Clark Street Whole Foods Baking - Book Services

Allan SpieglerAllan Spiegler

Clark Street W

hole Foods Baking

Allan Spiegler

Allan Spiegler

� e beloved Clark Street Bakery was a whole-foods mecca that produced delicious, nutritious baked goods, using only organic whole-grain � ours, less-re� ned sweeteners like honey and molasses, and vegetable oil rather than lard, hydrogenated short-ening, or lots of butter. Chemical preservatives, dough conditioners, bleaches, and food dyes were never used. In the early 1980s, the bakery served as a retail community bakery and supplier to natural-food stores and co-ops in Chicago and Evanston.

� is collection of much-requested recipes and heart-warming vignettes not only tells our story, but provides a wealth of nutritional information, as well as detailed instructions and the reasoning behind the techniques used.

Peppermint Bliss Balls, Carob Chip, Lieblin

gs, Orange

Almond, Peanut Butter Date, Peanut Butter, Maca-

roons, Ginger Snaps, Nussgeback, Chinese Almond

Copyrighted Material

Some pages are omitted from this book preview.

Fruit Oat SquaresBlueberry Muffi nsWheat Bread

Date-Nut Bread

Potato Rolls

Pumpernickel Bread

Hawaiian Bars

Kolaches and Apple BraidPumpkin Bread

Cherry Jubilees

Sourdough Wheat Kolaches and Apple Braid

Pecan Gems



Allan Spiegler



Copyright © 2017 by Allan Spiegler

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing February 2017

ISBN 978-1-68418-128-5 Paperback

Published by: Book Services www.BookServices.us



Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following people, who made this book possible:

� My friend and mentor, John Campbell, former owner of Open Hearth Bakery in Champaign, Illinois, for teaching me aspects of commercial whole-foods baking and for sharing his recipes with me. I have adapted a dozen of John’s recipes for this book.

� My friend and former baker, Vivian Olmos and her husband, Joe, for encour-aging me to write this book and to include the vignettes of bakery life.

� My wife, Fran, for her assistance in washing countless pans, kneading dough, distributing baked goods to taste testers, and for helping to edit this book.

� Our son, Julian, the mechanical engineer, for drawing the illustrations, and his wife, Liz, who has a doctoral degree in nutrition and who provided information on fats.

� Linda Hans, the Ken Miller family, the John F. Travers Sr. family, the Red Liverman family, the Jeff Crownover family, Living Word Community Church members, and Margaret Brent Middle School staff for serving as taste testers and for providing valuable feedback on the quality of the recipes.



ContentsForeword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Nutritional Value of Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Yeast Breads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Whole Wheat Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . .22Cracked Wheat Bread . . . . . . . . . . .24Sesame Wheat Bread . . . . . . . . . . . .24Raisin Bread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread . . . .24Oatmeal Bread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Milk and Honey Bread. . . . . . . . . . .24

Savory Walnut Bread . . . . . . . . . . . .25Rye Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Challah. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Pumpernickel Bread. . . . . . . . . . . . .34Sourdough Wheat Bread . . . . . . . . .39Rye Sourdough Bread. . . . . . . . . . . .41

Rolls and Breadsticks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43General Instructions for Making

Rolls/Breadsticks . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Whole Wheat Rolls. . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Onion Rye Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49Potato Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Buttermilk Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Orange Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53Butter Crust Rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54Breadsticks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Pastries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55Sweet Pastry Dough . . . . . . . . . . . . .56Apple Braid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57Pecan Rolls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59Cinnamon Raisin Bun . . . . . . . . . . .60

Kolaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62Danish Tea Ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63Stollen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64Tofu Cheesecake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Granola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67Granola. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Muffins and Biscuits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70Bran Muffins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72Blueberry Muffins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73Apple Spice Muffins . . . . . . . . . . . . .75Coconut Orange Muffins. . . . . . . . . 76Sweet Potato Muffins . . . . . . . . . . . .77

Onion Dill Muffins. . . . . . . . . . . . . .79Buttermilk Biscuits. . . . . . . . . . . . . .80Sweet Potato Biscuits . . . . . . . . . . . . 81Raisin Scones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Quick Breads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83Irish Soda Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85Cornbread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86Banana Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88Carrot Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89Date Nut Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Gingerbread. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92Apricot Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94Pumpkin Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95Cranberry Walnut Bread . . . . . . . . .96Zucchini Bread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98



Cakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99Dutch Apple Cake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101French Apple Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103Blueberry Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104Carob Brownies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106Coconut Broiler Cake. . . . . . . . . . .107Strawberry Shortcake. . . . . . . . . . .108Pineapple Upside-Down Cake . . . 110

Ginger Pear Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Streusel Coffee Cake. . . . . . . . . . . . 113Vanilla Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Lemon Sesame Cake . . . . . . . . . . . 116Raisin Spice Cake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Cream Cheese Frosting . . . . . . . . . 118

Cookies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119Lieblings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121Peppermint Bliss Balls . . . . . . . . . .122Peanut Butter Date Cookies . . . . .123Oatmeal Raisin Cookies . . . . . . . .124Pecan Gems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128Cinnamon Snow Cookies . . . . . . .129Chinese Almond Cookies . . . . . . .130Macaroons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132Nussgeback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133Peanut Butter Cookie . . . . . . . . . . .134Fruit Tarts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136

Ginger Snaps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137Orange Almond Cookies. . . . . . . .138Carob Cookies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139Cherry Jubilees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Carob Chip Cookie. . . . . . . . . . . . .142Anise Cookie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143Butter Christmas Cookie. . . . . . . .144Gingerbread Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Lemon Cookie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147Date Nut Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148Raisin Bars. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149Hawaiian Bars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

Fruit Oat Squares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152Cherry-Carob Chip Squares . . . . .154Maple Nut Squares . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Pies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156Butter Pie Crust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Oil Pie Crust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Streusel Topping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164Pressed in Pie Crust . . . . . . . . . . . .164Sweet Pie Crust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Oat Pie Crust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166Apple Pie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Peach Pie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Blueberry Pie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Strawberry Rhubarb Pie . . . . . . . . 171Pumpkin Pie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Sweet Potato Pie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173Mincemeat Pie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Banana Cream Pie . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176





1

Foreword

The Clark Street Bakery was a whole-foods bakery that I operated in the early 1980s on Chicago’s north side. This beloved establishment produced good-tasting and nutritious baked goods, using only organic whole-grain flours, less-refined sweeteners like honey and molasses, and vegetable oil rather than lard, hydrogenated shortening, or lots of butter. Chemical preservatives, dough conditioners, bleaches, and food dyes were never used. The bakery served as a retail community bakery and supplier to natural-food stores and co-ops in Chicago and Evanston. This collection of recipes and vignettes tells our story.

The bakery was no ordinary business enterprise. We had a missionary zeal to deliver fresh nutritious baked goods to the people of Chicago and our local community. Because our goals were so worthwhile, many people served as unpaid volunteers, including two men, Randy and Hans, who lived in the bakery with me for the first year. Other people came to work at the bakery as paid employees without solicitation, because they shared our ideals. Some in the community came as friends, just to hang out and enjoy the social atmo-sphere. The place functioned as a community drop-in center at times. Over time this unique group of people became an informal family that cared for each other and supported each other in the many crises of life.

The bakery never turned a decent profit, due to both the reluctance of most people to eat whole-grain products, as well as the significant economic

recession at the time. Eventually, I sold the business to recoup my



Clark Street Whole Foods Baking

2

investment and moved on to marriage, family, and a career doing social work with vulnerable children. The dog-eared, food-smudged

recipe cards from the bakery remained in a metal card file, and I occasionally dug out a recipe to bake cookies with my children.

Then came Memorial Day weekend 2007, and a visit from good friend and former baker, Vivian Olmos, and her husband, Joe. Vivian wanted copies of her favorite recipes. She looked up as she was writing and said, “Al, these recipes are too good to sit in a box and not be shared with others. You really should consider writing a cookbook.” I voiced my reluctance. I was unsure that there would be an audience for such a book. Besides, it would entail a lot of work. Joe suggested that stories from the bakery be included, adding another point of interest to enhance its marketability. I was still unsure about taking on such a task, but said I would consider it.

After they left, I browsed through the box. Some of the recipes were illegible. Others were incomplete, with no baking instructions. At the bakery, the cards had served more as prompts or notes than as full-blown recipes. It would be a lot of work to turn each card into a recipe that others could use. But I also knew that when I died, my wife and children would open that box, see that the recipe cards were nearly incomprehensible, and just throw the box in the trash. The thought of that made my heart ache. All the work of several years spent developing those recipes would go to waste. At that moment, I knew that I had to publish the recipes in a book that everyone could use.

Americans are more interested in whole foods now than they were thirty years ago. A recent survey showed that about 20% of all Americans buy natural and organic foods on a regular basis. Most large grocery chains carry whole foods along with their regular items. A movement which was seen as peculiar and counter-cultural is now mainstream. The medical profession has awakened; many doctors now realize that it takes more than pills and shots to create healthy individuals, and that lifestyle and good nutrition are an important part of the process.

