Baking with Fresh Ground Flour

We recently acquired a grain mill (KoMo Fidibus XL for those curious), and have started grinding our own flour for our sourdough bread, waffles, pancakes, and other such (usually fermented) baked goods. We have found that the flavor is much richer, but the rise isn't there when compared with conventional ground white flour. What is interesting, though, is that even though the dough looks/is "flat", it tastes nothing like the dense block that you get with store-ground whole wheat or a bad rise from white flour.

Something we have found is that while we can see the bran in the flour, our sifter doesn't seem to take it out. I don't know if this is a quality of the sifter issue, or a too-fine-of-grind issue with the flour, or what. Supposedly the bran interferes with the gluten chains forming, which contributes to the lack of rise. Some things I've read suggest sifting out the bran to make the dough, and either mix it back in at the end (as you would raisins or other "extras"), or use it to dust the loaf/pan before baking. Does anyone have suggestions on effectively sifting the flour?

The second thing is that we're trying to learn the differences between hard and soft, red and white flours (before we start branching out into spelt and einkorn and other more traditional grains). So far it seems like the soft flour does not lend itself to a structured anything - even the sourdough starter ends up a strange grainy consistency - and the flavor is generally off from what we like. The hard wheat has been much better in this regard. I'm not sure if there's really a difference between the red and white. Does anyone have insights on flour types? (Ancient grain suggestions welcome as well, we're going there sooner or later)

Hello Benedict!

I grind my own wheat for flour and horse feed.   Generally white wheat will have a lower protein content than red wheat.

If you are wanting to grow the higher protein grains it will take more nitrogen in the soil than you need for the low protein grains.

Soft white is fantastic for biscuits, cakes, pie crusts, gravies, etc., providing a lovely soft, light texture. Hard red is what you're looking for to make the best breads, pasta, and pizza dough, as its higher protein provides that chew, and the crumb that stretches, as you tear it apart.

Spelt & einkorn bake up very differently, from the hard red or the soft white wheats. I have a local friend who only uses the ancient grains, and has shared. It was wonderful, dense, and deeply satisfying, with a somewhat larger, heavier, crumb.

Ahhhh, bread...