If you bake all your own bread, I need a recipe!

[UncleEJ]

As I move toward making more and more food from scratch, bread is next on my list. I normally buy 100% whole wheat bread, usually Nature's Own. While this bread is fine, I would rather spend less and know all the ingredients.

 

I have tried two recipes so far, both from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes. Both were a flop (but I have a ton of bread crumbs in the freezer now! Lol). So, those of you that bake all or most of your family's bread, what recipe do you use and love? I am looking for a sandwich loaf, not free form. Also, all or mostly all whole wheat. I liked the idea of mixing up a bunch of dough and leaving it the fridge until I need it, but I am not married to that idea. I am also pretty comfortable working with yeast and such, I just can't get sandwich bread to work out. Please help!

[KungFuPanda]

What is it about your bread that makes it not suitable for sandwiches? I mostly make white, white/wheat, and sourdough breads. Most of them are free-form and most work well for sandwiches. If you're looking for a commercial level of softness, you may need to rethink your expectations. If the cut bread from a free form loaf isn't big enough for you, try cutting it at a 45 degree angle or use a bread pan.

 

Bread has so few ingredients. I think the trick to it is the cook getting used to how the dough feels satiny, but not dry or sticky. It just takes practice. No recipe is perfect. I'm in a humid area and generally add more flour than every recipe lists. Still, even bread that 'could be better' tastes so much better than wonder bread that it's worth the effort.

 

This one got good reviews:

 

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/20066/traditional-white-bread

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

White Bread

 

2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees/F, 45 degrees C).

2/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cups bread flour

 

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

 

Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl and turn dough to coat... Cover with damp cloth (I chose plastic wrap, this stuff raises like crazy).. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

 

punch dough down, knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above the pans.. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

 

 

 

*I've made with spelt and whole wheat flours. When making with fresh ground wheat flour I mix it half/half with the bread flour or all purpose. It seems to turn out better if it isn't 100% fresh ground wheat.

[Desert Strawberry]

Here's my recipe. It's an all-purpose type of dough. I don't have pictures up, but it makes a good sandwich bread if baked in a loaf pan.

 

http://cajunstrawberry.blogspot.com/2013/04/overnight-bread-and-starter-plus-many.html

[KatieJ]

I have modified my Mom's Italian bread into a more healthy loaf of bread.  It is fantastic and works great for sandwiches.  I usually use a double italian loaf pan, but it can be baked in regular loaf pans too.

 

 4 cups hot water,

2 tbls QUICK rise yeast (SAF is my preferred yeast),

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbls salt

one whole egg

2 cup fresh ground whole wheat flour

2 cups 7 grain cereal

 

Mix in Bosch mixer  for 5 minutes

 

Gradually add in an additional 6 cups of flour for a total of 10 cups of cereal and flour combined.  I usually ad in about 2 cups whole wheat and 4 cups of white bread flour. 

Knead for 8 minutes.  Put into bowl and let rise.  OFten it is less than an hour.  Punch down and let rest for 20 minutes.  Put into pans and let rise again.

It makes 4 loaves of bread.

 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes depending on your oven. 

 

This recipe is incredibly versatile. Original recipe that my Mom developed calls for 10 cups of bread flour.  You can use if for pizza dough, cinnamon bread/rolls, or add in cheese, italian herbs, whatever works for you.

 

I can do one and half recipes of this in my bosch ( 6 loaves)  at one time. 

[Mbelle]

It can take awhile to figure out your rise times.  I had my recipe down pat and then we moved and it took a month to figure out the new rise times....simply from a different house.  Crazy! I actually had to lower my 2nd rise by 30 min.

 

I grind my own wheat, but it is not necessary. I like hard red and hard white mixed.  I have used kamut, but really prefer to use that in quick rise breads..to me it doesn't have any flavor.  Or I mix in hard red with the kamut to add some flavor.  I made pumpkin bread with kamut and it was delicious.

 

1.5 cups of water, 1/4 to 1/3 c of olive oil, 1/4 cup of honey, 1 tsp salt, 1-2 eggs,  4.5 cups of flour, and 2.5 tsp yeast ( i had to play around with yeast amount). 

I have a zojirushi and use the manuel settings: knead 20 min, rise 1-45 min, rise 2- 9 min, bake 40 min.

