What Is The Maslin Method? (And Why It’s the Best Approach to Baking with Whole Grains)

If you’ve ever felt a little discouraged trying to bake with whole grains, you are not alone. The good news is that there is a traditional way to approach baking that makes all the difference. Welcome to The Maslin Method Baking School—a new series here on Mary’s Nest!

In the video below, I’ll walk you through what I call The Maslin Method—a time-honored way of baking that brings together flavor, nourishment, and ease in the most wonderful way. And be sure to keep reading, because I’ll share even more helpful insights to guide you on your journey.

What Is the Maslin Method?

The Maslin Method is rooted in a very old tradition—one that was once common in kitchens across Europe and beyond.

A Traditional Way of Baking

For generations, bakers did not rely on just one type of grain. Instead, they worked with what they had—often blending different grains together either because they were grown side by side or milled and mixed after harvest.

This mixture was known as maslin. And the bread made from it? Also called maslin.

Why Blending Grains Matters

Each grain brings something special to the dough:

• Some provide strength and structure
• Others contribute softness and tenderness
• Many add deep, rich flavor

When combined, these grains create a dough that is far more balanced than one made from a single flour.

And the result is dough that is easier to work with, which creates a bread that is not only more delicious, but also more nourishing.

Note: The images of paintings in this blog post are in the public domain from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Problem with Modern Whole Grain Baking

Today, many of us are drawn to whole grains—and for good reason. Whether it’s:

• Hard red or hard white wheat
• Heritage wheats like Red Fife or Turkey Red
• Ancient grains like einkorn, emmer, and spelt
• Or even rye, barley, oats, and corn

These grains connect us to the foods of our ancestors and offer wonderful nutrition.

Why Things Sometimes Go Wrong

But when we try to bake with these whole grains using modern methods, we can run into trouble:

• Dense loaves
• Dough that behaves unpredictably
• Bread that doesn’t rise as expected

And it’s easy to think something has gone wrong. But the truth is…nothing is wrong with the grains. What’s missing is the traditional method.

Why the Maslin Method Works So Beautifully

When we return to intentionally blending grains, something wonderful happens.

A More Cooperative Dough

With a dough made from blending grains:

• The dough becomes easier to handle
• Fermentation improves
• The loaf develops a lovely rise and crumb

Instead of forcing one grain to behave like modern white flour, we allow each grain to contribute its strengths.

A Return to Traditional Wisdom

This approach reflects the wisdom of bakers who came before us—those who learned through experience how to create bread that nourished both body and soul.

How We’ll Bake with the Maslin Method

As we work together through The Maslin Method Baking School series, you’ll notice a few welcome differences from modern baking.

Learning by Look and Feel

Rather than relying strictly on measurements, you’ll begin to:

• Feel the dough
• Observe its texture
• Learn how it responds in your hands

I’ll always provide helpful guidelines, but before long, you’ll trust your instincts. And trusting your instincts is what will help you learn how to bake with fresh-milled flour or store-bought flour. It doesn’t matter because you will learn how to bake by looking and feeling.

Using Yeast or Sourdough

You can bake using:

• Commercial yeast
• A sourdough starter—even one straight from the refrigerator…yes…even unfed!

Slowing Down the Rise

We won’t rush the process—no need for proofing boxes or trying to find that perfect warm spot in your kitchen.

Instead, we’ll allow the dough to rise slowly in a cool environment, giving it time to:

• Develop structure
• Build flavor
• Relax naturally

Because in traditional baking, time was often the most important ingredient.

A Gentle Approach to Baking Temperatures

Modern recipes often call for very high oven temperatures. But traditionally, ovens were allowed to cool slightly after firing, creating a more moderate baking environment.

In today’s kitchen, we can mirror this by:

• Preheating the oven to a high temperature
• Then, lowering it once the bread goes in

This allows the loaf to:

• Bake evenly
• Develop an even interior texture (the “crumb”)
• Develop a beautiful crust
• Avoid over-browning on the bottom

Building Your Own Maslin Flour Blends

One of the loveliest parts of this method is creating your own Maslin Flour Blends.

Creating Maslin Flour Blends

It’s here, in this simple yet thoughtful act, baking begins to feel less like following a recipe—and more like a creative partnership with your ingredients.

Instead of reaching for a single bag of flour, you begin to think in terms of balance. You might add a sturdy whole wheat flour to provide structure, then soften it with a touch of spelt or einkorn. Perhaps you’ll include a bit of rye for its deep, earthy flavor, or a small amount of barley for its subtle sweetness.

Each time you mix your flours, you are creating something uniquely your own. But don’t worry. With each recipe I share here in The Maslin Method Baking School, I will provide an exact Maslin Flour Blend. In time, as you become more experienced baking with a mix of flours, I encourage you to experiment!

A Return to the Way Our Ancestors Baked

In many ways, this practice brings us closer to the kitchens of the past. Our ancestors didn’t rely on standardized flours or precise formulas. They worked with what was available to them—what was grown nearby, what was freshly milled, and what suited the season.

Their flour blends changed from harvest to harvest, and their breads reflected that beautiful variety.

When we create Maslin Flour Blends in our own kitchens, we step into that same tradition. There’s a wonderful sense of freedom in knowing that your bread doesn’t have to be exactly the same every time to be good—it simply needs to be thoughtfully made.

