Solving The 7 Most Common Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistakes

By: Beth Scott

Let’s face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even us 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 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 small balls of dough.  Allow them to rise 20 minutes to 30 minutes on a small 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.

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 use a ziploc bag or plastic wrap over bowls that contain your whole wheat bread dough, to store it in your fridge and still 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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Are you fed up with recipes that tell you what to do, but not HOW to do it?  Beth gives step by step instructions on exactly how to bake your own bread and many other food items.  Visit her site now to claim your FREE subscription to her Baking & Recipe Tips Newsletter

MORE RESOURCES :

These chocolate chip cookies are even better than the Tollhouse ... St. Louis Post-Dispatch,  United States - 5 hours ago By Shirley O. Corriher A frequent complaint I get about the famous "Original Toll House" chocolate chip cookie recipe is that the cookies spread too much. ...

Holiday cookie recipes: Moravian Molasses Cookies St. Louis Post-Dispatch,  United States - 3 hours ago By Judith Evans You’ll need a set of snowflake cutters and almost infinite patience for cutting out the interior designs to make the cookie pictured here, ...

Free tickets to Cookies at the Clock Tower!! Northwest Voice, CA - 3 hours ago Share your favorite cookie recipe and earn a chance to win a family pack of tickets! Would your family like to visit the Bakersfield Museum (Pioneer ...

Herald-Mail cookie contest is today Hagerstown Morning Herald, MD - 13 hours ago Submit a dozen cookies and include a copy of the cookie recipe on a 3-inch-by-5-inch index card. Please include the source of the recipe, if known. ...

Last call for content! Southwest Voice, CA - 5 hours ago And don't forget to SUBMIT YOUR HOLIDAY COOKIE RECIPE TO WIN tickets to the Kern County Museum's Cookies at the Clocktower. Post your favorite holiday ...

Canton Repository (subscription)

Share your favorite cookie recipes Canton Repository (subscription), OH - Nov 25, 2008 BY JENNIFER MASTROIANNI The Repository would like to hear about your family's favorite cookie and why this recipe is meaningful to you. ... Holiday bakeoff by Heini's Canton Repository (subscription) all 2 news articles

Is your holiday cookie recipe easy? Mirror, MI - Nov 27, 2008 We want cookie recipes that are easy. Holidays are busy, money is tight. Let's make cookies that don't cost a fortune or take three days to make. ...

The Bay City Times - MLive.com

This week: four drop cookie varieties created from one base recipe The Bay City Times - MLive.com, MI - 10 hours ago EDITOR'S NOTE: Want a dozen types of deliciously distinct holiday cookies, the easy way? The drop cookies that appear here all use one base recipe but can ...

Cookie exchange: Here are more holiday recipes from readers Pioneer Press, MN - Nov 25, 2008 Readers were asked to share their best Christmas cookie recipes. And, boy, did you readers come through. We gave you a bunch of them in a special Eat cookie ...

Hold the trans fat! Girl Guides revamp chocolate, vanilla cookie ... The Canadian Press, REGINA - Nov 25, 2008 REGINA — Even the beloved Girl Guide cookie hasn't escaped the push toward healthier eating. Girl Guides of Canada has announced that starting in the spring ... With interest crumbling, Girl Guides cut the trans fat in cookies Globe and Mail Girl Guides look to reduce trans fat in cookies Toronto Star all 38 news articles