It had been twenty-five years since I had made many of the recipes. I would have to test each one to make sure it worked according to the directions and created great-tasting results. Certain equipment and ingredients which were available to us in the bakery are not easily accessible to the home baker today. Some recipe cards were too smudged to read the amounts clearly. Most of the

recipes needed to be cut down from large commercial batches to home-



3

Foreword

style baking. And finally, my taste buds had changed over the years, and I wasn’t sure I would feel the same way about certain recipes.

As I tested the recipes, I asked for objective feedback from others as to the quality and flavor of the baked goods. Each week, my wife, Fran, and I passed out baked goods to friends, neighbors, family members, and Fran’s co-workers. Many people were not accustomed to eating whole foods, so I saw their feed-back as the acid test.

I believe this book is unique in offering a broad range of recipes while main-taining a strictly whole-foods approach. Several baking books use whole grain flours, but focus exclusively on yeasted and quick breads. They have some nice recipes, but do not include cakes, cookies, bars, and pies. Other books offer a broad range of baked goods, but only use whole-grain flour in combi-nation with white flour. The recipes in such books often utilize processed ingredients, such as white sugar, corn syrup, vegetable shortening, chocolate, and food dyes, and generally are heavy with sweetener and fat. The recipes resemble those in conventional cookbooks, with some whole-grain flour and honey added. Scientific research has now shown that a complete whole-foods approach provides optimal health.

In writing this book, I have come to realize that baking is a process of connec-tion. As we bake, we connect with those hardy souls who sowed the first grain with bone hoes and ground it between two rocks to make a simple flatbread. We connect with present-day farmers and millers who, through their toil and care, provide us with quality ingredients. We connect with those who devel-oped the original recipes that we have adapted. We connect with those we bake with and with those we serve with the work of our hands and our hearts. In ways that cannot be fully expressed, we connect with ourselves as we mix the ingredients and knead the dough. It is all a process of connection, and being aware of all of this makes it a spiritual endeavor.

It is my hope that those who use this book will be blessed with good health and long lives.




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5

Nutritional Value of Ingredients

Understanding the ingredients, their baking qualities, and their nutritional values is important in the success of any baker. This section provides an empirical basis for the use of whole foods.

Wheat

Wheat bread is the most commonly-consumed food in the world. In one-third of all countries, wheat provides 40-60% of the daily nutrition of the inhabitants. The great majority of this wheat is consumed as bread made with white flour that has had the bran and germ removed.

In the United States, the average amount of wheat consumed per person is 120 pounds annually. However, the amount of wheat bread eaten has decreased slightly in the past decades and has been replaced with the increased consumption of sugar and fat. Ninety-five percent of all wheat flour consumed in America is in the form of white flour.1

Wheat bread is such a popular form of food because of its nutritional value and pleasing risen texture. The light, spongy texture of wheat bread is due to the large amount of gluten in the flour. Rye flour has about half the amount of gluten as wheat. Other grains and beans used as flour have little or no gluten.

1. Robert Ronzio, The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health, 2nd ed. (New York: Checkmark Books, 2005) 669-670




6

The wheat kernel, or berry, has a tough outer layer of fiber called bran. This protects the interior of the kernel. The bran makes up about 16% of the kernel. The small wheat plant, or germ, is a rich source of protein, essential oils, and vitamins, but only makes up about 3% of the kernel. The endosperm makes up the interior core of the wheat kernel and constitutes about 80% of it. The endosperm is largely complex carbohydrates or starch, along with some protein and water. It functions as food for the growing plant when it germinates.

The whole wheat kernel is an excellent source of nutrition with significant amounts of protein, carbohydrate, essential oils, fiber, vitamins and minerals. It comes close to being a complete food, but lacks vitamins A, C, D, and the mineral iodine.

When the wheat kernel is milled to produce white flour, the bran and germ of the kernel are completely removed, so white flour has much less nutritional value. There are large losses—60% to 80%— of twenty-four essential nutritional components in white flour, including protein, eight vitamins, and thirteen minerals. Practically all of the fiber is removed in white flour. Chemically synthesized thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and iron are the only nutrients added back into white flour.2

In addition to these losses, there is a significant decrease in phytochemicals in white flour. Phytochemicals are beneficial substances that assist the body in the assimilation of food and promote important biological processes in the body. They are believed to reduce the risk of coronary disease and cancer.

Wheat bran is largely a type of fiber known as insoluble fiber, as it does not dissolve in water and is not absorbed through the intestinal wall. It passes through the gastrointestinal system, providing bulk that promotes faster elimination. Fiber is very important to human health, as a diet low in fiber is associated with constipa-tion, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, hypertension, heart disease, gallstones, and cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Fiber helps curb appetite as the stomach feels full. It displaces fat calories and slows down fat digestion: thus it may help control obesity. It is estimated that Americans eat only 33-50% of the optimal amount of fiber daily.3Some studies also show that eating a diet high in fiber slows the conver-sion of food to glucose in the blood and reduces the risk of diabetes. This is particu-larly true of whole wheat flour, which is coarsely milled, as opposed to finely milled.

Although white flour is not a toxic substance like arsenic or hemlock, daily consumption of significant quantities creates health risks. Eating substantial quan-tities of a food that is low in nutritional value and fails to meet the body’s nutritional needs leaves the body susceptible to disease. The lack of fiber in white flour also 2. Robert Ronzio, The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health, 2nd ed. (New York: Checkmark Books,

2005) 669-6703. Robert Ronzio, The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health, 2nd ed. (New York: Checkmark Books,

2005) 260



7


increases the risk of serious illness, as described above. Consumption of white flour appears to be part of a dietary pattern in the United States that is responsible for the prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.

In terms of baking qualities, the many varieties of wheat can largely be divided into wheat with hard berries and wheat with soft berries. Hard wheat, whether it is spring or fall, red or white, contains 13-14.5% protein and produces a higher rise and firmer texture in baked goods. Flour from hard wheat is best for baking bread and yeast rolls. Flour from soft wheat contains about 8.5% protein and provides a softer texture. It is often called pastry flour. It works best for baking cookies, muffins, and cakes. All-purpose flour is a blend of hard and soft wheat that was developed in the past two decades.

Big commercial mills use large steel rollers or hammers to grind the whole wheat kernels. The bran, germ, and endosperm are separated during the milling process and added back together according to a mathematical formula to create the whole wheat flour sold in grocery stores. Industrial milling generates a great deal of heat, and this heat can harm some of the protein, oil, and vitamins in the kernel. By law, a flour designated as “whole wheat” must contain 95% of the wheat kernel. This leaves open the possibility that the miller may leave out some of the wheat germ, as it contains oil which can go rancid and decrease the shelf life of the flour.

The grinding of wheat flour between two stone wheels does not produce as much friction and heat, so stone-ground flour is nutritionally superior to flour ground between steel rollers. The bran, germ, and endosperm are not separated in this process, and therefore the wheat flour contains the whole wheat kernel with all of its nutrition. Stone-ground wheat flour tends to be coarser and have larger flecks of bran, which offers advantages in terms of fiber and the glycemic index, the rate at which a food becomes glucose in the blood stream. The downside of coarser flour with larger bran flakes is that bread made with it tends not to rise as high as bread made with finely-ground flour.

Organically-grown flour is produced without the use of herbicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers, reducing the risk of ingesting potentially harmful substances. The methods employed in organic farming are also friendlier to the soil and the environment and use less petroleum, which is a key component of chemical fertil-izers. It is more expensive, but it offers certain health and environmental advantages.

Yeast

Commercially-produced yeast has been selected from various strains of yeast for its mild flavor and ability to reproduce rapidly. In industrial sites, the yeast is fed molasses, so it will grow and reproduce. Several types of commercial yeast are avail-




8

able to the baker, the most common and widely used being active dry yeast. Active dry yeast is alive, but in a dormant state, since as there is no water or food available to the tiny organisms. This yeast can remain alive for a year in a cool environment. The important thing to remember is to refrigerate it and use it within the expira-tion period.

Salt

Salt is chiefly used to bring out the flavor of baked goods, which generally taste bland without it. However, spices, herbs, and other ingredients can also produce flavor and minimize the amount of salt needed in a recipe.

Salt is also important in the making of yeast breads and rolls because it strengthens the gluten structure of the dough and inhibits and helps control yeast activity. Bread made without salt will tend to rise quickly as a dough and in the oven and may collapse while baking due to the weak gluten structure and the over-activity of the yeast.

Commercial salt is mined from the earth or gathered from the sea. Either form of salt is relatively pure, non-toxic, and suitable for baking. Sea salt is more expensive, but is considered by some to be nutritionally superior, as it contains small amounts of minerals from its oceanic environment.

Sweeteners

Sweeteners have many roles. They produce a pleasant flavor, coloration and texture. They add moisture. Certain sweeteners, such as malt syrup, help prevent the staling of bread. Honey can inhibit the growth of mold. Sweeteners are not essential in the baking of bread, but they do help feed the yeast and encourage its growth. Certain sweeteners also have some nutritional and health value.