 

I really want a mixer so i can triple my recipe and just bake in the oven, so i can just bake once a week.

[KungFuPanda]

Another note : A long, slow rise will develop more flavor so experiment with some of those recipes too.

[mamaraby]

A few suggestions-

 

Peter Reinhart has some fantastic books that really go into the nitty gritty/science of bread baking. He also has a Craftsy class for artisan bread baking that's fantastic and many of the same principles can be applied to a sandwich loaf. My sandwich loaves got much better once I had a better handle on the science behind the whys.

 

King Arthur Flour also has many sandwich loaves/whole grain recipes on their website that have been well tested. I'd start with one of their recipes. They also have a baker's hotline that you can all for help with their recipes.

[Amira]

Here's how I make our bread.  I use it for everyday bread and have made it at lots of elevations and climates. It makes three loaves.  It's quick and easy/

 

3.5 cups warm water

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup gluten, more or less

1.5 T yeast (or less for a slower rise)

1 T salt

1/2-1 cup ground flax (optional)

6-9 cups whole wheat flour

 

 

I just dump everything except the flour into the mixer, then slowly add the flour and knead in the machine for about 10 minutes.  Let it rise, then shape into three loaves, rise again, and bake for 30-40 minutes at 375, depending on your oven.

 

The gluten is important to make a loaf that isn't crummy.  You can fiddle with the amount to see what works for you. I find it pretty difficult to make a decent whole wheat loaf without gluten, and believe me, I've had to try it often when I couldn't buy gluten locally.

 

 

[LucyStoner]

I make an all ww sandwich bread like this:

 

Make a sponge of 2.5 cups of tepid water, 2 cups whole wheat flour, a tablespoon of yeast and 2-3 tablespoons of sweetner (honey, molasses, whatever). I also add 1/2 cup of ten grain cereal or flax here. Cover and let that go for north of 2 hours.

 

Then add 3.5-4.5 cups more of whole wheat flour, 3-4 tablespoons of soft butter, 2 teaspoons salt and a heaping tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and let the dough hook on the mixer at it all until it is smooth and tacky but not super sticky. This is like 8 minutes in my mixer, more if I knead by hand.

 

Then, for the pro bread baker tip that blew my mind, we prep the loaves and proof them in the pan without a second rise time. I know, say WHAT the whatity WHAT?! But trust me- it means you yeast will have more to give in the proofing and bake time than they otherwise would. For a lofty all wheat loaf, the yeast needs plenty of time (thus the sponge) but you can't let it finish before it hits that oven. So grease two loaf pans and cut the dough into two equal sections. Flatten/roll each into a letter/regular paper sized rectangle and then fold like a letter, pinching off the seam and placing in each pan. Tuck down the ends slightly. Cover and let proof in a warm spot until the tops are about 1 inch over the edge of the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 35. For a soft crust, wrap in a clean towel and place both loaves in a food safe plastic bag (old bread bag, a 2.5 gallon freezer bag, whatever). When cool, unwrap, dry out the bag and return to the bag for storage.

[nerdybird]

King Arthur is the best! :D

 

I also recommend:

Alton Brown's Pumpkin Bread

Oven-Baked Naan Bread

 

Neither is traditional sandwich bread, but both are delicious special treats. I have made both with half whole wheat flour, half regular flour and both tasted pretty darn good.

 

Good luck on your bread-baking journey.

[Berta]

I've got bread baking as I type. I prefer to grind my own wheat berries but my grinder is broke so I have been using basic white flour from the store.

 

3.5 cups of flour

2 T yeast

1 1/3 C lukewarm water

2T powdered milk

2 T butter

2 t salt

1 t sugar (optional, I prefer honey)

1/3 C wildflower honey (I'm estimating the honey and flax, I just kind of eyeball it)

1/3 C flax meal

 

I dump it all in the bread maker and let it do the work :)

 

It comes out tasty and easy to slice

[busymama7]

I use a Bosch

 

6 cups warm water

2 cups whole wheat flour

3 T saf yeast (the brand does matter in my experience)

 

Mix and let sponge for 20 mins.

