Hearty Whole Wheat Bread Recipes

CLASSIC WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar and yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the milk, vegetable oil, whole wheat flour, 1 cup of the all-purpose flour and the salt; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Grease two 8x4 inch bread pans. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into the pans. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Brush the risen loafs with lightly beaten egg. Bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

HEARTY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in the water.
• Add the honey and canola oil, mix well to completely dissolve.
• Add the eggs and mix well.
• Add 1-2 cups of the bread flour, mix until good and sloppy.
• Add the yeast, and mix well.
• Add the remainder of the bread flour, mixing well.
• Add in the wheat germ and then the whole wheat flour, a cup at a time, until difficult to mix with a spoon.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface (use any remaining whole wheat flour for your surface) and continue to mix and knead until all the flour is incorporated.
• Knead for 10-15 minutes, until dough is uniformly smooth, and bounces back at you when you press it. The firmness resembles a nerf ball, and the surface at this point should be tacky (like a post-it note) but not sticky enough to adhere to your hands.
• Pour a little bit of oil in your empty bowl, and coat all sides. Put the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with the oil.
• Cover the bowl (with a large plate, or with plastic wrap) and set it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, for approximately 60-90 minutes. If you used instant yeast the rising time will be shorter than for active dry yeast.
• Punch down dough and remove from bowl to floured surface.
• Knead briefly to incorporate oil.
• Form into two loaves, or into 24 dinner rolls or bread sticks.
• Put bread back in your warm spot, covered with plastic wrap, to rise again, another 45-60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake loaves for 30 minutes, rolls or bread sticks for 10-12 minutes, until golden on the crust.
• Cool on racks.
• Freezes well.

HEARTY WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Stir water and yeast together and let set for a minute.
• Add everything up to the bread flour, plus 1 cup of the bread flour. Beat by hand to combine, then use dough hooks and finish beating for 2 minutes.
• Add more of the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until you have a nice, manageable dough.
• Turn out and knead for 2 minutes, then cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough, about 10 minutes. Put back in bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled.
• Punch dough down and shape into 2 loaves. Place in well greased pans (I use Pam). Let rise to the top of the pans.
• With a very sharp knife, make two slashes about 1/2" deep on each loaf.
• Bake at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes.

EASY 100% WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Mix the warm water, honey, and yeast in a stand-mixer bowl until mixture becomes foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Add half the whole wheat flour, olive oil, and salt to the mixture. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until incorporated. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix with a dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly adding the remaining whole wheat flour, increasing the speed to high. Mix on high until the batter is combined and not sticking to the sides of the bowl, about 7 minutes. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Flour a surface to work the dough.
• Place the dough onto the floured work surface and shape into a loaf. Use more flour if necessary. Place into the prepared loaf pan.
• Let shaped dough sit in a warm place until it has risen over the top of the pan, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until top of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from the pan and transferring to a wire rack. Let cool an additional hour before slicing; otherwise it will feel doughy.