Table sugar is the sweetener commonly used in conventional baking. It is derived from the juice of the sugar cane plant, which is grown in tropical and subtropical regions. After an extensive process of crushing the cane stalks, filtering, chemical purification, and re-crystallization, it emerges as highly-refined pure white sugar or sucrose. Sucrose is devoid of all protein, essential oils, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. It is simply pure carbohydrate and calories.

Many sweeteners that are less refined offer more nutritional value, although their nutritional value is small. These sweeteners are honey, agave nectar, molasses, raw sugar, barley malt syrup, sorghum syrup, and maple syrup. These sweeteners generally have very small amounts of minerals, although molasses, a by-product of the refining of sucrose, has significant amounts of calcium, iron, and magnesium.



9


Malt syrup and sorghum syrup, derived from grains, have small amounts of complex carbohydrate, protein, and B vitamins. Raw honey, filtered to remove bee hair and bits of wax, is the least refined sweetener and may appropriately be seen as a whole food.

All these sweeteners are predominantly sugar in the chemical form of fructose and glucose. Honey, in fact, with sixteen grams of simple sugar per tablespoon, has 33% more sugar than sucrose, so a smaller amount can be used to sweeten baked goods. Maple syrup and molasses have about the same amount of simple sugar as sucrose, and malt syrup has 33% less simple sugar than sucrose, leaving it with only a slightly sweet flavor. Sweeteners should be used in moderation, since over-consump-tion of any form of sugar can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. I try to use only enough sweetener to give a slightly sweet and pleasant flavor to my baking.

Less-refined sweeteners can provide several benefits. Honey provides an attrac-tive brown color in the crusts of bread and some baked goods, while molasses provides the dark color of rye bread and pumpernickel. Turbinado sugar is an attractive topping on certain cookies and bars. Honey, molasses, and maple syrup also add their distinctive flavor to baked goods, providing for a richer flavor. These sweeteners also add moisture and a pleasant texture.

Fats

Fat in its various forms is an essential macronutrient. It should be eaten in moderation, however, and current nutritional guidelines recommend that no more than 20% of our daily caloric intake be attributable to fat.

Fat provides moisture and imparts a pleasant texture. Without it, baked goods tend to be very dry and unsatisfying. In the baking of bread, fat coats and protects the strands of gluten and allows for a higher rise. In cakes, the lubrication of the gluten facilitates a greater dispersion of the bubbles of carbon dioxide and a finer, more even texture.

There are three basic types of fat: saturated, monoun saturated, and polyunsaturated.

Saturated fat is composed of long chains of carbon atoms that are saturated with hydrogen atoms, making saturated fat a solid. Meat, lard, dairy products, eggs, and some nuts have significant amounts of saturated fat. Among dairy products, butter, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, and buttermilk have high amounts of saturated fat, while milk and yogurt that come in low-fat varieties are lower in fat. Consumption of large amounts of saturated fat can lead to heart disease, stroke, certain cancers,




10

diabetes, and obesity. This is why the United States Department of Agriculture recommends consuming only a small amount of fat, especially saturated fat.

Olive oil and some nuts and seeds are high in monounsaturated fat, so-called because its long chains of carbon atoms are not completely saturated with hydrogen atoms, and the chain has only two carbon atoms linked with a double bond. Mono-unsaturated fat is regarded as a relatively healthy fat because it raises the level of beneficial high density lipids (HDL) in the blood and lowers the level of harmful low density lipids (LDL). Despite its healthy profile, olive oil is generally not used in baking due to its strong, distinctive flavor, although this flavor works well with certain herb breads and muffins. People who wish to use olive oil in all baked goods may find the flavor of light olive oil acceptable.

Canola oil was developed from a hybrid version of the rapeseed (a plant in the mustard family) to produce an oil high in healthy monounsaturated fat. It has a long shelf life and a mild flavor. I have used it many times in baking, and it works well. Unfortunately, a controversy has raged among nutritional experts for some time over the safety of canola oil, as a small portion of it can become rancid quickly and this is harmful to human health. I do not have the definitive answer to the controversy, but if you wish to use canola oil, I recommend keeping it from heat and light by refrigerating it and using it in a timely manner.

Corn, soybeans, safflower, sesame, and sunflower seeds are used to produce oils that are rich in polyunsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fat has fatty acids that are not saturated with hydrogen atoms and have more than one double bond between two carbon atoms. This type of fat is essential to human health, but consuming larger amounts of it can lower the level of healthy high density lipids (HDL) in the blood-stream and increase the risk of heart disease, certain tumors, and gallstones.4 I try to limit the vegetable oil I use to what is necessary to moisturize the baked goods, and most recipes only contain ¼ to ¾ teaspoon of vegetable oil per serving.

Trans fats are vegetable oils that have been chemically altered by subjecting the oil to high heat and partially saturating the long carbon chains of the fat with hydrogen atoms. The word “trans” refers to the altered placement of the hydrogen atoms on the carbon chain from the norm. Trans fats are found in vegetable short-ening and some margarines. They are used for frying and are the ingredients of many baked goods bearing the label “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.” Medical research has determined that the consumption of trans fats is dangerous to human health; they drive up the amount of harmful low density lipids while restricting the levels of beneficial high density lipids, thus contributing to the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

4 Robert Ronzio, The Encyclopedia of Nutrition and Good Health, 2nd ed. (New York: Checkmark Books, 2005) 522



11


Chocolate

Cocoa and chocolate are produced from the seeds of the pods of the cocoa tree, which is native to tropical areas of the Americas. Spanish conquerors brought these seeds to Europe, and cocoa mixed with sugar and water soon became a popular drink. In the late nineteenth century, some enterprising soul combined cocoa powder and refined sugar with milk fat to produce solid chocolate, and it was mass-produced in industrial sites.

Cocoa is rich in saturated fat and has protein, vitamins, and anti-oxidants which provide some nutritional value. However, cocoa is very acidic and bitter in taste and drying to the mouth. In order to be palatable and pleasant for human consumption, it must be combined with large amounts of sugar and fat. Many people find choco-late delicious, but it easily leads to over-consumption of sugar and fat. Chocolate causes nausea and gastro-intestinal problems for many people, and others have an allergic reaction to it. For these reasons, I prefer not to use it. I use carob powder as a substitute in a few recipes.



12

Yeast Breads

In the field of food preparation, what is unique about yeast breads, rolls, and some pastries is the use of microscopic organisms to achieve leavening and flavor. The baker orchestrates the activities of tiny yeast and bacteria in a cooperative rela-tionship. These living organisms are affected by the conditions in their environment. The knowledgeable baker manipulates temperature, time, moisture, and ingredients to regulate their activities and achieve a desirable result, making baking both a science and art. This is why bakers are held in esteem by many in society.

Yeast is a microscopic organism, a type of fungus, that does not derive its food from the interaction of chlorophyll and sunlight like green plants. Yeasts live on the sugar molecules found in organic matter. As they grow, they convert this sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide gas. It is the millions of bubbles of carbon dioxide that slowly leaven and raise the dough and give bread its pleasant light texture. The carbon dioxide and alcohol create a slightly acidic environment in the dough which is beneficial to the yeast, and the alcohol flavors the dough to some degree. This is the same yeast used to produce beer, wine, and alcohol by feeding it the sugar found in fruits and grains.

The yeast will die in the high heat of the oven, and most of the alcohol will evapo-rate, leaving a structure of solidified protein, starch, water, and other ingredients that we call bread.

The bacteria that play a part in the production of bread are varieties of beneficial organisms called lactobacilli, as they produce lactic acid, as well as acetic acid. They feed on the sugar molecules created from the starch in the flour, producing a little



13

Yeast Breads

carbon dioxide and the two acids. Lactic acid and acetic acid are relatively weak acids, but leave a pleasant tangy or sour flavor in bread. Lactobacilli are used in the production of cultured dairy products—yogurt, buttermilk, kefir, and cheese—and they also exist in our digestive tract, helping to break down complex foods so we can derive nutrition from them. The relation of mankind to these bacteria and yeasts goes back thousands of years.

Flour from wheat and other grains has a good deal of complex carbohydrate or starch, but this is not immediately available to the yeast and lactobacilli as food. The long chains of carbohydrate molecules must be broken down into their component parts of simple sugars—glucose, fructose and maltose—and this is done by certain enzymes in the flour. Amylase enzymes act as chemical catalysts to lock into certain sites on long carbohydrate molecules and break them apart into simple sugars. This process begins when the enzymes in the flour are moistened with water. When yeast and lactobacilli are present with flour and water, they feed on the sugar created by the enzymes and produce carbon dioxide, alcohol, and acids as a by-product.

Temperature is another important factor in the activity of the yeast. As the temperature rises, the yeast become more active, until the temperature becomes so hot that it kills the yeast. The optimal temperature range for controlled yeast fermentation used in baking is between 70°F and 80°F. Yeast activity will progres-sively decrease at temperatures lower than this and become completely dormant at 32 o F. At temperatures above this range, the yeast may become so active that its activity becomes uncontrolled, resulting in a dough that may over-proof and not sustain the rise in the oven. At temperatures above 130° F, the yeast will begin to die.

