Application Guide

pure fiber, and is used to add roughage and texture to a whole grain loaf.
Wheat germ is the embryo seed section of a grain of wheat, which contains a
great deal of nutrition in its natural oils, especially vitamins B and E. It must
be refrigerated to prevent rancidity. Wheat germ can be used either raw or
toasted; toasted it adds lots of nutty flavor to a bread. Don’t add too much,
though; the sharp fibers of wheat bran and wheat germ cut the gluten and
will weigh down the dough considerably. Many dietitians recommend some
bran or wheat germ daily in a healthy diet.
Spelt Flour
Spelt wheat (an ancient wheat known as farro in Italy and dinkl in Germany)
has less protein than regular whole wheats, but it has its own unique flavor. It
is the wheat that was eaten most during the Middle Ages in Europe, but was
used as long as five thousand years ago in the Middle East and Anatolia,
which is part of Turkey. It has a tough outer husk that keeps the inner grain
protected from oxidation and pollutants, so it is a favorite of organic bakers.
Spelt is a fabulous bread flour with a strong wheaty aroma that is evocative
of comfort. It rises high and has a soft texture. It is sometimes considered a
non-wheat flour since it is low in gluten and suitable for some gluten-re-
stricted diets. Spelt may be substituted for regular whole wheat flour: Add 1
cup plus 1 tablespoon of spelt flour per cup of whole wheat flour or hold
back on 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid, since spelt is soft and absorbs all the
liquid it needs very quickly.
Semolina or Durum Flour
Cream-colored semolina flour, also called durum flour, is the finely ground
endosperm of durum wheat used extensively in pasta making. It makes a de-
licious, high-protein addition to Italian-style breads and can be used inter-
changeably with flour made from kamut, a Montana wheat with a strong oat-
sweet aroma. Semolina flour is not the same as semolina meal, which is a
coarse-ground cereal like farina (the ground endosperm of spring or winter
wheat) or Wheatena (the ground whole grain wheat), and used in a manner
similar to coarse cornmeal.
Kamut
An ancient strain of wheat that is a relative of durum wheat, kamut, now
grown in Montana, is gaining in popularity. The kernels are extra-large—
three times the size of regular wheat—and are very hard. They absorb liquid
very slowly and often need 1 tablespoon more water per cup of flour, but
bake up into a nutty and buttery tasting bread. Kamut flour can be substituted
in an equal amount for whole wheat flour in any of these recipes.
172