If you have a hankering for some whole wheat bread and are a little concerned that it won't turn out, try this recipe. It's a simple recipe that gives very good results. The crumb is nice and tight; with a hearty, wheaty taste.
Ingredients
2-3 cups bread flour, divided
2 tbsp instant yeast (or 3 packages of active dry)
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup honey
3 tbsp vegetable oil or butter (melted)
3 cups whole wheat flour
Instructions
Read Susie's Tips and Tricks below
1. In a heavy duty mixer bowl, add 2 cups bread flour, yeast, and salt. Heat water, honey, and oil to 125F (110F if using traditional yeast). Now with paddle on, blend together for 2 minutes. You want it to dissolve well.
2. Attach dough hook and dump in all of the whole wheat flour. Let the machine knead for you! Its a stickier mass. Set timer for 5 to 6 minutes on Setting 2. While kneading, sprinkle in 1/2 - 1 cup of bread flour. Stop occasionally and move the mass around so that it evenly gets worked. It will become a formed mass, but slightly tacky (unlike white bread). It will be smooth and elastic. Give it a couple minutes of hand kneading (use a sprinkling of flour if necessary).
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased covered bowl and set in draft-free place. Let rise. Do the poke test (poke the dough in about one inch and release - if the dough remains indented, it's ready). Depending on various factors it should rise in about 40 to 50 minutes. It won't rise like regular dough. Now punch down the air, divide and shape accordingly.
4. Set on well-greased baking sheets, covered, and let rise again. This rise should happen more quickly - about 20 to 25 minutes. Half way through the rising, be sure to heat oven to 375F. Score some thin slashes (1/4") on top just before placing in the oven.
5. Bake at 375F for 22 to 20 minutes. In addition to bake time, I look for an internal temperature of 200F+ and a hollow sound when I tap them.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
I recommend a bit of experience with traditional flour and yeast breads to make this bread.
Whole wheat flour doesn't have as much gluten as processed bread or all-purpose flour. Use bread flour if possible; you can use all-purpose if needed though. Bread flour just helps with a slightly better rise.
This recipe includes a bit more yeast than usual; it helps give a quicker rise.
This dough is kind of tacky even when its kneaded fully.
The scores you make, don't show up too much. I don't think they're necessary.
Colour can be tricky with this bread, as wheat gives it a caramel colour. Use the thermometer.
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