Although the carbon dioxide produced by the yeast will be trapped to some degree in an un-kneaded dough, kneading the dough will trap more by creating strands of gluten. Gluten is a stretchy, elastic material formed by glutenin and gliadin—two proteins found in wheat flour—when they come into contact with water and are separated from the starch and bran by the action of kneading the dough. Thorough kneading will maximize the amount of gluten formed in the dough, trapping more carbon dioxide and maximizing the rise of the bread in the oven.

Although this information on the science of baking bread may be interesting in its own right, the primary aim here is to help the reader understand something of the complex interactions among yeast, lactobacilli, flour, enzymes, water, temperature, and kneading, giving the baker a basis for comprehending the actual mechanics described in the following step-by-step method for baking whole-grain bread.




14

The Direct Method of Baking Yeast Bread

The direct method of baking yeast breads combines all of the ingredients of the recipe at the same time, as opposed to allowing yeast to sit in a mixture of flour and water for an hour or more in a type of “pre-ferment” before combining the mixture with the rest of the ingredients. The advantages of the direct method are simplicity and a shorter preparation time. This particular direct method yields consistently good-tasting bread with a moderate rise. By utilizing less yeast it avoids producing a bitter, yeasty after-taste in the baked bread and allows for fuller flavor development due to the longer rising periods of the dough. In addition, the natural nut-like flavor of whole wheat flour, varied sweeteners, and other ingredients add to the distinctive and pleasant flavor of each bread recipe. The fact that over a thousand customers bought breads prepared with this method on a regular basis is a testimonial to its positive qualities.

Preliminary Considerations

Hygiene and sanitation are always primary considerations in any food prepara-tion. One’s hands should be washed and the utensils and bowls should be clean. The work area should be clean and free of debris and clutter. The utensils and ingredients involved in making the recipe should be ready-at-hand so that the baker can move through the preparation easily and without interruption.

It is also important that the ingredients be relatively fresh. The baker should look at the expiration date on the packaging, but also use their senses of sight, smell, and taste. Active dry yeast which has not been refrigerated and has gone beyond its expiration date may be mostly dead and unable to produce a good rise. Whole grain flour, vegetable oil, seeds, and nuts can become rancid and have a bad flavor if too old. There is no sense spending the time and trouble to bake bread only to end up with less than satisfactory results.

I. Proofing the Yeast

The purpose of proofing, or activating, the dry active yeast is to dissolve it and allow it to come to life and begin to grow. This step gives the yeast a head start before being incorporated into the dough and also allows the baker to see whether the yeast is indeed alive and active.

The water used for proofing the yeast should be between 105°F and 115°F. If the water is over 130°F, it will kill the yeast. A simple way of determining the correct temperature for the water is to run it on the wrist or put a finger in the measuring cup full of water. The water should feel neither hot nor cold on the wrist or finger. A kitchen thermometer can also be used to measure the temperature.



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Yeast Breads

The active dry yeast can either be put into the mixing bowl before the water is added or sprinkled on the water once the water has been put into the mixing bowl. It works either way.

Many recipes first add the yeast to ¼ cup of water to dissolve it, adding the rest of the water to the flour later, but it is simpler and faster to put all the water in the mixing bowl at the same time.

The sweetener is added to the water and yeast and stirred to dissolve. As the sweeteners are normally in syrup form, it is easier to dissolve them in water rather than adding them later to the flour mixture. Even though honey has anti-bacterial qualities and can harm the yeast, a small amount of honey diluted in water for a short time will not harm the yeast, but instead give it food to grow.

It is best to allow the yeast to grow in the water for 10 minutes to make sure it is alive. If the yeast is alive, a tan or beige foam of yeast will appear and expand in the water in the bowl.

II. Mixing the Ingredients

After waiting 10 minutes for the yeast to foam, about half the flour called for in the recipe, or 2 cups, can be added to the water and yeast in the bowl. The salt in the recipe should be put directly on top of the mound of flour in the bowl, as it can harm the yeast. The oil and other ingredients can also be put directly on the flour.

This mixture should be stirred vigorously for 3-4 minutes to thoroughly blend all ingredients and begin working some of the gluten out of the flour. Vigorous stir-ring at this point will save you some kneading later. The mixture should resemble a pancake batter when you are done stirring.

Add more flour, ½ cup at a time, and continue stirring the flour into the mixture. The mixture will become firmer and stiffer and more difficult to stir. A rough dough will emerge that has moist areas and drier “shaggy” areas covered with flour. Reserve ½ cup of the remaining flour for kneading and dump the rough dough onto a floured work surface. Scrape out all the bits of dough and flour in the bowl, and set the bowl aside to be cleaned.

III. Kneading the Dough

The purpose of kneading is to develop long elastic strands of protein and water that are called gluten. The formation of gluten is essential to the rise of the bread, as these elastic strands capture and hold the CO2 gas emitted by the yeast and allow the bread dough to expand.




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Kneading of whole grain bread generally takes 10-12 minutes of vigorous activity. Rye breads require only 10 minutes of kneading as the rye flour contains less gluten.

The first step is to take the shaggy flour-covered mass of dough on the work surface and form it into a ball, incorporating the loose bits of dough and flour into the ball. This is done by pushing on the shaggy mass of dough with open hands for about half a minute until it comes together as a ball of dough.

Once a rough ball of dough has been formed, the process of kneading the dough begins in earnest. The customary method of kneading is to push the dough down and away from you with two open hands, giving the dough a ⅛ turn in whichever direction you feel is comfortable, then grasping the far end of the dough with both hands and bringing it towards yourself, folding the far end of the dough over the dough nearest you. Your arms will be slightly extended and stiff as you push the dough away from you and your body will rock forward from heel to toe to give force to the push. As you draw the dough back towards you, your arms will bend and your body will relax, moving your weight from the toe to the heel.

This basic motion will be performed over and over again until the gluten is devel-oped in the dough. The ball of dough will become smooth and elastic as it is kneaded. If it begins to stick to the work surface, sprinkle some of the reserved flour under the dough. When the dough sticks to your hands, as it will, sprinkle flour on top of the dough and rub your hands together to remove the bits of dough. Eventually the dough will become smooth, supple, and somewhat soft, and it will stick minimally to the work surface and your hands. As the gluten develops, the dough will become lighter in color and brown flecks of wheat bran will stand out in the dough.

Kneading—Pushing Away Kneading—Drawing Towards



17

Yeast Breads

IV. First and Second Rises of the Dough

The purpose of letting the dough rise is to allow the yeast to grow and multiply so that the bread will have a strong rise in the oven. The gluten also continues to strengthen during these rises and the by-products of the yeast, lactobacilli, and enzyme action all contribute to increased flavor. If more yeast is used in the recipe, the second rise can be omitted, but the flavor of the bread may suffer.

The dough rises in a bowl which allows expansion of the dough. A small amount of oil is used to coat the dough to keep it from sticking to the bowl and becoming dry. The ideal temperature for the dough to rise is between 70 to 80 o F. Tempera-tures on the low end of this range can slow the rise down by as much as 20 minutes. Temperatures on the high end can speed up the rise by 20 minutes. Achieving this temperature range can be difficult in winter, and placing the covered bowl in an oven with a pilot light or with an oven light can be beneficial. The oven can also be turned on to 200°F for two minutes to warm it up and then turned off.

The dough will expand to nearly double its size by the end of the rise and be soft and puffy. At the end of the first and second rise, the dough is gently deflated by pushing on it with both hands several times. This moves the yeast to new sources of food and removes CO2 and alcohol, which can become toxic to the yeast in signifi-cant amounts.

This first rise will take about two hours for whole wheat bread. The second rise will take about ¾ of the time of the first rise. Rye bread, which contains less gluten, will normally go through its rise cycles more quickly.

V. Pre-shape and Rest

At the end of the second rise, the dough is dumped out of the bowl to be pre-shaped into two round loaves. Once the dough is on the work surface, it is deflated by pressing on it a few times. With a dough scraper or sharp knife, the dough is then cut into two parts of about the same weight. You can use a weight scale or hold dough in each hand to see if the two parts are of equal weight.

Each portion of dough that will become a loaf of bread is placed on the work surface and formed into a ball by cupping the hands around each dough, tucking in any loose pieces, and pressing on the dough.

Once each dough has been shaped into a ball, it should be allowed to rest for 10 minutes to allow the strands of gluten to relax. Allowing the dough to relax will make it easier to stretch the dough and form it into the final shape of the loaf.




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VI. Shaping the Loaves

There are several reasons why shaping each loaf is important. An even shape to the loaf will help ensure an even rise and even baking, so that one end of a loaf is not overdone while the other end is undercooked. Shaping the loaf is also important for aesthetics—the appearance of the bread once it is baked. The process of shaping the loaf also introduces more tension or spring into the loaf, which will maximize the rise in the oven.

