Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Hi everyone!

Challey has asked me to post several recipes on this blog. I am sort of blog-challenged (I never seem to have my computer on and then I never seem to find time to look at it), but I love cooking and recipes so I will try to get them all on here. Plus, I am excited to see what you all have added already!

This is my version of a recipe that Sarah from Sarah Baking Co. uses. Her bread products are delicious and if you ever see her at a boutique, you should pick up a few things.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread
Blend in Bosch mixer:
4 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat gluten
1 Tbs yeast

Then add:
3 cups very warm water

Blend 1 minute. Turn off mixer and cover for 12 minutes to sponge. Should rise to about double.

After sponging, add:
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
3 tsp. salt

Run mixer, then add:
3+ cups flour, 1 cup at a time. (If making ½ wheat, ½ white bread, use white flour at this step.) Flour should be added JUST until the dough starts to pull away from or clean the side of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes on power level 1 on your Bosch.

Check dough. If too sticky,add 1/4 cup flour at a time until dough is not too sticky. If too stiff, drizzle warm water over it while kneading.

Preheat oven to warm/lowest setting, just for a minute, then turn it off.

With oiled hands, turn dough out onto oiled counter/plastic mat. Divide and shape into 3 loaves for 8x4" loaf pans. You can use 2 larger bread pans instead if you prefer the bigger size. Place dough into oiled (pam) loaf pans.

Put into warm oven (make sure oven is off). Let rise until the dough is about 1 to 1 ½ inches over the top of the pan (usually 45 min to 1 hr). Leaving loaves in, turn oven on to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Take out of pans immediately and put on a rack to cool completely.

I like to make the 3 smaller loaves. I freeze one of them and leave the other two out (wrapped up) on the counter. Once we've used the first loaf, I thaw out the frozen one. This gives us enough bread for 1 1/2 to 2 weeks, depending on the week.

Enjoy!