Foolproof Wheat Bread Recipes

EASY 100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the warm water, honey, and yeast in a stand-mixer bowl until mixture becomes foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add half the whole wheat flour, olive oil, and salt to the mixture. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until incorporated. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix with a dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly adding the remaining whole wheat flour, increasing the speed to high. Mix on high until the batter is combined and not sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 7 minutes. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Flour a surface to work the dough.
• Place the dough onto the floured work surface and shape into a loaf. Use more flour if necessary. Place into the prepared loaf pan.
• Let shaped dough sit in a warm place until it has risen over the top of the pan, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until top of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from the pan and transferring to a wire rack. Let cool an additional hour before slicing; otherwise it will feel doughy.

FOOLPROOF WHEAT BREAD (6 LOAVES)

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast into 1/2 cup warm water, let stand 10-15 minutes. (Add 1 tsp sugar to help it work faster.
• Combine hot water and 10 cups whole wheat flour in mixer. Mix on low speed until well blended.
• Add salt, oil, and honey. Continue to mix until well blended.
• Add 2 more cups of wheat flour and oatmeal and/or potato flakes, blend thoroughly.
• Add yeast mixture.
• Add 6 cups white flour. Knead on low speed for 6 minutes. Add enough flour that the dough leaves the side of the bowl but is still a little sticky - the consistency of cookie dough.
• Oil hands and mold into 6 loaves on oiled counter. Place in oiled pans and let rise just to the top of the pans.
• Bake and 350 for 35-40 minutes Remove from pans to cool.
• Brush tops with butter.
• Notes: Sugar or molasses may be used instead of honey.
• Only let rise to tops of pans, it will rise more in the oven when baking. If it rises too much it will create an air bubble between the bread and the crust.
• Use smaller size pans, the bigger ones will not work as well.

FOOLPROOF WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast into 1/2 cup warm water, let stand 10-15 minute (you can add 1 tsp sugar to help it work faster.
• combine hot water and 7 cups whole-wheat flour in mixer. Mix on low speed until well blended.
• Add salt, oil, and honey. Continue to mix until well blended.
• Add 1 more cup wheat flour and potato flakes or oatmeal. Add yeast mixture. (Can also use instant yeast without water). Blend thoroughly. -The oatmeal or potato flakes are to make a moister bread and can be omitted if you want.
• Add 3-4 cups white flour and knead on low speed for 6 minutes (add enough flour that the dough leaves the side of the bowl but is still a little sticky - the consistency of cookie dough.).
• -If using white wheat, there is no need to use white flour. If using red wheat, then definitely use the white flour for a lighter bread. I usually knead on low for 10 minutes.
• oil hands and mold into 4 loaves on oiled counter.
• Place in oiled pans (pam works too) and let rise just to the top of the pans. (if it rises too much it will create an air bubble underneath the crust).
• Bake at 350 for 35-40. -I tend to only bake for 30-35 minutes. Also, if you put a pan of water underneath your baking bread the bottoms will not burn.
• Remove from pans to cool.
• brush tops with butter.

FOOLPROOF WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD WITH YOUR VITAMIX BLENDER

Steps:

• Mix thoroughly water and honey-molasses, raise temperature to 108-112 degrees. Temperature is VERY important for proper yeast action.
• Stir in yeast and set aside for 10-15 minutes for yeast to work. When ready, there should be at least a 1" topping of foam on the mixture.
• While yeast is working, put a cup of whole wheat grain (i.e., the whole kernels or berries) in the VitaMix blender and grind for ONE MINUTE. Make sure the blender container is completely dry when this is begun. Put the wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Repeat this process three more times. Note: I only have the "wet-blade" container, and is seems to do a marvelous job of making flour from grain but works best with smaller quantities of grain. This is why I grind one cup at a time. I have found that 4+ cups of whole wheat berries yields about five cups of whole-wheat flour.
• Add gluten and salt to the whole-wheat flour and stir briefly to blend the dry ingredients.
• Add yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula. When ingredients are lightly mixed, dump everything out onto the kitchen counter, in a spot that has been cleaned and lightly oiled. Note: I hand-knead dough, so I use rubber or light plastic gloves to keep the dough off my hands -- and out of my rings!. If you have a mixer with dough hooks, so much the better.
• Knead the dough for five minutes, adding small amounts of water to keep the dough just barely on the sticky/gooey side. Put the dough back in the mixing bowl. It's hard to explain exactly what the consistency should be, but I try to keep the mixture sticky and quite moist. To add water, I make a depression in the dough and put in the water, then fold the dough over on itself. Kneading is fun! At least I think so. I flatten the dough with the heals of my hands, fold it end-for-end, repeat.
• Put about two inches of hot water (110-120°F, decidedly warm to the touch, but not uncomfortably warm) in the sink and "float" the mixing bowl with dough in the sink. (It won't float with that little water, but you get the idea.) Cover the dough with a light cloth. The warm water will keep the dough warm and moist while it raises. Let dough raise about 30 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
• Dump the dough back onto the counter top and knead again for two or three minutes. This will reduce the size of the dough as the air pockets are pressed out. Divide dough into two equal lumps, and form into the shape of loaves to fit bread pans. (Note: If you want to freeze half the dough for later use, now is the time to do it.) Oil and lightly flour the pans if they do not have a non-stick surface. Place each lump into a warmed bread pan, put these on the counter, and cover with a dry cloth. Note: I generally warm the pans by floating them in the sink, after I've removed the bowl in step 7. Allow the dough to rise a second time, which usually takes about a half-hour. The bread is ready when it has raised to about a half-inch above the height of the bread pan.
• Cook at 360°F for about 35 to 40 minutes. When done, remove the bread from the bread pans and let cool (if you can stand the wait!) for about 10 to fifteen minutes before cutting and eating. Nothing is better smelling and tasting than fresh, hot, whole-wheat bread!
• One final note: We live at an altitude of 4000 feet. The lower air pressure makes yeast work a little more quickly, and generally more liquid and a higher cooking temperature is required. However, this recipe was originally used in Texas, so it's probable no modifications are necessary.