Rustic Whole Wheat Bread Recipes

RUSTIC WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Stir all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, instant yeast, and salt together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Whisk water and oil together in a cup; pour into flour mixture. Mix on low speed until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl into a ball.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead just until dough is smooth, about 1 minute. Divide and shape dough into 3 balls for small loaves or 2 balls for larger loaves. Dust loaves with flour and place onto a baking sheet; cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in size, about 25 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Slash an "X" about 1/4-inch deep in tops of loaves with a sharp knife.
• Bake in the preheated oven until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven to cool completely on a wire rack.

RUSTIC MULTI-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, sugars, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water and oil to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining all purpose flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into four pieces. Roll each into a 15-in. rope. Twist two ropes together; pinch ends to seal. Repeat with remaining dough. Place in two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. , Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

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.

WHOLE GRAIN SOURDOUGH RUSTIC COUNTRY LOAF

Steps:

• Combine salt with flour in a mixing bowl, then add water and mix either by hand or with a dough whisk until fully incorporated into a "shaggy mass."
• Add starter and mix / squish by hand until fully incorporated. The process of incorporating the starter is a bit of primary kneading and should result in the dough smoothing out some, but don't go nuts. As soon as the starter is fully incorporated, you're done.
• Cover mixing bowl and let sit.
• First Bulk Fermentation Period
• The first (of three) bulk fermentation period is at room temperature which for me is 73 - 75 degrees F, and lasts about 10 hours.
• At about an hour in, do 5-10 minutes of hand kneading (see notes and video below) until the dough develops some strength and elasticity and becomes noticeably smoother. Cover and let sit.
• Every 1-2 hours (exact timing is not important - really!) do a short round of stretching and folding to re-develop the dough's elasticity (see notes and video below). Then re-cover and let sit.
• Second Bulk Fermentation Period
• After about 10 hours, or whenever the dough has risen to about 1.5 times its original volume, put the covered bowl of dough into a cold (~40 F) refrigerator and let sit (for me, this is overnight) for about 10 hours.
• Third Bulk Fermentation Period
• Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature again.
• As the dough warms up, resume periodic stretch and folds. Dough should be feeling progressively more lively, developing a bit of sour aroma, and eventually starting to bubble some.
• This final bulk fermentation period is the hardest to put a time length on. Getting it right matters, and it will totally depend on how active your starter is, how warm your kitchen is, and a whole host of other mostly invisible things. You are shooting to finish this period when the dough has risen to 2 - 2.5 times its original volume and ideally is actively blowing a few bubbles. I've had this take anywhere from 4 - 8 hours depending on this and that. Your mileage may vary. Try not to overshoot this - you'll probably have a better result erring on the too soon side than the too late side.
• Shaping and Proofing
• (See notes and video below)
• Prepare a lined proofing basket by generously flouring the inside and set it aside.
• Lightly flour a large work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
• Wet your hands, punch down the dough and then stretch and flatten it into a large thin rectangle.
• Fold dough in half from top to bottom and press top into bottom, flattening again but not as big as the initial rectangle. At this point, you want the height of the dough rectangle to be right about the length of your proofing basket (no more than that).
• [Optional] Lightly flour the top of the dough (and your hands).
• Start at one end and roll the dough rectangle into a cylinder.
• Keep track of the seam and transfer the dough cylinder into the lined, floured proofing basket seam-side up.
• Cover and let sit for 1 - 1.5 hours.
• Baking
• From 30 - 60 minutes after transferring dough into proofing basket, pre-heat oven and clay baker to 450 degrees F ~ about 20 - 30 minutes.
• Uncover dough and transfer from proofing basket into base of clay baker, score top of dough, cover and bake at 450 F for 25 minutes.
• Uncover clay baker, reduce oven temperature to 400 F and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes (or until desired crust color develops).
• Remove bread and place on cooling rack for at least a couple hours before cutting.

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.

CRUSTY WHOLE WHEAT ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• ----ForBread Machine----.
• Add all ingredients except cornmeal to bread machine pan in the order recommended by your machine's manufacturer.
• Select dough cycle and start machine.
• ----ConventionalMethod----.
• In large bowl, dissolve yeast, brown sugar, and ginger in warm water.
• Let stand 5 minutes until yeast foams.
• Add salt and bread flour; beat well.
• Stir in whole wheat flour to make a stiff dough.
• Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead 10 minutes or until dough is springy, smooth and satiny.
• Wash bowl, grease it, and add dough to bowl; turn over to grease top.
• Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
• ----Shapingand Baking----.
• Lightly oil or grease a 14x17" baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal; set aside.
• Punch down the dough.
• Divide in half and, on a lightly floured surface, shape into long loaves, rolling each piece first into a 5x12" rectangle, then rolling each up along the long side to make a long, narrow loaf.
• Pinch edges to seal, and taper ends.
• Place loaves, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet.
• Let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Make 4-5 slashes across each loaf with sharp knife or razor blade.
• Brush each loaf with water and sprinkle with whole wheat flour.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, until loaves are browned and crisp.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• NOTE: I also use a spray bottle filled with water and spray the loaves and oven walls once or twice at 5-minute intervals at the beginning of baking.
• You could also make this into one large oblong loaf or a round loaf, but baking time would need to be increased.

RUSTIC WHEAT CINNAMON RAISIN BREAD

Steps:

• In your mixer, combine 1 1/2 cup bread flour, yeast, cinnamon, and salt.
• Heat water, honey and maple syrup in a saucepan over low heat until it reaches 120-130 degrees.
• Using low speed, slowly add water mixture to flour mixture. Mix on medium speed until there are no lumps, about 2-3 minutes.
• With your mixer on low speed, add wheat flour and oatmeal half a cup at a time. Then add remaining bread flour half a cup at a time until dough clears the side of the bowl. Dough will be sticky.
• Turn onto a floured surface and knead until dough is smooth (apx 5 minutes) adding the raisins as you go along. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary.
• Turn into oiled bowl and flip dough so that top of dough is oiled. Cover and let rise until double, approximately 60-90 minutes.
• Using lightly oiled hands, turn out dough and shape into 2 small round loaves and place on greased baking sheet OR 1 large loaf and place in 9x5 bread ban, cover and let rise 60-90 minutes.
• If you like a softer crust, brush tops of loaves with oil.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 40-45 minutes. Check bread after 30 minutes and cover with foil if its getting too dark on top. If making two smaller loaves, they may be done sooner.
• Remove bread from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

RUSTIC RYE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Stir in brown sugar, molasses, caraway seeds, oil, salt and remaining water. Add rye flour, whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour; beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining all-purpose flour to form a firm dough. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. , Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each into a round loaf; place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover with kitchen towels; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. Preheat oven to 350°., Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan to wire racks to cool.