Unlocking the Wheat Berry Puzzle

My whole grain journey has come full circle.

When I first experimented with baking bread over a decade ago, I was determined I would use 100% whole wheat or nothing at all.

(I have a bit of an all-or-nothing personality…)

And it was a complete DISASTER.

In fact, my family was so traumatized by my inedible bread bricks that they swore off whole wheat for many years.

I quickly realized that if I had any hope of switching them over to homemade bread, I’d have to compromise and use all-purpose flour.

So I did… for many years. 

And it gave me the much-needed confidence I needed to finally make edible (and dare I say, delicious) homemade bread. 

But once I mastered the sourdough, French bread,  biscuits, and tortillas… I found myself craving a new challenge. 

And so I dusted off my grain mill, ordered fresh wheat berries, and went off into the Great Unknown.

(You can learn more about my journey with baking with whole grains in this podcast episode).

Whole grain flour is closer to its original form so it should be more intuitive to use, right?

NOPE.

Many a savvy home baker has been reduced to stunned beginner when they first make the switch. 

It wasn’t until I started to understand the ins and outs of these mysterious little kernels that my whole wheat loaves finally improved.

It starts with sorting through all the different types. There’s red, white, hard, soft, winter, spring and that doesn’t touch the surface of all the varieties out there… einkorn, turkey red, spelt, kamut and the list goes on and on. 

It’s a lot, huh??

I love simplifying things like this, so I created a little framework to help keep things straight:

W – Wheat Season

H – Hue (Color)

O – Origin (Variety)

L – Level (Hardness)

E – Extraction

Let’s break it down!

Hold On… What IS a Wheat Berry?

First off, a simple definition to make sure we’re on the same page. A wheat berry is simply the whole kernel of wheat. It’s the seed so if you planted it, it’d grow into a new wheat plant. Whole wheat flour is made from ground wheat berries. All-purpose flour is also (obviously) made from wheat berries, but it undergoes sifting and processing to remove the germ, bran, and endosperm from the flour. This creates a lighter, milder taste and texture. 

How to Cut Through the WHOLE Wheat Confusion

The acronym WHOLE helps me to sort each wheat berry attribute into categories. Once you understand each piece, you can confidently decide what type of wheat berry to use in your baking.

W- Wheat Season

There are two sub-categories when it comes to wheat season: spring and winter.

While you won’t see this mentioned on the packages at the store, you may hear it come up if you buy wheat in bulk or go directly to the farmer.

The main difference between these types of wheat is the season in which they are planted. Spring wheat is sown in the spring and harvested in the fall. Winter wheat is sown in the winter and harvested in the summer.

Spring wheat has less protein than winter wheat, making it good for cakes and pastries.

Winter wheat has higher protein content, so it’s better for bread and pasta.

H- Hue (Color)

There are two sub-categories when it comes to wheat color: red and white.

Red wheat berries are slightly darker in color. They have a slightly higher protein content and a more nutty flavor. 

White wheat berries are slightly paler in color. They have a milder flavor and are a favorite among bread newbies who dislike the more robust flavor of red wheat. Remember– white whole wheat flour is still whole wheat flour! It will not be as fluffy or as mild as all-purpose flour because it has not been processed or sifted.

Unless you’re very well versed in wheat berry identification, it’s hard to tell red berries from white berries at first glance.

O- Origin (Variety)

There are hundreds of varieties, so it’s impossible to list them all here. Most wheat crops grown in the USA are Triticum aestivum. This is standard flour you’re likely most accustomed to use. BUT, there are plenty of other species and cultivars that make delicious baked goods.

Most of the flour you purchase in the store (whether it’s whole wheat flour or all-purpose) will be some form of hard red winter wheat. There are a variety of cultivars (Prairie Red, Turkey Red, Red Fife) but they still fall under the “hard red winter” umbrella. 

But that doesn’t mean your options stop there.

A number of ancient grain varieties have hit the market in recent years and are growing in popularity. Ancient grains have never been genetically modified or hybridized. This means they aren’t as popular as the pest-resistant, faster-growing varieties that modern farmers prefer, but they have many other benefits. 

For instance, many people who are gluten intolerant may be able to tolerate ancient grain flours. (Not always, but it’s more common than you think!)

Ancient grains also tend to be more nutritious than modern flour because they contain more protein, fiber, and minerals. As an added perk, they also have a richer flavor than modern all-purpose flour.

Here are a few popular ancient varieties:

Einkorn Wheat Berries (Tritium monococcum)

Einkorn is a species of wheat that originated in the Fertile Crescent. It behaves differently than our modern flour, so there’s a learning curve when you start using it.

1. • Longer Rise Time: Due to einkorn’s lower gluten content, it may require a longer rising time or mixing with other flours to achieve loaves with the proper spring.
   • Watch the Liquids: Einkorn flour absorbs liquid more slowly than modern flour varieties. You may need to use less liquid or let the dough sit after mixing.
   • Less Overall Rise: Thanks to weaker gluten structures, Einkorn flour rises less than conventional flour. A good Einkorn rise will be half, not double.

To begin using Einkorn, start with recipes that don’t require a rise (think quick breads or cookies). I adore Einkorn for the rich, nutty flavor it adds to recipes.

Learn more about baking with einkorn here.

Spelt Wheat Berries (Triticum spelta)

Spelt wheat is an ancient grain that has been cultivated for thousands of years. It has a nuttier, sweeter flavor than conventional flour and adds a lovely depth to baked goods.

