Our Favorite Wheat Bread Recipes

THE VERY BEST WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together 3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, and quick-rise yeast until well combined.
• Add the water and mix for one minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Uncover the bowl and add the salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice. Beat for 1 minute.
• Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between each cup. Knead the dough in the mixer (still using the dough hook) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and feels smooth rather than sticky. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, but if your dough pulls away and loses its stickiness sooner, it could take as little as 5 minutes.
• Grease two nonstick bread pans measuring 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" to 9" x 5" x 3" each (or grease two regular bread pans and then line them with parchment paper). Preheat the oven to lukewarm by setting it to 350°F and then turning it back off after exactly 1 minute.
• Turn the dough onto a greased surface. Evenly divide it into two loaves. Form and place the dough into the prepared bread pans, gently pressing it into the corners.
• Place the pans in the warm oven and allow them to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, until the dough is nicely domed above the tops of the pans. Without removing the pans from the oven, turn on the oven to 350°F and set the timer for 30 minutes. The bread is done when the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Once the loaves are baked, immediately remove the hot bread from the pans to cool on a rack.

OUR FAVORITE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Combine butter, molasses, honey, and salt.
• Mix well.
• Add yeast mixture.
• Gradually add flour.
• Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth.
• Place in greased bowl and let rise until double.
• Punch down.
• Let dough rest a few minutes.
• Shape into 2 loaves.
• Place in greased bread pans.
• Let rise about 1 hour.
• Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes.

GREAT HARVEST HONEY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD COPYCAT

Steps:

• In a large bowl, add water, yeast, honey and salt. Let it rest for 5 minutes (or until the yeast foams).
• Add in flour 1 cup at a time, kneading it between each cup of flour added if you are making it by hand. If you are making it with a mixer (like a Bosch or Kitchen Aid), use a paddle attachment and just let it mix while you add the flour.
• Knead bread for about 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add only enough flour so that the dough barely pulls away from the bowl. Every time I make bread, the amount of flour I use varies - humidity and elevation will make a big difference too. I usually use between 10-11 cups.
• Preheat oven to 170 degrees; turn the oven off, and let dough rise inside the oven for 15 minutes.
• Carefully remove bowl from oven. Spray the back of your hand with cooking spray and punch down the dough. Form into a log and cut in half, forming two larger-sized loaves. Put into 2 greased loaf pans.
• Again, preheat oven (if it?s not warm anymore) to 170 degrees and let the dough in the pans rise in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the dough doubles in size.
• Remove dough from oven and set oven temperature to 350 degrees. Once oven is pre-heated, place the loaves back in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from pans immediately and let cool completely on a cooling rack.