Whole wheat flour is admittedly hard to work with if you have never used it before. I always suggest to people that want to begin bread baking that they start with white flour and master that, then move to a white /whole wheat blend, and finally whole wheat.

100% Whole wheat flour is moister and stickier than white flour and the gluten in it develops at a slower rate. You will need to hand knead most whole wheat breads for a minimum of 15-20 minutes. If you use the wheat from white wheat berries the protein is higher and it will respond more like white flour. Still takes a lot of kneading though…and it will never not be sticky.

Whole wheat bread will break a Kitchen aid in a heartbeat. I know that some of you are all ready grabbing your whisks and ready to throw them at me, which is o.k..because I can use another one, but just listen a minute. KA can do about 2 loaves of whole wheat bread at a time …but when you are making 6 loaves every couple of days? You better have a Bosch. In a perfect world I would have one of each!

If you add about 1/4 cup of wheat gluten you will find that your bread rises higher and is lighter. You can also add a pinch of ginger to the yeast to help it. Other than that, there are no secrets, just really good arm muscles.

This loaf is full of old fashioned taste. Makes great toast, or a good sturdy sandwich. If you are going to have it for more than 2 days slice it and freeze it. It will mold fast because mold likes real food. And whole wheat bread? Real food!

You can use milk or water for the liquid, just make sure that it is warm..Milk will give a more tender crumb and add nutrition.

100% Honey Whole Wheat Bread

2 c scalded milk, cooled to lukewarm

1/4 c unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c strong honey, like buckwheat

2 pkg yeast

1/2 c warm water

1 Tbs salt

7 or more cups of whole wheat flour

Mix yeast and water. Allow to get foamy.

Stir together the butter, salt, milk, and honey. Mix into yeast. Add flour until dough leaves sides of bowl and forms a ball. Turn out onto a floured surface.

Knead for 15 minutes or until the dough becomes springy. It will still be slightly sticky. Oil top and place in an oiled bowl. Cover and allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until double.

Punch down and form into two loaves. Place in greased loaf pans, oil the tops, and allow to rise for one hour, or until almost double.

Brush with a glaze made of 1 egg yolk and 1 tsp water mixed until blended. Bake at 400 for 40 minutes, or until bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Turn out of pans and let cool.

Makes 2 loaves.

Image:MaryeAudet

Post from: Baking Delights

YUM! This has a faint aftertaste of tomato soup! My kids took care of one whole loaf a minute ago by making cheese sandwiches with it. It is unusual and beautiful…So give it a try.
I took the original tomato bread recipe from The Farm Journal Bread Cookbook. I did tweak it a bit as I felt that whole wheat would need a stronger flavor. This scented the entire kitchen this morning. It would make great toast to go with tomato soup, or cheese soup…it would be a good base for burgers…or even a bologna sandwich.

Dough 1-tomato
1 c tomato sauce
2 tbs butter
2 tbs brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves (just trust me, o.k.?)
2 Tbs ketchup
1 package of dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 c warm water
4 cups or so of whole wheat flour OR white flour OR a blend. I used whole wheat.
Soften yeast in water.
Heat tomato sauce, butter, and ketchup and let cool to lukewarm. Add sugar, cloves, salt and yeast mixture to tomato mixture and mix in enough flour to make a soft but kneadable dough (or mix according to mixer directions). Turn out and knead until smooth and elastic.
Oil and set aside to rise.

Dough 2- whole wheat
1 1/2 c warm water
2 Tbs butter
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pack dry yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)
4 cups or so whole wheat flour

Soften yeast in 1/4 c water with sugar. TO other 1 1/4 c water add butter until butter melts (you may need to microwave it and let cool to luke warm). Add salt and yeast mixture…then add flour until you get a soft, kneadable dough…proceed as above.

Let balls of dough rise until double-about 1 1/2 hours. punch down and knead lightly…cut each ball of dough into 2 equal pieces. Let rest 10 minutes.
Roll each ball out into a rectangle of equal sizes. Place a tomato dough rectangle on top of a whole wheat rectangle and roll up tightly pinching dough together at bottom to seal. Repeat with other loaf.
Let rise in greased bread pans for 1 hour or until double.

Bake at 375 for30 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped…Let cool if you can.

Post from: Baking Delights