 

2/3 c coconut oil(yes this matters too)

2/3 c honey

2 T salt

3 T white vinegar

1 c dry potato flakes

2 c white flour(can eliminate and use gluten instead and increase wheat flour accordingly)

 

Mix and then add 10-12 cups wheat flour. Knead in machine for 10 mins. Divide into four 2.25-2.5 lbs loaves(i use a kitchen scale. more loaves if pans are smaller). Place in greased loaf pans and let rise 30 min in 160 degree oven. Bake for 30 mins at 350. Butter tops and cool on rack

 

I have been makin bread for 11 or so years and this is the best of all my experimenting. I use fresh ground hard white wheat flour. Red wheat gives a stronger flavor and we prefer the white.

 

My family loves this bread ;)

[UncleEJ]

Thank you all! The problem I had with the recipes I tried where that they were way to dense. One recipe was inedible and the other was ok, but the kids and DH didn't like it. I know that homemade will not be as soft and fluffy as store bought but I would love to get closer! I have both the original King Arthur Flour and the Whole Grain cookbooks. I will try some of them.

[UncleEJ]

I use a Bosch

 

6 cups warm water

2 cups whole wheat flour

3 T saf yeast (the brand does matter in my experience)

 

Mix and let sponge for 20 mins.

 

2/3 c coconut oil(yes this matters too)

2/3 c honey

2 T salt

3 T white vinegar

1 c dry potato flakes

2 c white flour(can eliminate and use gluten instead and increase wheat flour accordingly)

 

Mix and then add 10-12 cups wheat flour. Knead in machine for 10 mins. Divide into four 2.25-2.5 lbs loaves(i use a kitchen scale. more loaves if pans are smaller). Place in greased loaf pans and let rise 30 min in 160 degree oven. Bake for 30 mins at 350. Butter tops and cool on rack

 

I have been makin bread for 11 or so years and this is the best of all my experimenting. I use fresh ground hard white wheat flour. Red wheat gives a stronger flavor and we prefer the white.

 

My family loves this bread ;)

I will try this one! Although I will have to half it because I have a Kitchen Aid mixer, not a Bosch. Thank you!

[UncleEJ]

I make an all ww sandwich bread like this:

 

Make a sponge of 2.5 cups of tepid water, 2 cups whole wheat flour, a tablespoon of yeast and 2-3 tablespoons of sweetner (honey, molasses, whatever). I also add 1/2 cup of ten grain cereal or flax here. Cover and let that go for north of 2 hours.

 

Then add 3.5-4.5 cups more of whole wheat flour, 3-4 tablespoons of soft butter, 2 teaspoons salt and a heaping tablespoon of vital wheat gluten and let the dough hook on the mixer at it all until it is smooth and tacky but not super sticky. This is like 8 minutes in my mixer, more if I knead by hand.

 

Then, for the pro bread baker tip that blew my mind, we prep the loaves and proof them in the pan without a second rise time. I know, say WHAT the whatity WHAT?! But trust me- it means you yeast will have more to give in the proofing and bake time than they otherwise would. For a lofty all wheat loaf, the yeast needs plenty of time (thus the sponge) but you can't let it finish before it hits that oven. So grease two loaf pans and cut the dough into two equal sections. Flatten/roll each into a letter/regular paper sized rectangle and then fold like a letter, pinching off the seam and placing in each pan. Tuck down the ends slightly. Cover and let proof in a warm spot until the tops are about 1 inch over the edge of the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 35. For a soft crust, wrap in a clean towel and place both loaves in a food safe plastic bag (old bread bag, a 2.5 gallon freezer bag, whatever). When cool, unwrap, dry out the bag and return to the bag for storage.

Thank you! I will try this one too! What size loaf pan do you use? 8x4 or 9x5 or other?

[LucyStoner]

Thank you! I will try this one too! What size loaf pan do you use? 8x4 or 9x5 or other?

Mine are 9x5 but I bet your get a bigger dome on a smaller pan.

[MercyA]

I make the recipe below in my bread machine almost daily.  My picky eater says it's as good as the bread from Bembelman's Bakery.  :)  I wouldn't go quite that far, but the recipe does consistently produce mild-tasting, fairly soft, nicely textured bread.  If you're going to make all your bread, I highly recommend investing in a bread machine.  It takes me under 10 minutes to make a loaf.