For loaves that will be baked in a rectangular bread pan, the bread dough should be flattened by pressing on it with a hand or forearm so it becomes a rectangle 10” long by 7” wide. Take each end of the long side of the dough and the ends into the center, pressing down on the ends of the dough to seal the seam. Repeat this process with the top and bottom sides of the dough, folding them into the center and pressing on the ends to seal the seam. Then, grasping the dough with both hands, put your thumbs into the center seam and roll the top end of the dough towards the bottom, creating tension in the dough. Seal this new seam by pressing on it so it will not come apart. If necessary, roll the dough on the work surface a few times to ensure that it is even in size and diameter from one end to the other, and the dough is the length of the bread pan. This dough will be placed into a lightly-oiled bread pan seam side down.

Forming Pan Loaf Forming Center Seam

Rolling Dough into Cylinder



19

Yeast Breads

For round or free-form loaves, place both hands around the bread dough in a cupped fashion and tighten the “skin” or exterior surface of the dough by moving your cupped hands downward. This will create tension in the surface of the dough and smooth any wrinkles, folds, and crevices. Do not pull so hard on the dough that it will tear. While moving your cupped hands in a downward motion to tighten the surface, rotate the dough clockwise slightly so that you can gently pull down on all sides of the dough. After doing this for a minute, the dough will be a round ball with a smooth, somewhat taut surface, and any cracks or loose ends of the dough will be moved to the bottom of the dough.

VII. The Final Rise in the Pans

There are several factors which affect how quickly the bread dough will rise before it is ready to go into the oven. These factors include the following: the types of flour and their gluten content, the weight of extra ingredients such as raisins or nuts, the amount of yeast used, the temperature of the environment, and whether the dough is relatively firm or soft. In general, a whole wheat bread will take 30-50 minutes to rise in the last rise and a rye bread less, perhaps 20-30 minutes. The important thing is to have the loaves covered with a damp towel, placed in a warm draft-free environment, and observed periodically to see how they are rising. When you see that they are reaching their estimated time of departure to the oven, it is time to turn the oven on to preheat it.

Breads that are ready to go into the oven will have visibly risen and appear puffy. They will be somewhat soft to the touch, and if you make a ½” dent in the dough with your finger, the dent will not fill in quickly. Bread dough placed in a pan will have risen about 1” above the top edge of the pan. Free-form round loaves will have spread in diameter on the pan, but not lost their height. You do not want them so soft that they are deflating and flattening out.

Forming Round Loaf




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The introduction of moisture or steam into the oven helps to form an attractive crust on the bread as the water vapor mixes with the flour starch on the surface of the bread to form a slight glaze. The moisture also keeps the surface of the dough soft and pliable, which will allow for the maximum expansion and rise of the dough. The simplest way of doing this is to spray the loaves before putting them in the oven with water from a spray bottle and then once or twice during the baking time.

VIII. The Option of Slashing the Loaves

The bread loaves can be slashed just before going into the oven in order to form an attractive pattern on the top of the bread. As the loaves rise in the oven, particu-larly free-form loaves, they can expand quickly and forcefully and create unsightly tears in the surface of the bread. Slashing the loaf helps prevent this by controlling where the expansion and tears of the loaves will occur.

I do not generally slash breads placed in bread pans. The rounded brown tops of pan breads are attractive in themselves, and unsightly tearing of whole wheat bread is rare.

Round, free-form loaves placed on a flat pan are more likely to have surface tears and can benefit from slashing. The slashing can be done after sprinkling the loaves with poppy or sesame seeds, or flour, if desired, just before putting them into the oven. The attractive slashing patterns commonly used by bakers are two or three parallel slash lines, two perpendicular slashes forming a cross, or four slash lines at right angles to each other in the form of a square.

To slash bread dough, use a sharp serrated knife or a single-edge razor blade. Hold the knife or blade lightly, but firmly, in one hand and slash the surface of the loaf to a depth of ¼”. The slash lines will expand in depth and width in the oven. They should be 4-5 inches long.

IX. Baking the Bread

It is best to bake bread in the center of the middle shelf of the oven, as the top, bottom, and walls of the oven all radiate increased heat and can cause the bread to over-bake in one area. The door of the oven tends to be cooler; you do not want the bread near the door, or it will bake unevenly. Convection ovens minimize the problem of uneven baking. Separate the pans to allow for better air circulation.

If you are baking with multiple pans on two or more shelves of an oven, move the pans from the top shelf to the bottom shelf, and vice versa, halfway through the baking cycle. It is best to rotate all pans 180 degrees so that the sides of the bread are moved to a different interior position.



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Yeast Breads

Spray the loaves of bread with water from a spray bottle once or twice during the first half of the baking cycle to keep the top surface of the bread moist. Be generous in the spraying, and spray directly on the loaves, as well as on the interior of the oven.

The time given for doneness is only an approximation. This is why a range of times is often given. Baking times vary, as some ovens are hotter than others, some places in ovens can be hotter, and the bread may have more, or less, water in it. It is best to begin checking on the bread a few minutes before the minimum estimated time of completion.

Knowing when the bread is exactly done necessitates using the senses of sight, smell, touch, and hearing. The tasting will come later. The bread will begin giving off a very pleasant aroma about fifteen minutes before it is done. If you smell a burnt odor, it has been overdone. The loaves should be evenly browned all over, particu-larly the bottom of the loaf, the last part to be completely baked. The loaves should be firm to the touch all over. Breads baked in a pan may be nicely brown on top, but still soft to the touch and a light tan color in the middle of the sides and bottom of the bread. If this is the case, the bread needs to be returned to the oven to bake another 10 minutes. When you feel the bread is done and have taken it from the oven, tapping on the loaf with your knuckles will elicit a hollow sound. A bread ther-mometer inserted in the center of the bread will register between 190°F and 200°F.

X. Storage

Bread should not be sliced until completely cool. The loaf will be doughy and moist until completely cool.

Whole-grain bread will keep well for a number of days, but will gradually dry out. Refrigeration will hasten drying out. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature. Whole wheat bread is generally resistant to molding as it has a good crust, and because ingredients like honey appear to retard mold. We never had a problem or complaint about moldy bread at the bakery.

Bread that is double-wrapped can be stored in the freezer for up to two months. It will lose moisture and flavor over time, but it will still make good toast.




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Whole Wheat Bread

Bread is the world’s most widely-eaten food, and most bread is made with wheat flour. Scholars estimate that 15,000 years ago, humans discovered that the seeds of certain wild grasses, early strains of wheat, were good to eat. Gradually, people discovered that by putting these seeds into the ground, they could grow new plants, and by 9000 B.C. people were cultivating wheat in the Fertile Crescent. Bone hoes, flint sickles, and stone grinding tools have been discovered near Damascus, Syria from this time period. By 4000 B.C. the farming of wheat was common in North Africa, Europe, and Asia. This meant that our ancestors no longer had to survive as nomadic hunter-gatherers, and the ability for a family to grow more wheat than it could consume led to the development of the early river civilizations and eventually to our modern urban society. It all began with the seed.

The seeds of grasses like wheat, rye, and barley are very hard and must be boiled in water for lengthy periods of time to be edible and for their nutrients to be bio-available. The grinding of these hard seeds into flour is another way to accomplish these ends. Our ancestors discovered this over 10,000 years ago when they took wheat and barley seeds and ground them into a coarse meal between two stones. This meal was mixed with water and cooked near a fire as flat bread or mush. By 1000 B.C., Egyptian millers were grinding grain between two flat millstones, using large animals like oxen to rotate the top stone. The Romans, who were skilled builders, constructed mills powered by water wheels. By the Middle Ages, in parts of northern Europe, windmills were used to grind grain. During the Industrial Era of the late nineteenth century, industrial flour mills were constructed that replaced the millstones used for grinding with steel rollers. These flour mills could produce large quantities of flour with the bran and germ of the wheat removed.

Ingredients

2 cups lukewarm (105 – 115°F) water¾ teaspoon dry yeast2 tablespoons malt syrup or honey

4¾ cups whole wheat flour2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons bulgur wheat2 tablespoons oil

Instructions

1. Proofing the Yeast: Pour the lukewarm water into a bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast on the water, add the malt syrup or honey, and stir until dissolved. Wait 8-10 minutes until the yeast begins to grow and becomes a tan-colored foam.



23

Yeast Breads

2. Mixing the Dough: Add 2 cups whole wheat flour to the water and stir for 3-4 minutes to form a homogenous batter and begin working the gluten out of the flour. Add more flour on top of the batter, and place the salt, bulgur wheat, and oil on the dry flour, mixing this into the batter. Continue adding the rest of the wheat flour, reserving ½ cup for kneading, and mix to form a stiff dough.

3. Kneading the Dough: Dump the dough in the bowl onto a floured work surface and form the dough into a ball, incorporating the fragments and loose flour into the ball. Knead this dough for 10 minutes, adding as little flour as possible to the work surface and the ball if the dough sticks to the surface or your hands.

4. The First Rise: Clean and dry the bowl. Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of oil on the bottom of the bowl. Place the dough into the bottom of the bowl, and flip it over once so that the entire surface of the dough is lightly covered with oil. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place and cover with a damp towel. Let rise 2 hours.

