Whole Wheat Bread

 

 

Whole Wheat Bread

Pre-heat your oven to its lowest possible setting.  Ideally this is 135 F.  Grease ( be generous here) 4 bread pans.

4 cups white flour

10 cups whole wheat flour (If you aren't using freshly ground flour, you may need to add 2-4 tbls gluten)

4 tablespoons yeast

1 1/2 cups powdered milk

1 tablespoon salt

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup honey

4 cups warm water (105 F to 115 F) 

Place all of the dry ingredients in the mixer bowl including the yeast and mix for 15 seconds. 

Alternately  add half the oil, honey and water slowly mixing after each addition.  Repeat with the remainder of the honey, oil and water until all of the liquid ingredients are incorporated into the flour mixture. 

In the Bosch Mixer, knead on speed 2 for 6 minutes. 

Divide the dough into 4 pieces.  I use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough to ensure that the 4 loaves are equivalent .

  Place the dough in the prepared pans.

Place the pans in the pre-heated oven. 

If your oven will not set below 175 F, then leave the door open   a bit during the first 25 minutes as this is the rising stage. Set your timer for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes at 135 F ,  you raise the temperature of your oven to 350 F for an additional 18 to 25 minutes. 

The bread stays in the oven as the temperature is rising from 135 F to 350 F.  

The total time for rising and baking is the original 25 minutes plus the 18 - 25 minutes for baking.   The timing is dependent on each individual oven.

Remove the bread from the pans immediately after you take the bread out of the oven.  You will need to gently loosen the bread from the sides of the pan.  An icing spreader works great for this.

It can be a little frustrating perfecting your wheat bread.  You need to get used to your oven,  pans and mixer.  If it doesn't work the first time....do not give up.  The time and effort to perfect this recipe will be well worth it.  Once you have the recipe working,  it becomes a fairly quick and easy process.