The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Granary flour

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Granary flour

Has anyone ever come across a flour similar to granary flour which is a trademarked name of the Hovis company in England? If not,has anyone ever come across a recipe to make a reasonable facsimile of Hovis bread? TIA

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Thanks for the info, motherspride. I have not had Hovis bread for many years, so my memory of it may not be quite accurate, but I do remember it as being a small brown loaf & very tasty with a nutty flavour to it. Are you writing from England or North America? If you're on this side of the ocean (I am Canadian) have you ever come across a supplier of a flour similar to Hovis's  Granary flour? Or is there someone else out there who might have a lead.

qahtan's picture
qahtan

I do make a brown loaf that is very similar to Hovis, but I have for years been looking for Hovis bread tins that when the bread is baked in these tins you get the Hovis impression on the loaf......

 I finally had some luck and managed to buy a couple of Hovis two lb loaf size tins, also then  some body had seen my request for Hovis tins and very kindly sent me a couple of 1 pound tins, both arrived last week. This was my first attempt to use tins, I can see now that I need a little more home milled flour, also to bake a tad longer

 to emphasize  the name a little more.This is for my own enjoyment that I have the right tins,,,, ;-)))))qahtan

  

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Aren't you the lucky one!!! They are beautiful. Even if you didn't bake bread they would be fun to have as a kitchen decoration. Was your loaf a recipe you devised or is there somewhere I might find it? Where did you purchase the tins?

qahtan's picture
qahtan

 

 I bought the two 2 lb Hovis tins in UK, and a very kind person sent me two 1 lb tins,

  Hovis bread is not available in Canada, and their recipe is a closely guarded secret, but Hovis flour is not available in Canada, I made up my own version of Hovis.

                                         qahtan

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Woz, that link to the info re: Hovis was interesting. Thanks.

qahtan, were you able to find malted grains or malted flour to put in your version of Hovis? It seems to be impossible to find here. Does anyone out there know of a source?

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Thanks , Stu , for that recipe. It did take a little deciphering. I checked the KA site and malted wheat flakes are currently unavailable. I wonder why it is such an elusive product? Anyway I may try the recipe with rolled oats as woz suggests and see what happens.

Drifty Baker's picture
Drifty Baker

You may be able to find the malted wheat flakes at your local home brew supply store.  I get malted grains at mine and use it several recipes. 

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Thanks, Drifty, for the suggestion.We don't have a home brew place in my area, but I know where I'm sure I can find one. I assume you grind the grains into flour or am I mistaken. If not, how do you use them?

Drifty Baker's picture
Drifty Baker

I get the grain from Northern Brewer in St. Paul.  You can order over the internet at: http://www.northernbrewer.com/grainmalts.html.  They have the grains in bulk bins and you can grind them in the mill they have in the store.  This will give you crushed grain not flour.  I grind the crushed grains into flour at home in my blender.  At least until I can get a good grain mill.

I sometimes use the grains crushed but mostly I grind them into flour and use them in my breads.  If you get the really dark malts called chocolate they make great dark almost black breads without adding any coloring or other falvorings like molasses and coffee.  I have found that with the malted grains you need to deactivate the enzymes by cooking or mashing the grains first.  If you don't do this it will make the bread very gummy.

I encourage you to get some and experiment! 

 

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Thanks again Drifty. I'm thinking I should put a grain mill on my Christmas list.

chickadee's picture
chickadee

Thank you guernseyali for the info. I know they have not been available for some time so thanks for the update. I just hope it won't be outrageously expensive to ship to Canada.