Let’s talk about baking with whole wheat.
Perhaps the greatest disservice to whole-grain baking is that whole wheat became a shorthand for a healthy alternative to white flour, and not a unique ingredient around which one can build breads and pastries.
Whole wheat doesn’t act like white flour in baking applications, and so gets the general reputation for making pastries dense, earthy and boring.
Listen up: While I belong to the school of thought that nutrient-rich food is more flavorful, if you are baking with nutrition and not flavor at the top of your mind, save yourself some time and eat a banana while you seek out a different hobby.
If you’re still with me, let’s make some whole-wheat chocolate chip cookies. These cookies were a staple at Root Baking Co. and embrace the flavor of great whole-wheat flour, high-fat butter and the best chocolate one can find — we use local chocolate from our friends at Xocolatl. A chocolate chip cookie is as simple as it gets, but if you seek out excellent ingredients and pay close attention to technique, they will become your new favorite cookie.
Chris Wilkins has been a professional baker for 12 years. He is a two-time James Beard Award nominee and the founder and co-owner of Root Baking Co. and Pizza Jeans. Submit your baking questions to bakebetterajc@gmail.com.
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