Different Types of Homemade Breads

There are hundreds of different varieties of bread you can make at home. Light, fluffy and dense breads, all types of flavors, from sweet breads to spicy breads, if



you’ve seen it in a store, you can make it at home. Let’s take a look at some different types of breads starting with the more common ones.

White Bread
White bread is one of the most common bread it is your standard, bleached white flour bread. Many different ingredients can be added to this bread, including seeds, herbs and even cheeses. White breads are usually soft, light and fluffy.

Whole Grain Bread
Whole grain bread includes whole wheat and other whole grains. This means the bread contains all of the components of the grains. There are many health benefits to having whole grain breads, including the nutrients that come from the grains as well as the added fiber.

Mixed Grains
Mixed grains are usually made from a mixture of whole grain flours. Typically, mixed grain breads also contain seeds and grains right on the top of the loaf as well as mixed within the bread itself. Again, the added benefit of the nutrients and fiber are great benefit.

Rye Bread
Rye bread comes in many forms. Usually used for a Rueben sandwich. Rye bread is made from a combination of rye flour and wheat flour. Since rye has such an obvious flavor profile, it is difficult to mistake for any other bread. Pumpernickel is another form of rye bread, which is heavy, dark bread, made from rye flour, rye meal and cracked grains. Rye bread is not a bread I care for, but my husband just loves it.

Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread has an unusual name due to the slightly sour flavor. The reason this bread is so different is that it uses the yeast bacteria that is naturally found in the air, along with yogurt to help with the leavening. The dough is allowed to sour through a fermentation process that produces carbon dioxide as well as an acid instead of an alcohol. The acid is what imparts the tart flavor profile while the gas is trapped, like in all other types of leavened breads, to allow it to rise. There are all kinds of sourdough starters out there, here’s an easy starter that I like.




Sourdough Starter

3 ¼ oz packets of dry yeast
4 cups warm water
2 tbl sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 raw potato, peeled & quartered (yes potato, this feeds your starter)

Dissolve the yeast in warm water, then add the sugar, flow and potato. Mix it up in a crock or glass container and let it rise until it’s very light, wait a couple days before using but do give it a quick stir or two daily.

Use your starter as per your recipe. To keep your starter good and fresh use it often. Once you remove starter to use, you’ll need to replenish your starter, add 1 cup warm water, 2 tsp sugar and flour to mix to the consistency of the first starter. Store in your fridge. A couple quick notes: Never add yeast after the first time and leave the raw potato in the starter as food for the starter. Remember to keep your starter fresh use it often.

Live Grains
While other breads are made by taking grains, toasting them and then grinding them into flour, live grain breads actually allow the seeds and grains to sprout before being dehydrated and ground down. This type of bread is, by far, the most nutrient dense bread as the grains used to make the flour is not processed. Because the grains are able to sprout, they also have more nutrients than any other types of bread.

Gluten-free Bread
Gluten-free bread is made from dough that does not require gluten to hold it together during the leavening process. This bread is perfect for people with gluten intolerances or allergies. Many times gluten-free bread is made from corn flour, rice flour or potato flour and is generally more dense and crumblier than traditional bread.

So there you go, there are many different types of breads to try. Check out the recipes page, find a new bread recipe to try after all white bread is not the only option out there.