Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Best Honey Wheat Bread

It has been a while since anyone posted here. Must be all the sunshine! I just made some honey wheat bread that is so delicious. I got the recipe off my ciber friend, Michal's blog. I followed the substitutions mentioned at the bottom of the recipe and it turned out perfectly, the best I've ever made and my family agrees.


Mom's Whole Wheat Bread

3 cups warm water
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup honey
scant Tablespoon coarse kosher salt or 1/2 t. fine salt
6 cups whole wheat flour (I like white wheat flour best, from whole white wheat)

Mix ingredients in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 3 minutes. 

Meanwhile, proof the yeast:
3/4 cup very warm water
3 Tablespoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
When yeast is proofed, add to bread mixture along with:
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups white, all-purpose flour
Mix on low or medium to incorporate, then on high for 10 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic.

Turn out into bowl sprayed with cooking spray and allow to rise in a warm place for 25 minutes. Turn dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and separate into four loaves. Shape loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Allow to rise for 25 minutes more.

Bake in 350 oven for 25-30 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Remove from oven and from pans immediately. Rub or brush tops of the loaves with butter. Allow to cool on wire cooling rack. Freeze what you're not going to use today or tomorrow.

Variations: Substitute 1/4 cup of the oil with an equal amount of applesauce. Substitute 1/2 cup flour with equal amount ground flax seed, toasted wheat germ, or leftover oatmeal. Add 1/2 cup sunflower seeds with final 4 cups of flour (my kids don't love this version).

1 comment:

Lindsay said...

Mmmm....freshly baked bread, there's nothing better. I am still learning with my bread making skills. I think there is a learning curve. :) But I will try this one.