 

1 1/3 cups water

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons yeast

[mamaraby]

Well, homemade bread can be just as fluffy as storebought, but it will probably take a little bit of time for you to master. If you're ending up with dense loaves then it sounds to me like you're either not developing the gluten completely or your mix is too dry.

 

How are you measuring your ingredients? Are you weighing them out with a kitchen scale or are you using measuring cups/spoons? If it's the later, then get yourself a kitchen scale. It's by far a more accurate method and will increase your chances for success.

 

I'd err on the side of a wetter dough just because it's easier to work with, though it can tend to rise faster. What kind of flour are you using? A coarser grain will also make things harder because the bran will shred your gluten strands. Maybe try one that is a finer grind like a white whole wheat. Have you ever made bread before? If not, then I'd suggest starting with a standard white bread flour recipe so that you can ge a hang of the process first. Then, I'd look into a transitional loaf where you start to swap out some of the bread flour with whole wheat.

 

Peter Reinhart's "Artisan Bread Every Day" has a nice selection of transitional loaves. He does have a whole grain bread specific cookbook that I've used in the past, but the process is a bit more involved with both a biga and a soaker. I am not a fan of "no-knead" breads or that other bread baking book that promises bread in five minutes a day or whatever.

 

I also buy my yeast in 1lb packages - the red SAF. King Arthur Flour has a nice yeast/canister set that I picked up. It's much cheaper than buying yeast at the grocery store.

[LucyStoner]

Getting a soft and tender all whole wheat sandwich loaf with a nice high dome is no easy feat. Starting with a nice long sponge, adding extra gluten and not skimping on the fat and sugar are important. Wrappig it before it cools is also important. I can make gorgeous, delicious loaves of white bread or partial white bread blind folded. But it wasn't until I was following the Grand Central recipe for cinnamon rolls that starts with a sponge and contains a little ww and cracked cereal and chatted with a baker about rising strategies for ww that I made a nice, kid approved, loaf of ww sandwich bread that I could call easy.

 

I don't like the "white whole wheat" flour much which seems to be to just be white flour with some ww added in. I use Bob's Red Mill 100% whole wheat bought from the cash and carry.

[Berta]

I make the recipe below in my bread machine almost daily.  My picky eater says it's as good as the bread from Bembelman's Bakery.  :)  I wouldn't go quite that far, but the recipe does consistently produce mild-tasting, fairly soft, nicely textured bread.  If you're going to make all your bread, I highly recommend investing in a bread machine.  It takes me under 10 minutes to make a loaf.

 

1 1/3 cups water

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 cups King Arthur White Whole Wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons yeast

 

I found my bread machine at Goodwill for $8. I know how to make bread by hand, but the machine is SO much easier.

[MercyA]

I don't like the "white whole wheat" flour much which seems to be to just be white flour with some ww added in. I use Bob's Red Mill 100% whole wheat bought from the cash and carry.

 

White whole wheat flour isn't white flour with whole wheat added.  It's 100% whole wheat flour milled from hard white spring wheat rather than from the usual red wheat. 

 

From the Whole Grains Council:  White wheat is a different type of wheat that has no major genes for bran color (unlike traditional “red†wheat which has one to three bran color genes)...The term “white flour†has often been used to mean “refined flour,†so “whole white wheat flour†sounds like a contradiction in terms. But it is simply WHOLE flour – including the bran, germ and endosperm – made from WHITE wheat. White wheat does not contain the strongly-flavored phenolic compounds that are in red wheat. This gives white wheat a milder flavor, and also means that products made with white wheat require less added sweetener to attain the same level of perceived sweetness. Experts consider these two kinds of whole wheat to be the same, nutritionally. 

 

Of course, regular whole wheat is great, too, if your family will eat it!  :)

[QueenCat]

 

I don't like the "white whole wheat" flour much which seems to be to just be white flour with some ww added in. I use Bob's Red Mill 100% whole wheat bought from the cash and carry.

 

It's not white flour with whole wheat added in. It's simply a different grain than the regular whole wheat, which creates a lighter flour.

[LucyStoner]

I stand corrected. Interesting! That said, I still don't like the flavor of the white whole wheat and see most recipes still want you to add some all purpose white flour. My kids like ww just fine. Their favorite store bought bread is the Dave's Killer ww or Squirelly. They will eat both homemade white and wheat bread but they don't like store bought white sandwich bread.