5. The Second Rise: Remove the towel from the bowl and gently press on the dough, which will have nearly doubled in size, to deflate it. Flip the dough over so the moist bottom is now on top. Place the damp towel back over the bowl and let rise 1 ½ hours.

6. Shaping the Loaf and the Final Rise: Remove the towel from the bowl and gently press on the dough to deflate. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on the work surface. Cut the dough in two equal pieces, shape each half into a rough ball, and let the balls rest 10 minutes to relax the gluten in the dough.

Shape each ball of dough into a loaf according to the Direct Bread Making instruc-tions in the previous section. Place the loaf into two oiled 8” by 4” bread pans. Put the pans in a warm, draft-free place and cover with a damp towel. Let the bread rise for 30-45 minutes, so that the dough is soft and puffy and has risen about 1” above the top of the pan. About fifteen minutes before putting the pan into the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F.

7. Baking the Loaves: When the bread has risen, remove the cloth, and spray the loaf with water from a spray bottle, if available. Place the two pans on the middle rack in the center of the oven, allowing some space between the two pans. About 15 minutes into the baking cycle, the loaves can be sprayed again to form a shiny crust.

Remove the loaves from the oven after they have baked approximately 50 minutes. The bottom and sides of the loaves should be evenly browned when the loaves are removed from the pans, and thumping the loaves with your fingers should produce a hollow sound. Remove the loaves from the pans immediately and place on wire racks to cool.




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Variations:

Cracked Wheat Bread: For denser, moister, chewier bread, omit the 2 tablespoons of uncooked bulgur wheat and add 1 cup cooked bulgur wheat. Increase the amount of salt to 2½ teaspoons. To cook bulgur wheat, put ¼ cup uncooked bulgur wheat into a bowl, add ⅓ cup boiling water, cover the bowl, and wait 20 minutes.

Sesame Wheat Bread: This bread has the distinctive flavor of toasted sesame. Omit the bulgur wheat, increase the honey and oil to 3 tablespoons each, and add ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds. To toast seeds, place in a skillet and heat 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn slightly brown and begin to pop. Once the dough is in the pan, it can be sprayed with water and sesame seeds can be sprinkled on top of the loaf.

Raisin Bread: A hint of coriander complements the sweetness of the raisins in this bread. Increase the yeast to 1¼ teaspoons and the honey to 3 tablespoons. Omit the bulgur wheat and add ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, and 1 cup raisins.

Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread: Using the Raisin Bread recipe above, do not add the raisins while mixing the dough, but reserve until after the second rise when shaping the loaves.

Form the dough into a rectangle approximately 11” by 8” by pressing it or rolling it with a rolling pin. Sprinkle the raisins and some additional cinnamon evenly on the rectangle and then roll the shorter side up to form a cylinder. Pinch the seam to seal and place in an oiled bread pan.

Oatmeal Bread: This bread has a slight flavor of molasses with the soft, moist texture of the oatmeal. Increase the yeast to 1¼ teaspoons and the honey to 3 tablespoons and add ⅓ cup molasses in the proofing stage. Omit the bulgur wheat, increase the oil to 3 tablespoons, and add 1½ cups cooked oatmeal. To prepare oatmeal, place ¾ cup rolled oats in a bowl, add 1¼ cups boiling water, cover the bowl, and wait 30 minutes.

Milk and Honey Bread: This unique recipe, created by John Goodell, has a rich nut-like flavor due to the milk and seeds. Decrease the water to 1½ cup, increase the yeast to 1½ teaspoons and the honey to ¼ cup. Eliminate the bulgur wheat, increase the whole wheat flour to 5¼ cups, and increase the salt to 2½ teaspoons.

Warm 1 cup milk in a saucepan until small bubbles form in the milk, then allow it to cool to 100° F. This will deactivate the enzyme protease which can weaken the protein structure of the bread and inhibit the rise. Add the cooled milk to the

Cracked Wheat Bread

Sesame Wheat Bread

Raisin Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread

Oatmeal Bread

Milk and Honey Bread



25

Yeast Breads

other ingredients and knead to form a soft dough. Then knead ⅝ cup raw sunflower seeds and ⅓ cup raw sesame seeds into the dough. After the second rise, form into rounded elliptical loaves and place on an oiled flat pan. As these loaves are slightly bigger, the third rise will be around 45 minutes, and baking time will increase to 50 minutes.

Savory Walnut Bread: This herb bread, created by John Goodell, is one of my favor-ites. In the proofing phase, increase the yeast to 1½ teaspoons. Eliminate the bulgur wheat and add 1 tablespoon marjoram, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 1½ tablespoons finely chopped yellow onion. The oil used should be olive oil. After thoroughly kneading the dough, knead in ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts. After the second rise, form the dough into round loaves and place on an oiled flat pan.

Savory Walnut Bread




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Rye Bread

It is believed that rye grass was cultivated as a grain about 5,000 years ago in western Asia, along with wheat and barley. As rye is a hardy plant which tolerates cold and dry climates well, it was eventually cultivated in northern Europe and became very popular in Germany, Poland, and Russia. It is higher in fiber than wheat and has good amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals, including iron and manganese. Rye flour is signifi-cantly lower in gluten than wheat flour, however, so it does not rise as well.

Rye flour contains a complex carbohydrate called pentosan that absorbs water rapidly and can make a rye dough somewhat sticky during kneading. I have not found this to be problematic, but some bakers recommend the addition of an acid ingredient in order to decrease the stickiness of the dough. One day I made three rye doughs, one with vinegar, one with yogurt, and one without any addition, and I found no difference in the stickiness of the dough. My suggestion in this regard is to mix the wheat flour into the batter first to develop its gluten before adding the rye flour.

Ingredients

2 cups lukewarm (105 – 115°F) water2 tablespoons dark molasses1¼ teaspoons dry yeast

3¾ cups whole wheat flour1½ cups whole rye flour2 teaspoons salt2 teaspoons caraway seeds2 tablespoons oil

Instructions

1. Proofing the Yeast: Pour the lukewarm water into a bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast on the water, add the molasses, and stir until dissolved. Wait 8-10 minutes until the yeast begins to grow and creates a tan-colored foam.

2. Mixing the Dough: Add 2 cups whole wheat flour to the water and stir for 3-4 minutes to form a homogenous batter and begin working the gluten out of the flour. Add the rye flour on top of the batter and place the salt, seeds, and oil on the dry flour, mixing this into the batter. Continue adding the rest of the wheat flour, reserving ½ cup for kneading, and mix to form a stiff dough.

3. Kneading the Dough: Dump the dough in the bowl onto a floured work surface. By pushing on the dough with both hands, form the dough into a ball and incorpo-rate the fragments and loose flour into the ball. Knead this dough for 10 minutes, adding as little flour as possible to the work surface and the ball if the dough sticks to the surface or your hands.



27

Yeast Breads

4. The First Rise: Clean and dry the bowl. Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon oil on the bottom of the bowl, place the dough into the bottom of the bowl, and flip it over once so that the entire surface of the dough is lightly covered with oil. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free place and cover with a damp towel. Let rise 1½ hours.

5. The Second Rise: Remove the towel from the bowl and gently press on the dough, which will have nearly doubled in size, to deflate it. Flip the dough over so the moist bottom is now on top. Place the damp towel back over the bowl and let rise for 1 hour.

6. Shaping the Loaf and the Final Rise: The dough will be about double in size and be light and puffy. Remove the towel from the bowl and gently press on the dough to deflate. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on the work surface. Cut the dough into two equal pieces, shape each half into a rough ball, and let them rest 10 minutes to relax the gluten in the dough. Shape the loaves into balls according to the Direct Bread Making instructions.

Sprinkle cornmeal or oil on a flat baking sheet and place the round rye loaf on the sheet, seams down. When both rye loaves are on the baking sheet, place in a warm, draft-free place and cover with a damp towel for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

As rye flour contains less gluten than wheat flour, it tends to lose its structure more quickly, and the loaf can easily become soft and flaccid, flattening out on the pan. The loaf will be ready to put in the oven when it is becoming soft and expanding, but before it begins to flatten out and lose its height.

7. Baking the Loaves: When the loaves are ready to go into the oven, remove the damp cloth, spray the loaves with water from a spray bottle, if available, and place on the middle rack in the center of the oven. Bake for 50 minutes until the bottoms of the loaves are evenly firm and brown and thumping on the loaves produces a hollow sound. Remove the loaves from the oven and place on wire racks to cool.

Variations:

Poppy Seed Herb Rye: This bread has a hearty herbal flavor. Substitute 2 tablespoons honey for the molasses, use ¼ cup olive oil as the oil, and substitute ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ¾ teaspoon marjoram, ¼ teaspoon mace, and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds for the caraway seeds.

Swedish Limpa Rye: This bread has a slight sweetness combined with the subtle licorice flavor of fennel. Substitute ¼ cup honey for the molasses, 1 tablespoon fennel seeds for the caraway seeds, and increase the oil to 3 tablespoons. Some add 2 table-spoons grated orange peel to this bread.