1. • Easy Substitute: Spelt flour can be used as a 1:1 substitute for other whole wheat flours in most recipes.
   • Reduce Liquids: When baking with spelt flour, you may need to adjust the liquid content slightly, as spelt flour tends to absorb more moisture. Start by reducing the liquid by about 10% and adjust as needed.
   • A Denser Loaf: Spelt flour produces bread with a slightly denser texture compared to bread made with conventional wheat flour, but the flavor is worth it.
   • Don’t Overknead: Spelt’s gluten is more temperamental than other wheat. Be careful not to over-knead it as it can turn your dough into a sticky, unmanageable mess.

If you don’t know where to begin, start by using 25% spelt flour and the rest all-purpose flour. Slowly increase those ratios as your confidence grows. 

Kamut Wheat Berries (Triticum turanicum)

Kamut (also known as Khorasan) is a slightly larger wheat berry that looks like rice. Kamut has a golden hue and gives baked goods a slightly buttery and nutty flavor.

• Good for Gluten Sensitivity: Kamut contains more protein but less gluten than traditional flours.
• Try a Mix: Since Kamut has a more delicate gluten structure, try mixing it with other wheat flours to ensure a strong rise in your yeast doughs.
• Similar to Spelt: Like the other ancient grains, expect to add less liquid and have a denser crumb when you use Kamut.

Emmer Wheat Berries (Triticum dicoccum)

Emmer also goes by the name farro. It contains some of the highest levels of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein of all of the wheat berry options.

• Good for Gluten Sensitivity: While emmer is high in protein, it is a low gluten grain, so it is another lovely option for folks with gluten sensitivities or digestive issues.
• Easier Dough: Emmer flour is more similar to modern wheat flour than some of the other ancient grains. Whole emmer flour absorbs flour more quickly and coalesces into a dough more easily.
• Denser Loaves: A bread made purely with emmer flour will still create a denser bread than one made with modern wheat (it’s similar to the density of pure rye bread)
• Mix It: If you want a lighter loaf of bread made with emmer flour, consider mixing the emmer flour with either wheat or spelt flour.

L- Level of Hardness

There are two sub-categories of wheat hardness: hard and soft.

Hard wheat berries contain more protein and gluten. It is the favored flour for yeast breads or anything that needs a solid gluten structure to rise.

Soft wheat berries contain less gluten and more starch. They are most often used to make pastry flour and are best used in pie crusts, pastries, and cookies.

Hard and soft wheat looks and feels the same in berry form. You won’t be able to tell the difference unless you have a trained eye.

E- Extraction

This technically isn’t a categorization of whole wheat flour, but you do see this term a lot in baking books and blogs, so I wanted to explain it here.

Extraction indicates the percentage of the wheat kernel that ends up in the final flour product after milling.

• Whole Wheat Flour (100% Extraction): This flour contains the entire wheat kernel, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. It is called “100% extraction” because 100% of the wheat berry remains in the flour.
  
  
• High Extraction Flour: This means a large percentage of the wheat berry has been extracted. The extraction rate is typically between 70% to 90%, meaning that 70% to 90% of the original wheat kernel remains in the flour. High extraction flour is usually used to make bread.
  
  
• Low Extraction Flour: This type is made by milling wheat to remove most of the bran and germ, but leaves behind the starchy endosperm. The extraction rate is typically below 70%. Thanks to its finer texture, low extraction flour is often used for pastries, cakes, and other delicate baked goods.

My Head is Spinning! Where Should I Start?

Hard red winter wheat is the most common type of wheat grown and sold in the USA. When in doubt, start with that for your home baking. You can dive into more specialized options later. 

>> Where to purchase hard red wheat berries

Or, if you are gluten intolerant and  interested in trying ancient varieties, start with Einkorn or Spelt since they are the most common and it’s easier to find recipes for those types.

To start milling and using your own flour, I have you covered in this blog post.

A Quick Note About Sprouted Flour

Sprouted flour is made by drying and grinding sprouted wheat berries. You can sprout any type of wheat berries. When you sprout, you are reducing the anti-nutrients in the wheat and the gluten in easier to digest as a result of the initial breakdown of the grain, which allows it to be digested easily. After sprouting, the berries are dried and ground into flour.

Sprouted flour can be tricky to use in bread recipes and can easily become sticky and unmanageable. So proceed with caution!

Learn more about how to make sprouted flour here.

Final Thoughts on Using Wheat Berries

If you are planning on baking primarily with whole wheat flour, you’ll want to invest in a good flour mill (this is where I bought my favorite mill).

Whole wheat flours lose their quality quickly, so grinding your own is the easiest way to ensure your flour is fresh.

My favorite source for affordable wheat berries is Azure Standard.

And remember: if you are brand-new to baking, I strongly recommend that you start with all-purpose flour and work your way up from there.

Then, you can start mixing regular whole wheat flour into your bread recipes until you get a feel of how it behaves.

This is a journey that takes time and practice, so give yourself grace. You’ve got this!

Favorite Books for Baking With Whole Grains

I’ve been collecting a number of amazing books on baking and bread in order to learn better techniques. These are some of my favorite books:

• Sourdough by Science by Karyn Lynn Newman
• Bittman Bread by Mark Bittman and Kerri Conan
• Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilie Raffa
• Einkorn: Recipes for Nature’s Original Wheat by Carla Bartolucci
• Flour Lab by Adam Leonti

More Resources on Flour and Whole Grains:

• My Long Road Back to Whole Wheat Flours (podcast)
• How to Use a Grain Mill to Make Your Own Flour from Wheat Berries (blog article)
• Ancient Grains: Your new Best Friend in the Kitchen (podcast)
• Flour Shortages, Grain Mills, and Whole Wheat (podcast)
• How To Use Einkorn Flour (blog article)
• How to Make Sprouted Flour (blog article)