[LucyStoner]

I found my bread machine at Goodwill for $8. I know how to make bread by hand, but the machine is SO much easier.

I like seeing the dough rise. I'm a dork like that. We have freecycled away not one but two bread machines because they didn't get used. My stand mixer does the heavy lifting though. I just get the fun of a few kneads and, depending on the recipe, that very pleasing sensation when you punch the dough down.

[mytwomonkeys]

I make all of our bread. My favorite recipe is white/wheat - so it may not meet your criteria. Here it is though & it rises beautifully in a bread pan.

 

1 cup warm water in bowl

Add 1 pack yeast (I use rapid yeast)

Add 5 teaspoons sugar

Wait until yeast is ready (assuming you know what that looks like since you use it a lot)

Add 1 teaspoon of salt

Add 5 teaspoons melted butter

Add 1 egg (I have omitted with no problem when out)

Add 1/4 cup milk

Stir

Add 1/2 cup milled flaxseed ((or omit if you don't have any)

Add 1 cup wheat flour

Add white all-purpose flour and mix with your hands ( I basically add white flour until it isn't sticking to my hands)

Knead well (and I mean well)

Spray bread pan

Place in pan until it rises

Bake on 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown

 

ETA - I place the bread pan on top of the preheated oven. The heat helps it rise faster :)

 

 

Anyway - this rises beautifully and taste great. It cuts perfectly for sandwiches - I pack it daily for my daughter's lunch

[Piper]

http://www.breadtopia.com/cooks-illustrated-almost-no-knead/

 

I use the sandwich version of the Cooks Illustrated recipe that you'll find down the bottom of this page.  There are also suggestions for making it with whole wheat or rye if you want to go more whole grain.  I *love* this bread, as do my family.  For the sandwich loaf, I always remove it from the pan immediately, and rub it over with butter - gives a wonderful soft crust for sandwiches.  It takes a little forward planning, but what bread doesn't? :) I like to mix it up after dinner, then bake it in the morning while we're doing school.

[redsquirrel]

have you gone to the King Arthur site? That is where I head for a good recipe.

 

You can even call them for help if think something went wrong.

 

And any recipe can be made 'whole wheat' if you like it. You will have to add a bit more liquid but if you are familiar with dough then just go for it.

 

Getting very soft bread with a good rise is tricky. That is why bakeries put stuff in it.  You might consider using a dough conditioner and some powdered gluten.  If you use things like lecithin (a dough relaxer) then you have that nice soft dough. But you will need the gluten powder to hold the risen-ness. I buy lecithin at my local health food store. It is a soybean product. I use it when I make pizza dough. It makes it so much easier to spread.

 

And whole wheat by nature is a bit denser. The fiber from the wheat cuts the gluten strands and makes the bread naturally denser. That said, your loaf shouldn't resemble a brick. A good rise, using as little flour as possible, and using a nice strong flour (added gluten) will help.

[NASDAQ]

I bake all the bread for the family, but I'm not totally sure I'd recommend it. I have a commercial mixer. I make pullman loaves thusly:

 

3 oz shortening

4 lbs 7 oz unbleached flour

2 oz rye flour

3 tbsp maple syrup

1.5 tbsp yeast

4 1/2 cups warm water

 

Let rise twice, 1.5 hours and 4.5 hours. Shape into three 13" pullman loaves and let rise 45 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake at 400F for 40 minutes.

[Mom in High Heels]

All I have to say is joepastry.com  That site is amazing.   He has recipes up the wazoo, and everyone I've made so far have turned out great.  I'm going to attempt croissants this week.

[pink&bluemommy]

The recipe I use for whole wheat bread.  It does the sponging thing too.  It is the fluffiest wheat bread ever!  It also keeps the best of any bread I've ever made.  We like fresh bread!  http://dealstomeals.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-new-favorite-whole-wheat-bread.html

[saraha]

posting so I can find later,  thanks for all of the suggestions!

[UncleEJ]

All I have to say is joepastry.com That site is amazing. He has recipes up the wazoo, and everyone I've made so far have turned out great. I'm going to attempt croissants this week.

Thank you for this link! That site is great!

[JoJosMom]

When we moved, I had a devil of a time getting my dough to rise properly in this kitchen.  Hubby bought me a Zojirushi bread machine for Christmas one year ago.  Problem solved!