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Randy was an integral part of the bakery in its first year. I met Randy in Champaign-Urbana, where I heard him sing and play his guitar on an open microphone at the Red Herring Coffeehouse. Randy wailed out his original compositions, and I do mean wail, but what he lacked in musicality he made up for in heart. He was a person of great sincerity and had insightful perspectives on life. When he heard that I had opened up a whole-grain bakery in Chicago, he came up to talk to me and offer his help. He said, “I want to learn how to bake good bread.” I said I would teach him what I knew.

I had no money to pay Randy a salary, so he came to live with me at the bakery. In order to conserve funds, I was living in the bakery and sleeping on a mat in a small office space left by the former tenant. Randy chose to bunk in a loft area I had built above the oven, which was nice and warm in the winter. We got up early in the morning to begin our work together.

East Rogers Park, where the bakery was located, had been a Jewish neighbor-hood at one time and I wanted to bake challah, a traditional Jewish bread. Randy was our resident expert on things Jewish, and he taught me how to pronounce the name correctly, although I could never get it quite right. The

ch is pronounced as an h coming deep from the back of the throat.



29

Yeast Breads

Challah

I first baked Challah using all whole wheat bread flour, but we found it too dense, dark, and heavy, and this did not suit the character of the bread. We began using 50% unbleached white flour in the bread and were happier with the end result.

Ingredients

1 cup lukewarm (105 – 115°F) water1 teaspoon dry yeast¼ cup honey

2½ cups whole wheat flour2½ cups unbleached white flour2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons melted butter2 tablespoons oil3 whole eggs, beaten1 egg white

Egg Wash1 egg yolk, beaten1½ teaspoons water

Instructions

1. Proofing the Yeast: Pour the lukewarm water into a bowl, sprinkle the dry yeast on the water, add the honey, and stir until dissolved. Wait 8-10 minutes until the yeast begins to grow and creates a tan-colored foam.

2. Mixing the Dough: Add 1 cup whole wheat flour to the water and stir to form a homogenous batter. Add more flour on top of the batter and place the salt, beaten eggs, melted butter, and oil on the dry flour, mixing this into the batter. Continue adding the rest of the wheat and unbleached white flour, reserving ½ cup for kneading, and mix to form a stiff dough.

3. Kneading the Dough: Dump the dough in the bowl onto a floured work surface. Pushing on the dough with both hands, form the dough into a ball and incorporate the fragments and loose flour into the ball. Knead this dough for 10 minutes, adding as little flour as possible to the work surface and the ball if the dough sticks to the surface or your hands.

4. The First Rise: Clean and dry the bowl. Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of oil on the bottom of the bowl, place the dough into the bottom of the bowl, and flip it over once so that the entire surface of the dough is lightly covered with oil. Place the bowl in a




30

warm, draft-free place and cover with a damp towel. Let rise for 1 hour 20 minutes. This soft dough rises quickly.

5. The Second Rise: Remove the towel from the bowl and gently press on the dough, which will have doubled in size, to deflate it. Flip the dough over so the moist bottom is now on top. Place the damp towel back over the bowl and let rise for 45-60 minutes.

6. Shaping the Loaf and the Final Rise: Remove the towel from the bowl and gently press on the dough to deflate. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on the work surface. Cut the dough into two equal pieces, shape each half into a rough ball, and let them rest 10 minutes to relax the gluten in the dough.

Challah is traditionally braided. It can be braided with 3 to 6 strands. To braid with three strands, cut one ball of dough into three equal pieces, roll each piece into a rope about 12” long and ½” in diameter. Lay the three ropes parallel to each other with about an inch between each rope. Starting in the middle of the ropes, lay the rope from one side over the center rope. Now take the rope from the other side and lay this over the new center rope. Continue laying the side ropes alternately over the center rope until one half the loaf is braided. Pinch the ends of the braids together and tuck under the end of the loaf. Now beginning in the middle of the loaf, braid the other half of the loaf using the same method of alternately laying the side rope over the center rope.

Placing Right Braid over CenterThree Strands of Dough



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Yeast Breads

Place the two loaves on a flat metal baking sheet covered with cornmeal or oil.

Brush the egg wash evenly on each loaf. The loaves may be sprinkled with sesame or poppy seeds. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and place in a warm, draft-free place. Allow to rise 20 minutes until soft and puffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F during this rise.

7. Baking the Loaves: When the loaves have risen, remove the towel and place the pan on the center rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes until both the top and bottom of the loaves are browned and firm to the touch. Remove the pan from the oven and place the loaves on a wire rack to cool.

Placing Left Braid over New Center Braid




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The Use of Pre-fermentation in Baking Pumpernickel and Sourdough Breads

The use of pre-fermentation in bread-making goes back centuries, even millennia. It is believed that the Egyptians discovered the use of wild yeast to leaven bread about 2600 B.C. In using a pre-fermentation, the yeast is allowed to develop in a mixture of flour and water for a period of time before the final mixing of all the ingredients in the dough. This starter or pre-ferment may be more like a liquid with the consistency of a thick pancake batter and called a sponge, or it may be fairly firm, more like a soft dough and called a biga. The pre-ferment may be allowed to develop for only an hour or for several days. Although in most cases the yeast used by bakers in a pre-ferment is dry active yeast, in a sourdough starter, the yeast used is the uncultured yeast on the flour itself. The development and use of a sourdough starter will be discussed at the end of this section.

Some bakers are strong believers in the use of pre-ferments in all breads, while others do not use them at all. Some bakers use them only for particular types of breads, relying on the direct method of making bread discussed previously for breads whose ingredients create a great deal of flavor in themselves. Bakers who prefer pre-ferments list a variety of perceived advantages to this methodology, such as promoting the development of the yeast and formation of gluten in the flour, flavor development, and greater keeping quality of the bread. In doing research on this issue, I have found that each baker has their own opinion and preferred methodolo-gies, and they seldom agree.

In my experience, unless a pre-ferment is sufficiently active, it will have little effect on the flavor of whole-grain bread. The whole-grain flours, natural sweeteners, and additional ingredients, along with the wild yeast and lactobacilli living on the flour itself, provide a great deal of flavor and pre-ferments which are of short dura-tion, such as two hours, or whose yeast activity is slowed by refrigeration, will not have sufficient yeast activity to provide much additional flavor to the bread. It takes a pre-ferment which is of longer duration (12-24 hours) and unrefrigerated to make a distinct difference in the flavor of the bread.

Although the slight acidic environment provided to the dough by the pre-ferment should theoretically benefit its keeping quality, I have found that whole-grain breads have great keeping quality without the use of a pre-ferment. I have left a slice of wheat bread in a sandwich bag unrefrigerated on the counter during the summer for ten days and never have seen or smelled any sign of mold or decay; the bread simply became dry. In the tens of thousands of loaves baked at the bakery, we never received one complaint by a customer of molding.



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Yeast Breads

I have had success in using a type of pre-ferment called a poolish in creating additional flavor development in bread. This method was reputedly developed by Polish bakers who had immigrated to France, and that’s how it received its name. The method involves taking about half the water required by the recipe and adding an equal amount of flour and a minute amount of yeast, then allowing this mixture to sit overnight unrefrigerated. The next morning the yeast culture will be active and emitting odors of fermentation. Bread baked with this method of pre-ferment will have a slightly tangy flavor and odor which is pleasant and complements the flavors of the whole-grain flour. This method and the flavors it produces are particularly appropriate in rye breads and pumpernickel, which is a hearty type of rye. I use this method of pre-fermentation in the following pumpernickel recipe.

Hans, a young German with long blond hair, was a key person at the bakery in its first year. He walked into the bakery one day in the fall and we began talking. I learned that he was traveling in the United States for an extended period of time and had no pressing obligations. He offered to help me in the bakery, but I told him I had no money to pay him. He said this was unim-portant, as I was doing something worthwhile. Hans brought his sleeping bag and camped out on the office floor. Hans, Randy, and I would rise early

in the morning to bake bread, and often, all we had to eat for breakfast and lunch was bread. We became very good friends.




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Banana Cream Pie

This is a favorite pie of many. Although rich with the eggs and milk, it has a nutritious balance of protein, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, fat, and fiber.

Ingredients

Pie Crust 1 pre-baked Sweet Pie Crust in a standard 9” pie pan

Filling3 tablespoons whole wheat or barley flour¼ teaspoon salt6 tablespoons honey1½ cups whole milk3 egg yolks, lightly beaten1½ teaspoons vanilla extract2 ripe medium bananas

Instructions

1. Bring the water in the bottom pot of a double boiler to a boil.

2. Lightly beat three egg yolks in a bowl and set aside.

3. Add the flour, salt, and honey to the top pot of the boiler and mix. Slowly blend in the milk and stir until the mixture thickens.

4. Reduce the heat. Pour a little of the milk mixture into the beaten egg mixture and stir a few times. Return all these ingredients to the pot.

