Let’s face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even professional bakers make boo boo’s).
I’m going to list here, the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes that you’re probably making, or might make if you’re not forewarned, and what you can do about to stop them.
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 1
By far the most common bread baking mistake is when the salt is forgotten to be added to the whole wheat bread dough.
This results in very bland bread, and even effects the rising of the dough. Making your whole wheat bread flat on top.
The best solution for this is to use a post it note as a reminder to yourself, to add the salt to the whole wheat bread dough.
You can stick the post it note where ever you’re most likely to see it (fridge, recipe book, etc..)
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 2
The second most common mistake is when the whole wheat bread dough is allowed to over rise, which leads to it falling.
This usually happens when the whole wheat bread dough is forgotten about. And with so much going on our lives, who doesn’t forget things like this now and then?
But don’t fret, there is a solution: If the whole wheat bread is already in the bread pans when it over rises simply use a pair of kitchen scissors to cut the excess dough off the sides of the unbaked loaves.
Separate and roll this dough into a few medium balls of dough. Allow them to rise 20 minutes to 30 minutes on a medium oiled cookie sheet, and then bake them on 350 Fahrenheit, for 15 to 20 minutes as whole wheat rolls.
Also allow the whole wheat bread dough to rise for about 15 to 20 more minutes before baking if it is extremely flat on top.
Another solution to help you keep from forgetting about your bread, is to use a timer which will beep loudly after the selected time period is up.
Using a timer can also help stop other whole wheat bread baking catastrophes from happening.
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 3
When you heat up your water to put your yeast in, it is easy to accidentally make the water a bit too hot. This mistake will kill the yeast and your bread will not rise.
To correct this mistake I strongly recommend you invest in a cooking thermometer, to measure the temperature of the water with it.
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 4
If the recipe you use makes too much dough for your family’s needs and you worry that the extra bread will grow stale before you use it, fear not.
It is perfectly safe to refrigerate unused dough for a few days and allow the whole wheat bread dough to finish it’s rising time once you get it out to use it.
You can place a ziploc bag or plastic wrap over bowls that contain your whole wheat bread dough, to store it in your fridge and prevent oxidation.
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 5
Burned bread. Yup, nothing tastes worse than whole wheat bread which is black as charcoal.
To avoid this, be sure you follow baking times and temperatures strictly. And again use a timer to remind yourself when it’s time to remove your whole wheat bread from the oven.
Also remember that gas ovens and electric ovens vary in their temperatures. If you’re using an electric oven you should bake almost all pastries on 350 Fahrenheit.
Sometimes a recipe will call for you to start baking a loaf of bread on a higher temperature, but will also usually tell you to turn the heat down after a certain amount of time.
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 6
Mistakenly or purposefully using the wrong type of flour. If you are baking whole wheat bread, the only way to get good results is by using whole wheat flour to bake your bread.
There are different recipes for all the different types of bread and they all use one specific flour for each recipe.
So don’t try any substitution hoping that by adding rye flour for instance, you will actually turn a whole wheat bread recipe into rye bread. Because you won’t.
Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistake 7
Last but not least there is the problem of air bubbles (also called ”pockets”) which create large holes inside the whole wheat bread, after it’s done baking.
The best solution for this is to pinch any such bubbles whenever you see them in your whole wheat bread dough, before you bake it. This will immediately deflate the bubble.
Now you are armed with the knowledge of the 7 most common whole wheat bread baking mistakes (most of which also apply to all other rising breads) and how you should deal with them.
So don’t let the bread mistake blues get you down ever again.
- Beth Scott
Beth Scott is the author of The Ultimate Whole Wheat Bread Baking Guide. For more information visit her Easy Bread Baking website.
