Comments on: Flaxseed and Oat Bran Broom Bread – 100% Whole Grain

By: tracey hutchs

tracey hutchs — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 10:31:45 +0000

Really great site that you have built good info thanks.

By: Anu

Anu — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:30:18 +0000

The loaves look wonderful.

By: Jude

Jude — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:17:12 +0000

Absolutely. I weigh the ingredients in everything I bake whenever possible. A cup of flour can vary so much in weight depending on its brand and the way it is measured. It guarantees consistency, among other things, so it’s one less thing to worry about when learning to bake.

Thanks for the kind words.

By: Sophie

Sophie — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:37:31 +0000

Thanks for responding! In the end it did work out nicely – sorry, should have posted a follow-up, I hate it when posters only complain and then never actually say: by the way, terrific recipe, worked out fabulously.

I have been using the volume measurements. Would you advise using the weight measurements? I can do that instead if that’s your recommendation (for the next bread I make from your gorgeous site).

By: Jude

Jude — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:32:59 +0000

Sorry, I’ve been so completely out of the blogging loop. How did it go? The biga should firm up after the long resting time and I wouldn’t worry about it until the next day. Try not to add too much flour because it will affect the taste and baking times considerably. Did you weigh the ingredients by any chance?

By: Sophie

Sophie — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:44:54 +0000

I made the biga this morning and it was too wet to really “knead”. I mixed it and plunged my hand in a few times but definitely didn’t knead it. Should I have kept adding flour until I really did get a shaggy ball? It’s been sitting in the fridge all day now – is it too late to force it into a shaggy ball instead of the damp lump that is its current identity? Pretty sure I won’t be cutting it into pieces either. Pulling off soggy blobs, more like. That said, I’m really looking forward to making the soaker tonight and then making the bread tomorrow!

By: Jude

Jude — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:25:34 +0000

The baked bread was really heavy for me, too. I haven’t tried this specific recipe free form but there’s no reason why it wouldn’t work. I remember it being stiff enough.

I’d do the final proof in the the pans with the seam side up, flip them over onto a pan or baking stone, and maybe score it from side to side so it doesn’t expand sideways too much.

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:19:30 +0000

I made these once before and really loved them. I used wheat bran because it was what I had but otherwise followed this recipe. I was a little scared when I pulled the loaves from the oven and felt how heavy they were, but wow what good bread!

I just started another biga and soaker for my next set of this bread, and had one question. Have you made this bread free form, and do you think I would need to do anything to the dough to make it work.
Thanks for the great recipe

By: robin // caviar and codfish

robin // caviar and codfish — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:01:17 +0000

Oh, the bread looks delicious. I always prefer grainy breads.

And that video, hilarious. Just sent it to Jim, who (when I met him he was a physical trainer nut) used to practically eat only fiber one.

By: Meredith

Meredith — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:19:19 +0000

Umm. I LOVE whole grains. I don’t really consider a bread that only contains 4 T. oat bran and 1 1./2 T. flax seed that much different than plain old whole wheat. (I put 2 T. of ground flax seed on my cereal in the morning and 1/4 c. oat bran in my smoothie.) It is possible to up the oat bran and flax seed and still maintain the moist, tight crumb and regular bread. I have recipe for a whole wheat bread/ oat bran/flax bread that has 5 T. flax and 10 T. oat bran per loaf. And I wish it contained more!!