5. Increase the heat and stir the mixture constantly until it thickens. Then continue to cook the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Turn off the stove and stir the vanilla into the mixture. After the mixture has cooled, cover it, and place it in the refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble the pie.

7. It is best to assemble the pie 30-60 minutes before serving to allow time for it to chill in the refrigerator. When ready to assemble, pour ½ of the custard mixture into the baked pie shell. Add a layer of ⅜” sliced bananas spread evenly on the custard. Pour the rest of the custard mixture over the sliced bananas, smooth the top of the custard and sprinkle with nutmeg or shredded coconut if desired. Return the pie to the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve. Serves 10.



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Memories

The salt burns my cheeks, The drying of tears. Memories of those I once knew The times spent together, the friendship we shared.

Now gone but present Vanished, but real. This paradox, even though separate and alone, We are one with all we have known.




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IndexA

almondChinese Almond Cookies 130Orange Almond Cookies 138

Anise Cookie 143apple

Apple Braid 57Apple Pie 168Apple Spice Muffins 75Dutch Apple Cake 101French Apple Cake 103

apricotApricot Bread 94

B

bananaBanana Bread 88Banana Cream Pie 176

Bars 147Cherry-Carob Chip Squares 154Date Nut Bars 148Fruit Oat Squares 152Hawaiian Bars 151Maple Nut Squares 155Raisin Bars 149

Biscuits. See Muffins and Biscuitsblueberry

Blueberry Cake 104Blueberry Muffins 73Blueberry Pie 170

branBran Muffins 72

Brownies. See Cakesbutter

Butter Christmas Cookie 144Butter Pie Crust 161

buttermilkButtermilk Biscuits 80

C

cake. See also Quick BreadsCakes 99

Banana Bread 88Blueberry Cake 104Carob Brownies 106Carrot Cake 89Coconut Broiler Cake 107Cornbread 86Cream Cheese Frosting 118Dutch Apple Cake 101French Apple Cake 103Ginger Pear Cake 111Lemon Sesame Cake 116Pineapple Upside-Down Cake 110Raisin Spice Cake 117Strawberry Shortcake 108Streusel Coffee Cake 113Vanilla Cake 114

carobCarob Brownies 106Carob Chip Cookie 142Carob Cookies 139Cherry-Carob Chip Squares 154

carrotCarrot Cake 89

Challah. See Yeast Breadscherry

Cherry-Carob Chip Squares 154Cherry Jubilees 140

cinnamonCinnamon Raisin Bun 60Cinnamon Snow Cookies 129Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread 24

coconutCoconut Broiler Cake 107Coconut Orange Muffins 76

coffeeStreusel Coffee Cake 113



179

Index

Cookies 119Anise Cookie 143Butter Christmas Cookie 144Carob Chip Cookie 142Carob Cookies 139Cherry Jubilees 140Chinese Almond Cookies 130Cinnamon Snow Cookies 129Fruit Tarts 136Gingerbread Men 145Ginger Snaps 137Lemon Cookie 146Lieblings 121Macaroons 132Nussgeback 133Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 124Orange Almond Cookies 138Peanut Butter Cookie 134Peanut Butter Date Cookies 123Pecan Gems 128Peppermint Bliss Balls 122

cornCornbread 86

cranberryCranberry Walnut Bread 96

Cream Cheese Frosting 118crust. See Pies

D

Danish Tea Ring 63dates

Date Nut Bars 148Date Nut Bread 91Peanut Butter Date Cookies 123

dillOnion Dill Muffins 79

Dutch Apple Cake 101

F

French Apple Cake 103frosting. See Cream Cheese Frosting

Fruit Oat Squares 152Fruit Tarts 136

G

gingerGingerbread 92Gingerbread Men 145Ginger Pear Cake 111Ginger Snaps 137

Granola 67

H

Hawaiian Bars 151

K

Kolaches 62

L

lemonLemon Cookie 146Lemon Sesame Cake 116

Lieblings 121

M

Macaroons 132maple

Maple Nut Squares 155Mincemeat Pie 174Muffins and Biscuits 70

Apple Spice Muffins 75Apricot Bread 94Banana Bread 88Blueberry Muffins 73Bran Muffins 72Buttermilk Biscuits 80Coconut Orange Muffins 76Cornbread 86Date Nut Bread 91




180

Onion Dill Muffins 79Pumpkin Bread 95Raisin Scones 82Sweet Potato Biscuits 81Sweet Potato Muffins 77

N

Nussgeback 133nuts

Chinese Almond Cookies 130Cranberry Walnut Bread 96Date Nut Bars 148Date Nut Bread 91Maple Nut Squares 155Orange Almond Cookies 138Pecan Gems 128Pecan Rolls 59Savory Walnut Bread 25

O

oatmealOatmeal Bread 24Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 124

Oat Pie Crust 166onion

Onion Dill Muffins 79orange

Coconut Orange Muffins 76Orange Almond Cookies 138

P

Pastries 55Apple Braid 57Cinnamon Raisin Bun 60Danish Tea Ring 63Kolaches 62Pecan Rolls 59Stollen 64Sweet Pastry Dough 56Tofu Cheesecake 66

peachPeach Pie 169

peanutPeanut Butter Cookie 134Peanut Butter Date Cookies 123

pecanPecan Gems 128Pecan Rolls 59

peppermintPeppermint Bliss Balls 122

Pies 156Apple Pie 168Banana Cream Pie 176Blueberry Pie 170Butter Pie Crust 161Mincemeat Pie 174Oat Pie Crust 166Oil Pie Crust 163Peach Pie 169Pumpkin Pie 172Strawberry Rhubarb Pie 171Sweet Pie Crust 165Sweet Potato Pie 173

pineapplePineapple Upside-Down Cake 110

Poppy Seed Herb Rye 27Pumpernickel Bread. See Yeast Breadspumpkin

Pumpkin Bread 95Pumpkin Pie 172

Q

Quick Breads 83Apricot Bread 94Banana Bread 88Carrot Cake 89Cornbread 86Cranberry Walnut Bread 96Date Nut Bread 91Gingerbread 92Irish Soda Bread 85



181

Index

Pumpkin Bread 95Zucchini Bread 98

R

raisinCinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread 24Oatmeal Raisin Cookies 124Raisin Bars 149Raisin Bread 24Raisin Scones 82Raisin Spice Cake 117

rhubarbStrawberry Rhubarb Pie 171

rollsButter Crust Rolls 54Buttermilk Rolls 52General Instructions 47Onion Rye Rolls 49Orange Rolls 53Potato Rolls 51Rolls and Breadsticks 43Whole Wheat Rolls 49

Rye Bread 26Rye Sourdough Bread 41

S

sesameLemon Sesame Cake 116Sesame Wheat Bread 24

Shortcake. See CakesSoda Bread. See Quick BreadsSourdough Bread. See Yeast BreadsStollen 64strawberry

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie 171Strawberry Shortcake 108

Streusel Coffee Cake 113Streusel Topping. See PiesSwedish Limpa Rye 27sweet potato

Sweet Potato Biscuits 81

Sweet Potato Muffins 77Sweet Potato Pie 173

T

tarts. See Fruit TartsTofu Cheesecake 66

V

vanillaVanilla Cake 114

W

walnutCranberry Walnut Bread 96

Whole Wheat Bread. See Yeast Breads

Y

Yeast BreadsBaking Yeast Bread 14Challah 29Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread 24Cracked Wheat Bread 24Milk and Honey Bread 24Oatmeal Bread 24Poppy Seed Herb Rye 27Pre-fermentation 32Pumpernickel Bread 34Raisin Bread 24Rye Bread 26Rye Sourdough Bread 41Savory Walnut Bread 25Sesame Wheat Bread 24Sourdough Wheat Bread 39Swedish Limpa Rye 27Whole Wheat Bread 22

Z

Zucchini Bread 98



Fruit Oat SquaresBlueberry Muffi nsWheat Bread

Date-Nut Bread

Potato Rolls

Pumpernickel Bread

Hawaiian Bars

Kolaches and Apple BraidPumpkin Bread

Cherry Jubilees

Sourdough Wheat Kolaches and Apple Braid

Pecan Gems



Allan SpieglerAllan Spiegler

Clark Street W

hole Foods Baking

Allan Spiegler

Allan Spiegler

� e beloved Clark Street Bakery was a whole-foods mecca that produced delicious, nutritious baked goods, using only organic whole-grain � ours, less-re� ned sweeteners like honey and molasses, and vegetable oil rather than lard, hydrogenated short-ening, or lots of butter. Chemical preservatives, dough conditioners, bleaches, and food dyes were never used. In the early 1980s, the bakery served as a retail community bakery and supplier to natural-food stores and co-ops in Chicago and Evanston.

� is collection of much-requested recipes and heart-warming vignettes not only tells our story, but provides a wealth of nutritional information, as well as detailed instructions and the reasoning behind the techniques used.

Peppermint Bliss Balls, Carob Chip, Lieblin

gs, Orange

Almond, Peanut Butter Date, Peanut Butter, Maca-

roons, Ginger Snaps, Nussgeback, Chinese Almond



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