Whole Wheat Bread

Here is my mom's no fail Whole Wheat Bread recipe. It is super simple. I use a standing mixer, but if you don't have one you can just knead the dough by hand. Enjoy! This recipe makes one loaf of bread. You can easily double or triple the recipe to make more loaves or other things like pizza and cinnamon rolls.

*Note* This bread will not have the same texture as store bought bread. Don't make this recipe thinking that you will produce Bunny Bread. Lecithin and wheat gluten can be added to this recipe for a lighter bread. They help with the rising and elasticity of the loaves. The original recipe calls for 1 tbsp. each of lecithin and gluten.

*Because this bread can have a heavier texture, it is wonderful when used for french toast or in a breakfast casserole.*

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. yeast

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. oil

1 cup warm water

Mix together the flour, yeast, and salt.

The water needs to be between 120 and 130 degrees F. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the water is too cool, it won't activate the yeast. Both situations will result in flat, dense bread.

Add the water, oil, and honey to the dry ingredients.

If it is too sticky, add more flour a little at a time until it forms a soft dough .

Knead for 8 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic.

Like this.

Place the dough onto a clean, floured surface like a counter or a cutting board. If you are using an standing mixer, you might want to knead it by hand a little to get the proper texture. Shape into a loaf to fit your bread pan.

Place into the pan, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk in a warm spot such as an oven. This step can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Uncover and bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F. Then drop the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 20 more minutes. If the bread starts to brown too quickly, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over it.

Take it out of the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. For best results, let it cool completely before cutting. (Our bread never makes it that far!) In the picture above, you can see that the bread sunk a little. This is because I moved it too much after it had risen, causing it to deflate.



Fly with Christ!
Rachel : )