9/22/10

Recipe: Whole Wheat Bread

If you read the label of your store-bought bread and wonder if any of the ingredients are edible, here's an easy bread recipe that is tasty-times. I've been making it about once-a-week and eating it with jam, butter, honey, microwaved for a few seconds, my kids will eat it...it just keeps giving.

This bread takes me back to my childhood. My dad religiously made whole wheat bread, toasted a slice, sprinkled it with cinnamon and sugar, cubed it, and ate it like cereal in a bowl with milk...?....
His wheat grinder was a staple on our kitchen countertop. Dad and the Little Red Hen were in an elite club. Now that I'm feeding little humans, I appreciate the value in each step you can do yourself to ensure quality and the real-foodness of it.  But I still buy my whole wheat.



The recipe makes 3 loaves. I like to make one monster loaf for sandwiches and the like, and 2 shrimpier ones for snacking. It comes from one of my favorite sites, All Recipes.


Ingredients

  • 3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 5 cups bread flour
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
  2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
  3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch. I put it in the oven at the lowest heat (170) to make it rise faster.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely                 

3 comments:

  1. excuse me but where was this delectable bread hiding when we were over the other night? hmmmmm? i jest.

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  2. All Recipes is one of my favorite sites too. I think I'm going to finally try this....it is a delight of sorts. People feel sorry for me in my whiney pregnant state and sometimes they bring me homemade whole wheat bread. Mmmm....

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  3. Hey. I made this bread. It's really good. Thanks for sharing!

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