How to Make Flour at Home
Many grains, beans and nuts can become flour to use in bread making or pastries. With the use of a grain grinder, either manual or electric, making these flours at home is a simple task. You can choose to make simple whole wheat flour or you can grind soy beans and nuts to add flavor to your baked goods. Whole wheat flour made at home from wheat berries will give a fresher taste to your baked goods and be free of any type of preservatives or additives often found in store-bought flours. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Set up your grain mill according to the manufacturer's instructions. Most mills, both manual and electric, are very easy to set up even without the printed manual. Be sure to clamp the mill securely to your counter or tabletop.
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Place a large bowl under the discharge spout of the grain mill to collect the flour as it grinds.
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3
Measure 1 cup of wheat berries and pour them into the grain mill hopper.
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4
Turn on the mill, or turn the crank by hand, until the wheat berries are fed through the machine and empty into the bowl as flour.
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Repeat until the desired amount of flour has been ground.
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Tips & Warnings
One cup of wheat berries will yield approximately 1 1/4 cup of flour.
One lb. of wheat berries will yield approximately 4 1/2 cups of flour.
Some grain mills, both electric and manual, have adjustment setting that will allow you to grind finer flours.
If you are grinding nuts or beans, start with 1/2 cup of the beans or nuts in the hopper. Add nuts or beans 1/2 cup at a time.
Whole wheat flour should be used as soon as possible after grinding to keep the flour from turning rancid. If you grind more than you need at the moment, store the extra, covered, in the refrigerator and use as soon as possible.
Whole wheat berries and other grains are available at most health or natural food stores or can be purchased online.
If only a small amount of ground flour is needed, you can grind wheat berries in a coffee grinder. Grind no more than 1/4 cup at a time and let the grinder rest for 10 minutes between batches so that the motor will cool.
Some blenders are strong enough to grind wheat in small batches. Grind no more than 1/2 cup at a time and check the motor base for heat after you have finished. If the motor and base are cool, you can use the blender for grinding flour.
