# Baking with Fresh Milled Flour



## ToelkeLeaHomestead (Jul 28, 2020)

I just ordered a Mockmill 100 grain mill and am anxious to start milling my own flour. If possible, I'd like to switch to using fresh milled flour exclusively. Do any of you have experience doing so? I have an active sourdough starter I have been feeding with Wheat Montana all-purpose flour. Can I gradually transition to feeding it with fresh wheat flour?


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I got a flour mill for Christmas but I have only used it one time.

The bread that I baked just cried out for honey as the bread lacked a certain depth of flavor. That might have been due to the variety of wheat berries that I bought? At any rate I did buy honey and I will use it the next time that I use the fresh ground flour


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

ToelkeLeaHomestead said:


> I just ordered a Mockmill 100 grain mill and am anxious to start milling my own flour. If possible, I'd like to switch to using fresh milled flour exclusively. Do any of you have experience doing so? I have an active sourdough starter I have been feeding with Wheat Montana all-purpose flour. Can I gradually transition to feeding it with fresh wheat flour?


While I have no experience or knowledge at all on that subject, I never let ignorance stop me from giving an opinion-- I have to wonder why you would think it would make a difference?

I like trying things the old way just to see what's involved and so I'll be prepared for the day when the SHTF, as they say.....My experience with breadmaking was that the ingredients cost me about 90c a loaf (not counting fuel) and took a bit of work and results weren't quite as good as I'd like....Italian bread costs $1 a loaf at Walmart and comes out perfect every time with no work at all. It's worth the extra dime.

I do like that hot-out-ot-the-oven with butter experience, so I make Bannock bread (just flour, lard, baking powder, milk & salt and baked in a cast iron pan on the stove top or camp fire).. Takes 20 min from the measuring cup to the butter.


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## ToelkeLeaHomestead (Jul 28, 2020)

doc- said:


> While I have no experience or knowledge at all on that subject, I never let ignorance stop me from giving an opinion-- I have to wonder why you would think it would make a difference?
> 
> I like trying things the old way just to see what's involved and so I'll be prepared for the day when the SHTF, as they say.....My experience with breadmaking was that the ingredients cost me about 90c a loaf (not counting fuel) and took a bit of work and results weren't quite as good as I'd like....Italian bread costs $1 a loaf at Walmart and comes out perfect every time with no work at all. It's worth the extra dime.
> 
> I do like that hot-out-ot-the-oven with butter experience, so I make Bannock bread (just flour, lard, baking powder, milk & salt and baked in a cast iron pan on the stove top or camp fire).. Takes 20 min from the measuring cup to the butter.


I have read mixed information about baking with freshly milled flour, so I was hoping to get some more input from those with experience. One way or another, I plan to experiment for myself. My motivation for switching to fresh-milled flour is twofold - self-sufficiency and health. I do also think it will be more cost-effective, but that isn't my primary goal. My husband has developed a sensitivity (skin reaction) to many processed wheat products, but tolerates homemade bread, etc... just fine (so it isn't gluten intolerance). I think it has to do with preservatives in storebought products or the modern methods with which they are made (heavily genetically modified ingredients, rushed rising process, etc...). Call me crunchy or whatever but I feel better when I eat healthy, made-from-scratch meals so the more I can make myself, the better.


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

I can assure you there are no health benefits to grinding your own flour (except maybe mental health), although it does sound like your husband has an allergy problem to an additive in commercial products.

Additives/preservatives are a mixed blessing-- They greatly extend storage life of foods, greatly reducing wastage, but there are occasional allergies and intolerances for a small fraction of users. (BTW- some preservatives can cause cancer in lab rats, but some prevent it, so be careful when feeding your rats. None have been shown to be a problem in humans under normal usage.)

I'm all for your self-sufficiency motive.


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## Hiro (Feb 14, 2016)

I just consulted the bread bakers (DW and DD) in the house that use freshly milled flour. They emphasized using weights rather than volumes on the flour. Also, moisture levels may differ. So, you kind of have to adjust as you go. 

Feeding sourdough starter freshly milled flour is just fine, again according to my panel of experts.

I just consume it.


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## GreenLeaf Homestead (Feb 17, 2021)

ToelkeLeaHomestead said:


> I just ordered a Mockmill 100 grain mill and am anxious to start milling my own flour. If possible, I'd like to switch to using fresh milled flour exclusively. Do any of you have experience doing so? I have an active sourdough starter I have been feeding with Wheat Montana all-purpose flour. Can I gradually transition to feeding it with fresh wheat flour?


I got my mockmill 100 January 2018 and haven’t bought wheat flour since (I only buy things I can’t mill like cassava and coconut flour for small uses in my baking routine). I use einkorn for most of my baking, but also corn, oats and much much more. I do not by any grain based items. If we want something, I make it or we go without. 
I put some recipes on here but my blog doesn’t make money (did that on purpose) so that’s not why I am sharing. Just sharing to help others on this wonderful journey. 🙂








GreenLeaf Kitchen & Homestead


Traditionally prepared, from scratch cooking. Sourdough, raw dairy, eggs, veggies & meats; along w/ food sensitivity alternatives.




mygreenleafkitchen.wordpress.com


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## GreenLeaf Homestead (Feb 17, 2021)

ToelkeLeaHomestead said:


> I just ordered a Mockmill 100 grain mill and am anxious to start milling my own flour. If possible, I'd like to switch to using fresh milled flour exclusively. Do any of you have experience doing so? I have an active sourdough starter I have been feeding with Wheat Montana all-purpose flour. Can I gradually transition to feeding it with fresh wheat flour?