 

I use and love Beth Hensperger's The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook.

[msjones]

I agree with an earlier poster that you'll probably have to putter with any recipe to get it just right for your oven and climate.  

[busymama7]

I bake all the bread for the family, but I'm not totally sure I'd recommend it. I have a commercial mixer. I make pullman loaves thusly:

 

3 oz shortening

4 lbs 7 oz unbleached flour

2 oz rye flour

3 tbsp maple syrup

1.5 tbsp yeast

4 1/2 cups warm water

 

Let rise twice, 1.5 hours and 4.5 hours. Shape into three 13" pullman loaves and let rise 45 min. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake at 400F for 40 minutes.

Why don't you reccomend it?!?

 

I really want to buy the Pullman pans. Do you know how much dough by weight fits in one?

[Okra]

I love this board....

 

[mytwomonkeys]

I'm in the process of baking my bread & wanted to bump this. I'm going to share a picture of the recipe I posted upthread. I tried to pay closer attention today to what I was doing, so I could share. It took me about 10 minutes total to make the bread. It took 1 1/2 hours to rise. I just put it in the oven & the timer is set for 30 minutes.  

 

I do not use a mixer, only my hands. It is really super simple (and quite therapeutic).

 

Today I used much more wheat than white flour just to see if it would still rise okay. It did! :)

 

I'll post a photo in a little bit.

[mytwomonkeys]

Picture 1

 

Picture 2

 

Picture 3

 

(In picture 3 I held in flat in my hand just as a point of reference, so you could see that it is big enough for a sandwich)

[MomOfOneFunOne]

AMDG

 

Well . . . I don't make all our bread. I used to make all our bread and I loved doing it. The breadbis delicious and wholesome and just packed full of love.

 

However, when I make bread, we eat the entire delicious loaf AND a stick of butter to go with it. When I buy bread, we eat the slice or two we need for our toast or sandwich.

 

Yeah, it's that pitiful.

 

I do find that making it homemadebis more delicious and more enjoyable than boughtn by a long shot. Like canning, it is more cost effective over the long haul but can be expensive to start if you don't have any equipment, et c.

 

I learned with this loaf:

Well, it won't paste, sorry. If youvwant you can google vegweb outrageously easy big bread

[stripe]

I don't like the "white whole wheat" flour much which seems to be to just be white flour with some ww added in. I use Bob's Red Mill 100% whole wheat bought from the cash and carry.

No, it's a different type of wheat. The outside isn't red, and it is less bitter tasting and also not so dark in color. I like it, personally.

 

You can buy what you describe at Indian stores. It's white flour with bran added. Golden Temple, for example, sells this in a white and red bag. There are tons of other brands that sell all whole wheat flour, though. Golden Temple makes an all whole wheat product too.

http://www.golden-temple.com/Products

[BrookValley.]

Bumping and subbing so I can keep up....

 

Also, Katie, I'm getting out the stuff to make the sponge for your recipe right now. Wish me luck. :)  I've made lots of bread over the years, but never found the way that works for me. I eventually scored a cute little bread machine from the thrift store, but it makes this comically tiny loaf.

[mytwomonkeys]

. I eventually scored a cute little bread machine from the thrift store, but it makes this comically tiny loaf.

lol. Same with my bread machine! I never use it. The loaf is simply too small & really, making bread by hand is just as simple for me.

[Kalmia]

I've noticed that the King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat flour is more finely milled than their regular whole wheat flour and makes a lighter, fluffier loaf with a milder taste.

 

This is a refrigerator dough. You can hold it in the fridge between rises. It was originally a fantastic white yeast roll recipe. I just switched the flour and added in an additional pack of yeast. (vital wheat gluten also helps but I haven't needed it for this one)

 

1. Add 2 cups of King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat Flour, three packets of yeast, and 1/4 cup sugar (you may be able to sub other sweeteners), 2 teaspoons salt to the mixing bowl

2. Bring a small pot containing 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of water and one cup of milk to 115 (between 110 and 120) degrees. Watch carefully!

