  Let us know.

[meganjane]

I found the flour quite coarse when I tried. It was starting to heat up, so I stopped and waited for it to cool down before trying again. Still too coarse for a complete loaf, unless perhaps my blades weren't sharp enough?

Which brings to mind that I must remember to get DH to keep aside some wheat for me. We've started harvest and he's doing barley right now, but will be on to wheat sometime next week, all being well. The forecast is for masses of rain, something we didn't get in our growing season and really don't want during harvest!

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I find even with sharpened blades it is still quite coarse.  Definitely not the same as flour from a good quality grain mill (not that I can afford one of those ).  I have given up trying to make bread using 100% milled flour.  I still make muffins, pancakes etc with 100% whole grains though.  I like the blender baking method for baking (other than bread) best with the TM.  Any recipe I find where there is an equal amount of liquid and grain (or more liquid) I generally blend the grain in the liquid rather than milling dry grain into flour and then adding liquid.  Using the blender baking method you can mill for a lot longer (up to 3 minutes on speed 9 depending on quantities) without bringing it to temperature. 

[meganjane]

Chelsea, I must try the blender batter method. I haven't done anything with it yet as I haven't had any wheat!

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

For anyone not familiar with blender batter baking here are some 100% wholegrain recipes converted for the TM:

Blender Batter Muffins

Dutch Baby Pancakes (I need to update this recipe as I now blend the grain in the liquid)

Brown Rice and Almond Pancakes

The recipes all include a soaking step.  This reduces the phytic acid in the grain (helps make the grain/flour more digestable) and assists in making the end result lighter in texture.  They are all favourites in our house.

[Lady H]

Thanks girls,
Very helpful. I live in Karratha and I haven't seen any wheat so I will have to order it in, as we lack everything.