I only feed my starter a couple tablespoons at a time and never discard any even if I don’t bake for a few days. Or I put it in the fridge if I’m going to be gone for a time. 
I mill right into a wide mouth quart jar for easy starter feedings and just leave the jar there. 
Yes, using weight for recipes is definitely ideal as fresh milled is fluffy. So I recommend a good kitchen scale. 

And yes, fresh milling your flour _Does_ make a difference health wise!! 

I got a grain mill for the health benefits since when grain is milled it quickly looses nutrients quickly. Up to 70 or more % I think (been years since I researched the number so I’m sorry I don’t remember). Whole wheat flour can go rancid very quickly too. 
I refuse to buy grain flour from a store. 

The added vitamins in enriched flour are synthetic and are rarely usable to the consumers and for some individuals, causes harm. White flour is pure starch (sugar), it’s completely nutrient void and causes nutrient deficiency and fungal overgrowth in the gut which leads many health problems. 

My daughter was extremely nutrient deficient and a mill was one of the first changes we made to up her vitamin and mineral intake. 

Sourdough baking or sprouting and dehydrating the grains are also vital for nutrient absorption so that’s what we do.

I bet you will Love your mill and enjoy the many benefits, flavor, nutrients and ease! 
Enjoy!! 😃
🍞🥯🥐🥖🥨🥞🍕🍔🧁🍰🥧🍦


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## GreenLeaf Homestead (Feb 17, 2021)

ToelkeLeaHomestead said:


> I have read mixed information about baking with freshly milled flour, so I was hoping to get some more input from those with experience. One way or another, I plan to experiment for myself. My motivation for switching to fresh-milled flour is twofold - self-sufficiency and health. I do also think it will be more cost-effective, but that isn't my primary goal. My husband has developed a sensitivity (skin reaction) to many processed wheat products, but tolerates homemade bread, etc... just fine (so it isn't gluten intolerance). I think it has to do with preservatives in storebought products or the modern methods with which they are made (heavily genetically modified ingredients, rushed rising process, etc...). Call me crunchy or whatever but I feel better when I eat healthy, made-from-scratch meals so the more I can make myself, the better.


I use einkorn (sprouted our sourdough) for easiest digestion so it may be a good grain to try when you are up for something new. I love buying grains because I know they last longer and can buy in bulk. Wheat is highly sprayed to kill it so it dries down fast and many people struggle with that spray as it is then still there in the flour since modern wheat doesn’t have a hull. Organic may be a better option for your husband since he is showing sensitivities to other additives it may be a good idea to avoid those too even if he isn’t showing signs now it could become a problem. Just a thought since we have had chemical sensitivities in our family and our doctor explained how then we are more sensitive to other chemicals. Anyway.


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## VBF (Apr 15, 2017)

We got a grain mill last summer and DH wanted us to switch over to fresh milled exclusively as well. He decided this week with peach cobbler that "Some things just need to be made with white flour." Lol. If you sift the bran out of your milled flour, it comes pretty close to all purpose, but you won't get quite the rise out of a cake or bread with it. I would split some of your sourdough starter off and experiment feeding it some of your flour to see how it reacts just in case.


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## GreenLeaf Homestead (Feb 17, 2021)

VBF said:


> We got a grain mill last summer and DH wanted us to switch over to fresh milled exclusively as well. He decided this week with peach cobbler that "Some things just need to be made with white flour." Lol. If you sift the bran out of your milled flour, it comes pretty close to all purpose, but you won't get quite the rise out of a cake or bread with it. I would split some of your sourdough starter off and experiment feeding it some of your flour to see how it reacts just in case.


Einkorn flour is very fine and even though it takes a learning curve the end result is a much healthier, easier to digest and lighter whole grain product. We love it!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I have never milled flour myself, but I have eaten bread baked from fresh flour. I was living in a little village in Brazil, called American do Brazil. The baker had his own flour mill, turned by a donkey walking in a circle. You poured the oats in from the top, it passed under a huge millstone, and flour came out the bottom. He also had a mill that crushed sugar cane stalks. The juice ran out the bottom, was poured into molds and dried into blocks of brown cane sugar. He made the best sweet rolls I have ever eaten. I would go to the bakery for breakfast every morning, sit at the counter with a cup of black Brazilian coffee, and a fresh roll. I was eighteen years old, and like a damm fool I came back to the states and joined the army.


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## Ziptie (May 16, 2013)

This thread is kinda old but we have a wonder mill and mill all of our own flour. Been doing it for over 12 plus years . I buy 50lb bags of hard white wheat. 

Well I guess I take some of that back.. I have bought some extra fine semolina flour from Italy(all US ones have additives) lately as DH bought me a small commercial pasta maker. I worry about putting 100 percent whole wheat through the dies as it might be too hard on the machine.


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