3. Pour 115 degree heated butter/milk/water mixture into mixing bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes until it begins to look "glutenous"

4. Add two eggs and one cup KA Org Whole Wheat flour and mix on low.

5. Continue adding one cup KA Org Whole Wheat Flour while mixing until you get to a total of 6 cups. It should be cohesive and ball-like at this time. (I always lose track of the cups so I have it pre-measured out).

6. Dump on floured counter and knead for about 8 minutes by hand, you may add up to one cup of the flour to keep things from getting too sticky.

7. Let rise in oiled bowl until it doubles in bulk.

8. Punch it once so it deflates. Form into loaves (or rolls) and put in baking pans. You can cover with saran and hold this in the fridge for hours at this point.

9. Pull out and allow to rise again until about an inch over the side of the pan, about one hour.

10. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees. About 20 minutes for rolls. Longer for loaves. Use a thermometer to test internal temp for doneness. Remove from pan immediately after removing from oven.

 

 

 

 

[BrookValley.]

My PSA for the day: Katie's sponge will not be contained by the regular bowl for a KitchenAid mixer. :lol:

[KatieJ]

My PSA for the day: Katie's sponge will not be contained by the regular bowl for a KitchenAid mixer. :lol:

 

 

Oh Dear.  Had I seen this earlier, I would have told you to cut the recipe in half.  My DD's and DIL's all have Kitchen Aids, and they just make 2 loaves at a time.

 

Are you doing  whole wheat or white?

[jenn-]

I used this recipe in my bread machine yesterday on the dough cycle then I shaped it up and let it rise again in the loaf pan and baked it at 350 for 35 minutes.  One thing I tried new this time was the tip up thread to wrap the warm loaf in a clean towel and shove it into a plastic bag to cool.  It definitely made a difference in softness of crust.

 

Honey Whole-Wheat Bread

[UncleEJ]

I've noticed that the King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat flour is more finely milled than their regular whole wheat flour and makes a lighter, fluffier loaf with a milder taste.

 

This is a refrigerator dough. You can hold it in the fridge between rises. It was originally a fantastic white yeast roll recipe. I just switched the flour and added in an additional pack of yeast. (vital wheat gluten also helps but I haven't needed it for this one)

 

1. Add 2 cups of King Arthur Organic Whole Wheat Flour, three packets of yeast, and 1/4 cup sugar (you may be able to sub other sweeteners), 2 teaspoons salt to the mixing bowl

2. Bring a small pot containing 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of water and one cup of milk to 115 (between 110 and 120) degrees. Watch carefully!

3. Pour 115 degree heated butter/milk/water mixture into mixing bowl. Mix on low for 2-3 minutes until it begins to look "glutenous"

4. Add two eggs and one cup KA Org Whole Wheat flour and mix on low.

5. Continue adding one cup KA Org Whole Wheat Flour while mixing until you get to a total of 6 cups. It should be cohesive and ball-like at this time. (I always lose track of the cups so I have it pre-measured out).

6. Dump on floured counter and knead for about 8 minutes by hand, you may add up to one cup of the flour to keep things from getting too sticky.

7. Let rise in oiled bowl until it doubles in bulk.

8. Punch it once so it deflates. Form into loaves (or rolls) and put in baking pans. You can cover with saran and hold this in the fridge for hours at this point.

9. Pull out and allow to rise again until about an inch over the side of the pan, about one hour.

10. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees. About 20 minutes for rolls. Longer for loaves. Use a thermometer to test internal temp for doneness. Remove from pan immediately after removing from oven.

This sounds very similar to my very favorite roll recipe :-) thanks for sharing.

[BrookValley.]

Oh Dear.  Had I seen this earlier, I would have told you to cut the recipe in half.  My DD's and DIL's all have Kitchen Aids, and they just make 2 loaves at a time.

 

Are you doing  whole wheat or white?

 

Oh, sorry, it was LucyStoner's recipe upthread (real name Katie)!  I didn't specify. Her recipe is for only two loaves, but my sponge was very, very happy and escaped all over my kitchen counter.  Yours (as written) would probably have taken over my kitchen. :lol:

 

So I used King Arthur's white whole wheat flour in LucyStoner's (Katie's) recipe. It made a really nice, soft loaf that slices well and is really yummy. It didn't rise very high, though, so it's not well-suited for sandwiches. I'm not sure what I did wrong in that regard, but I'm thinking I didn't let it rise long enough in the pans before I put it in the oven.