Learning the Personality of Each Grain

As you begin blending flours, you’ll also start to notice something very special—you’ll come to understand the personality of each grain:

• Einkorn feels soft and delicate, almost silky
• Spelt is gentle and slightly sweet
• Emmer has a heartier, more rustic character
• Rye brings depth and a touch of earthiness
• Barley adds a subtle sweetness and tenderness, almost like a quiet softness in the background
• Oats lend a creamy, comforting quality and help create a moist, tender crumb
• Corn brings a sunny warmth, a bit of texture, and a natural sweetness that feels both humble and hearty

Over time, you’ll learn how much of each to use—not by measuring alone, but by intuition. You’ll begin to recognize how a dough should look and feel as you mix it, and how different grains influence that process.

A Gentle Encouragement

If you’re new to this, don’t worry about getting it “just right.” Start simply and follow the recipes I share.

When you feel comfortable experimenting, try blending two flours together—perhaps a whole wheat with a bit of spelt or einkorn—and see how the dough responds. With each loaf, you’ll gain confidence, and before long, you’ll feel quite at home creating your own Maslin Flour Blends.

This is where the joy of baking lies—not in perfection, but in the quiet satisfaction of working with your hands, learning as you go, and creating something nourishing for yourself and those you love.

A Note on Traditional Grains

In the past, most wheats were known as landrace wheats—naturally adapted to their environment and wonderfully diverse.

Today, while those may be harder to find, we still have:

• Heritage wheats like Red Fife and Turkey Red
• Modern whole wheats like hard red and hard white

And all of these can be used beautifully in your baking.

The Key to Success

The goal is not perfection. It’s simply to:

• Understand your flour
• Work with it gently
• Let it guide you

What You’ll Learn in This Maslin Method Series

As we continue on this journey together, I’ll show you:

1. The Foundations
   • Why blending grains improves bread
   • How to create balanced flour blends
   • How to bake with yeast or sourdough
2. The Skills
   • How to read your dough by look and feel, whether made with fresh-milled or store-bought flours
   • How traditional bakers worked without strict recipes
   • How to bake confidently with whole grains

What’s Coming Next

In our next lesson in this series, we’ll explore something that may surprise you…There was a time when large holes in bread were not desirable—they were considered a defect!

And then in our third lesson, we’ll begin baking together, starting with The Modern Pioneer Traditional Maslin Hearth Loaf—a beautiful, rustic bread that brings everything you’ve learned to life.

From there, we’ll expand into:

• A variety of yeast breads and sourdough breads
• Rustic pies, tarts, and galettes—both sweet and savory
• Charming old-world tea-time treats
• And Early-American fruit-filled bakes

A Warm Invitation

If you’ve been curious about baking with whole grains, I hope you’ll join me on this journey. Together, we’ll rediscover a traditional way of baking. And before long, you’ll find yourself creating some of the most delicious breads and baked goods you’ve ever made—just as home bakers have done for generations.

Learn About Whole Grain Wheats

While you’re waiting for the next lesson in The Maslin Method Baking School series to be released, I have a little something special for you to enjoy.

If you’d like to become more familiar with the very heart of our baking—whole grains—I invite you to spend a little time learning all about wheat berries. These beautiful, whole grains are where it all begins, and understanding them will give you such a wonderful foundation as we move forward together.

In the Wheat Berries FAQs video, I walk you through everything you need to know—from what wheat berries are, to the different types available, and how you can use them in your traditional foods kitchen. It’s a relaxed and friendly introduction that will help you feel more confident as you begin working with whole grains.

You’ll also discover how wheat berries can be milled into fresh flour right in your own kitchen, or even cooked whole and enjoyed in simple, nourishing dishes. They truly are one of the most versatile and traditional foods we can keep in our pantry.

So while we prepare to dive into our next lesson together, consider this your gentle introduction to the grains themselves—the very building blocks of everything we’ll be baking.

Grand Teton Ancient Grains

Grind Your Own Flour with the Mockmill

When it comes to electric grain mills, after I did A LOT of research, I decided to buy a Mockmill. And am I so happy I did! The Mockmill is a very affordable but beautifully crafted German-made mill that stone grinds grain with settings ranging from 1 to 10—fine to coarse ground grain.

Learn more about Mockmill electric grain mills for making fresh flour and their Flake Lover’s Flaker that flakes whole grain in minutes. (This is not a sponsored post, I bought the Mockmill products that I show you, and I’m a happy user of their devices in my kitchen.)

• Mockmill 100 Grain Mill unboxing
• Get the Mockmill 100 Stone Grain Mill (Same product I show you in my unboxing video.)
• Flake Lover’s Flaker from Mockmill in action (Using this device, you can flake whole grain in minutes.)

Backwoods Home and Self-Reliance

The Backwoods Home and Self Reliance printed magazines are two of our favorite publications, especially since they deal with topics of interest to traditional foods cooks and modern pioneers.

Start Your Traditional Foods Journey

Sharing my passion for traditional cooking goes beyond my YouTube cooking school—it also comes to life in the pages of my cookbooks. Both of my books, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook and The Modern Pioneer Pantry, are proudly published by Penguin Random House.

The first is filled with time-honored recipes to help you create a traditional foods kitchen, while the second is your complete guide to home food preservation. Order both books today to start or continue your traditional foods journey.

Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List

For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!

Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy

Are you looking for more traditional foods videos? If so, I invite you to join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy. Members of this optional paid YouTube community get access to exclusive videos and other members-only perks. Plus, your YouTube comments include a special members-only badge.

Kitchen Academy Videos

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How to Make Oatmeal Higher in Protein (The Old-Fashioned Way)

Turn simple oats into a hearty, protein-rich porridge.

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5. Order The Modern Pioneer Pantry - Get Mary's latest hardcover cookbook about preserving food and making delicious meals from your Four Corners Pantry. Mary's second cookbook is also published by Penguin Random House.

I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!

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