Whole Wheat Bread From Baking With Julia Recipes

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD FROM « BAKING WITH JULIA »

Steps:

• Pour ½ cup of water into the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a dough hook and add the yeast and honey. Whisk to blend and allow the mixture to rest until the yeast is creamy, about 5 minutes. Combine flours. Add the remaining 1¾ cups water, the oil, malt extract and about half of the flour mixture to the yeast. Turn the mixer on low to mix the flour and mixing on low add the rest of the flour. Increase the speed to medium beat until the dough comes together. Add up to 2 tb more flour if the dough does not come together. Add the salt and continue to beat and knead at medium speed for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can also mix the dough in the machine for half that time and knead by hand on the lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be a tad sticky even after proper and sufficient kneading. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a ball. Place in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough around to cover with oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest at room temperature until it doubles, about 1 ½ hours. Oil or butter two loaf pans (8 ½ by 4 ½). Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough in half and shape each part into a rectangle to fit into the loaf pans. Cover the pans with an oiled plastic wrap and allow them to rise at room temperature until they double in size growing over the tops of the pans, about 1 hour. While the breads rise, centre a rack in the oven and preheat to 375 F. When the breads are fully risen bake for about 35 minutes, or until they are golden. You should get a hollow sound when you rap the bottom of pan. Remove the loaves from their pans as soon as they come from the oven and cool the breads on racks.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• 1. Combine yeast, honey, and 1¼ cups (300 ml) warm water and set aside to proof, about 5 minutes.
• 2. When starting with whole kernel wheat: Place wheat, and if desired, salt into the Vitamix Dry Grains Container and secure lid. Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. Grind wheat for 1 minute. (Do not over process) Stop the machine and allow the flour to cool for a few minutes.
• 3. When starting with whole wheat flour: Place flour and, if desired, salt into the Vitamix Dry Grains or Standard Container and secure lid.
• 4. Select Variable 1.
• 5. Turn machine on and slowly increase speed to Variable 6. Blend until a hole forms in the center of the mixture, about 5 seconds. Turn machine off and remove the lid.
• 6. Pour oil, lemon juice, and yeast mixture into the hole in the flour. Secure the lid.
• 7. To mix the dough, turn the machine on High for 1 second. Stop the machine. Remove lid.
• 8. While the dough rests, lightly coat a loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray or shortening.
• 9. To knead dough, two steps are required: Step 1: Use a nylon spatula to scrape the sides of the container. Pull the dough away from the container sides and into the center of the mixture. Step 2: With the switch on High, quickly turn the machine on and off five times.
• 10. Repeat the above two-step process five times, or until the dough binds together in a soft elastic mixture.
• 11. To remove the dough from the container, turn the machine on and off five times (to lift the dough up and away from the blades). Invert the container over the prepared pan and let the dough fall into the pan. Use a wet nylon spatula to remove any remaining dough.
• 12. Use a wet (or oiled) nylon spatula to shape the loaf. Allow the dough to rise until the top of it reaches the top of the pan, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• 13. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. Makes one loaf.

JULIA CHILD'S WHITE BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup of the water into a bowl and mix with yeast and sugar til foamy.
• Let sit for 5 minutes until creamy.
• Put the yeast mixture, rest of the water and 3 1/2 cups of the flour into the mixer with the dough hook.
• Mix slowly until blended then add the rest of the flour.
• Increase speed and scrape down the sides til the dough comes together.
• (If it doesn't add a tbsp of flour at a time til it does.) Add salt and mix at medium speed for 10 minutes (or do half in mixer and half kneading) til dough is smooth and elastic.
• Back in mixer add butter 1 tbsp at a time (dough may come apart, but mixing will pull it back together).
• Turn dough out on lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball then place in a large buttered or oiled bowl.
• Turn dough so it is completely coated in the fat, then cover in plastic for 45 minutes to an hour, til it has doubled in size at room temperature.
• Butter 2 loaf pans.
• Deflate the dough, cut in half and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Roll out into a 9 x 12-inch rectangle.
• With the short end facing you, fold the dough into thirds like a sheet of paper to go into an envelope, creating a roll.
• Pinch the seam closed, and pinch the ends enough so it will fit in the loaf pan.
• Drop in the loaf pan seam side down, and repeat.
• Cover the loaves with buttered plastic wrap and allow to rise again in a warm place (80°F) for 45 minutes, until they double in size.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F and put the rack in the center of the oven.
• Bake for 35-45 minutes til they are honey brown.
• Immediately turn out of pans onto a rack to cool.
• Once almost completely cool, they can be cut.
• Store in a brown paper bag for a day or two.
• Once cut, turn cut side down onto a cutting board and cover with a kitchen towel.