Homemade Wheat Bread

Last week I decided to finally clean out my wheat grinder and start making bread again. I used to do it all of the time....and then I stopped. It has probably been well over a year - maybe a lot longer - since I have made wheat bread. So, so sad!

When I got my Nutrimill all cleaned out, I had Alyssa and Rylan come sit in the kitchen and we had some wheat-grinding, bread-making learning time. They had a blast. I wish I would have gotten pictures of them as we were doing it all. Alyssa didn't even remember what my wheat grinder was (what a bad, bad mom!). We talked about wheat and they loved touching the kernels and then pouring mugfuls of wheat into the grinder. They were thrilled to see and touch the flour that it made. They thought it was the coolest thing. I then got out my Bosch knockoff and I showed them how we make the bread dough (and they were excited to help add ingredients), divide the dough, and make the loaves. It really was a fantastic little morning adventure with them.



I was really happy with how the loaves turned out after being out of the bread making routine for so long.

This is the recipe I use:
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5 c. warm water
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. dough conditioner (or 3 Tbsp dough enhancer)**I use the dough enhancer**
1/2 c. gluten
1/4 c. honey
1 Tbsp salt
6 c. whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp instant yeast **(I use SAF instant - usually 2 Tbsp normal SAF and 1 Tbsp double-acting SAF)**
6 c. whole wheat flour (approx)

Bake 25-30 minutes at 350.
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When I grind my flour - I do it on the finest setting in my Nutrimill and it makes the most awesome, fine wheat flour! I love it! I also usually use white wheat, but for a change, I will do red wheat and get the same results - just has a different, more nutty, taste.

I also have a metal bowl for my mixer with a bread dough hook that attaches at the bottom of the bowl. It works great!

I use hot tap water. I add the water, oil, dough enhancer, gluten, honey, and 6 cups of flour. I let it mix thoroughly and then usually let it sit 5-10 minutes or until it starts looking bubbly. I then add the salt (I didn't add the salt before since it can sometimes make the yeast not work as well). I then add the rest of the flour and I stop adding flour when the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the dough. I stop the machine and touch the dough. I like it to still be a little sticky, but touchable. I then put the lid on and let the machine knead the dough for me for 8 minutes (my machine has a timer). When it is done, I let it rest for about 10 minutes before shaping the loaves.

I use shortening to grease the counter and my hands (do not use more flour!!!). I weigh each of my dough chunks so my loaves are all about the same size. When I went to a kitchen store once where they demonstrated bread making, they spread the dough out into a flat rectangle, pushing out the air bubbles, and then they rolled the dough up tightly - like a jelly roll. They pressed the ends down with the sides of their hands and then tucked it under and pinched the seams closed. Pinching the dough is awesome - it really makes the dough seams invisible! They then put the loaves into the pans and then pressed down on them in the pan so they filled the pan completely (and it probably also reduces more air bubbles). I used to be diligent about following this procedure for shaping my loaves, but to be honest, I don't always do the whole rectangle thing as precise as I used to.

Once the loaves are in the pans, I cover them with a tea towel and let the loaves rise for about an hour - sometimes a little less. I then bake the loaves at 350 for 25-30 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, I like to rub butter on the top. I then remove the loaves immediately from the pan and let them rest on a wire cooling rack.

I have an awesome little bread slicing guide that Kathy got me years ago off ebay and I use it to cut each of my loaves with an electric bread knife and then my loaves are ready for sandwiches. The bread is so soft, light, and moist. I have never had a dense, dry loaf.

My kids are now asking for this bread all of the time. I am glad they will eat it. I remember when I was a kid and my mom pulled the "make everything out of wheat stunt" and I hated it!!

I had to make bread again yesterday. The last 4 loaves lasted 4 days! This is what it looked like fresh from the oven and before I rubbed butter on top:




I have one funky loaf where the top looks stupid, but I am so excited about the height of these loaves. They were so big, they barely fit in my bread slicer - I have to gently squish the sides in.

I have the cutest little bread-making assistant, don't I? :)

All sliced and ready to eat!