help with breads

[UltrasonicRaw]

help! i have sprouted wheatberries twice and made several different breads. the first time the berries appeared fine, but after i had made the dough and tasted it, i could taste a hint of mold. i threw it out. then i made some new berries and made bread last night after they had only soaked 24 hours and left to sprout about 8 hours (with two rinses). they smelled great, tasted great in the dough (i ate a third of it uncooked!) and then i baked it overnight. this morning the bread (i made the muffins from alissas book) smelled a tiny bit bitter, not really like mold, but just bitter. i took one with me to work thinking maybe it was just my morning tastebuds not working right and yes, i just tasted some and it is sour and a bit moldy tasting!!!! does anyone have any suggestions? i guess the dehydrator could be turned up a notch, i baked at 105 degrees?or maybe the berries were off and i didnt know it. can you sprout wheatberries in the fridge? i live in so calif and its hot right now. maybe they are spoiling when left on the couter?

maybe i needed to dehydrate longer? they seemed a great texture in the morning to me. maybe i need to dry a different berry?

help!!
:)

leslie

[Allison]

I find that when I soak for 24 hours, my sprouts end up molding.

But maybe what you are tasting is a bit of fermentation.

[rawpriestess]

There are several factors here.

You are sprouting them (perfectly) or at least it sounds like it.

Then you are putting them in a warm environment for several hours. so what happens it ANY bacteria or mold will grow.

So, Gabriel Cousins has stated (along with the Excalibur dehydrator people) that with breads or grains, you dehydrate them at 145 for the first two hourss. This somehos "sets" the grains.

They say your bread will not sour this way.

I think that if it "sets" the grains, then it will kill the enzymes, but they say that the outside temperature of something is much higher than the inside temperature, so if you were to check with a thermometer, although the dehydrator is at 145 the inside of the bread is at say 85 to 95 or so.

Personally this is how I do breads. As I LOVE breads.

I make ALL my breads into slices instead of loaves, that way I have toast. You might try this, it takes MUCH less time to dehydrate, and I can have my cake and eat it too, er uh, I mean have my toast and eat my bread. Well, whatever. LOL

[UltrasonicRaw]

i am soaking some more berries. i did read about starting the temp high for two hours, then turning down. i loved loved loved the dough of the muffins, i cant wait to get a great batch of fresh bread!!! i will keep trying. i think i am leaving sprouts too long on the counter because it is so humid right now. at least i know to keep a closer eye on them, i was just happy to see tails!

thanks

leslie

[CAdreamer]

I'm not having any trouble with the sprouting, and I live in a hot climate in Ca, also. We live in Central CA ...where are you ?

[RawTruth]

She's actually about 1/2 mile away from me in Long Beach. It was in the 80's - 90's in our area over the last week.

Leslie - I've never used wheatberries. I've just stuck to the fabulous, famous Onion Bread and Alissa's Pizza Bread. I've been more into crackers, I guess. What recipe are you usingP

[UltrasonicRaw]

i was making the muffins in alissas book (the morning muffins).
my biggest concern was why the muffin dough tasted fine (i ate a couple without dehydrating) but by morning, the done muffins were bitter, sour and a bit moldy...it was very subtle but not right. the post from raw priestess says to put the temp higher for the first two hours then turn down, that is what the excalibur pamphlet says also, they say it doesnt hurt the enzymes. i have berries ready to go again so i will try this after my crackers come out tonight.
i am having a blast with all these recipes but i have to be honest! i have two kids, a crazy work schedule, two stepkids every other weekend (half the summer pretty soon) and no one but me is raw (or even vegetarian). it is hilarious to see me blending green smoothies with one hand, using the food processor for some crazy concoction, slicing up fruit, trying to dehydrate and coordinate times to put in, flip or take out AND the sprouts that sprout at all odd hours of the day and night. what a ride!! :) my family thinks i am nuts!

i just want to find a few recipes that work most of the time, to make things i can pack for lunch or eat at night that are filling and tasty. i have found a few and i have had a host of disasters...but thats ok! i am learning and i have already made my own versions of several things that i really love.

thanks for the replies!i want to try other berries too, like the barley.

leslie

[rawpriestess]

Hi Ultrasonicraw,

You might try making your breads thinner, so they dehydrate faster.

I now make almost everything I dehydrate into portions, like burger patties, instead of a nutloaf, a slice of bread instead of a loaf.

You may wish to try this.

I tried the morning muffins too, tasted great undehydrated, but they didn't do too well for me in the dehydrator, I'm lukcy though, I have a dog.

So, you might try making things into flatter things, about 1/4 inch is what I do.

This works for me. and then I have toast :o)

[UltrasonicRaw]

rp
i do think i made that moldy batch too thick. they were like mini muffins, pretty thick. the ones i have dehydrating now are thinner and seem to be drying out better.

i really appreciate your responses. i read on another thread (posted by you) how you were supporting everyone to ask questions even if they sound dumb. i know i was timid at first to post my questions, but i have really improved in raw "cooking" since i have asked questions and received responses. i went on that rawfoodsupport thread and almost had a heart attack at how people were attacking eachother, they make rawfoodists look like nazi's or some kind of radical politcal freaks. i was shocked! so nice to just come back to this site and feel comforted and relaxed. man, what a difference!!

i just want to learn! not feel freaked out, ha ha!

thanks so much!!

leslie

[RawTruth]

Hey Leslie,

One day I hung out for a few minutes in the back of Good Mood Food Cafe and learned how to make crackers totally thin and uniform like Ursula's are that she sells -- and also some hints about making breads. She doesn't use wheatberries and neither do I -- I don't include grains as part of my raw diet -- but I'm sure the hints will work for any bread.

If you'd like to, you can email me privately, or I can tell you about it on the phone, or, we can see if our schedules can coordinate, if you'd like. Or not. It sounds like you're doing fine, actually. It is oftentimes trial and error at the beginning, so I found. You'll end up being fine, though, I have no doubt. You're so committed and so involved in making recipes that you'll do find getting through the crucial first couple of months of raw. :D

~ Your neighbor.

[UltrasonicRaw]

i love all the hints i can get. i will write to you privately!

so far so good with this last batch of muffins.

leslie

[Jodi]

Gosh, I wish I lived closer to I could come over and learn how to make nice, thin crackers. Indiana is a bit too far to drive, I'm afraid! Darn.



Jodi

[RawTruth]

Gosh, I wish I lived closer to I could come over and learn how to make nice, thin crackers. Shall I make up the guest room for you, Jodi?
:p