Though I like to make various breads and often try new recipes, this bread recipe is the one I have made more than any other recipe. It is slightly adapted from the one my mom has used for over twenty years. I've made it often enough that I almost don't need to look at the recipe, though I usually don't trust myself to go entirely without checking the recipe.
I've debated on the best way to share this recipe. I know that not all of you have the same tools and ingredients that I use. I decided to share it just like I make it. In coming days I'll be sharing two other variations of this recipe and also details on the optional ingredients in this recipe.
Made with freshly ground Prairie Gold flour, this bread is soft, light and absolutely wonderful! Wish I could have you over to try a slice!
Whole Wheat Honey Bread
5 1/2 cup warm water
2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup honey
1 T salt
2 T soy lecithin - optional
1000 mg Vitamin C (¼ tsp) - optional
1/4 cup vital gluten - optional
2 eggs -optional
3 T instant yeast
13 cups whole wheat flour (approximate amount)
Combine water, oil, honey, salt, soy lecithin, vitamin C, gluten flour, and eggs. Mix well.
Add six cups of flour and mix. Add yeast and mix. Add flour until dough doesn't stick to sides of bowl.
Stop mixer and allow to rest for ten minutes.
Knead for five minutes with kneading hook on medium speed or by hand.
Form into loaves. Place in greased bread pans. Allow dough to rise until double.
Bake bread at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool.
Note: I use a large Bosch mixer. If you have a smaller mixer, you will need to mix the first ingredients, then transfer to a bowl to add the flour and knead by hand. Tomorrow I'll share a small batch recipe.My bread pans are 4 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. This recipe makes six loaves.
Hi, Gina! I've been reading your blog for awhile now and I really enjoy all the homemaking tips. I'm starting to make whole wheat bread with fresh ground flour using my newly-purchased wheat grinder. :) I've had mediocre success using fresh ground flour in the past. My husband really is a white bread fan but in a attempt to eat more healthy he's trying to learn to enjoy whole wheat. I'd like to help him out by making it as good as possible! :) I have some questions on this recipe. Why do you add the Vitamin C? Is it for texture, taste or nutrition? Could I substitute canola oil for the olive oil? Thanks so much for your help.
ReplyDeleteTimely! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHubs just bought me Peter Reinhardt's book about whole grains and a thirteen quart stainless steel mixing bowl. Wonderful! Wonderful!
Linda -
ReplyDeleteI admire your willingness to learn something new and your husband for trying to adapt his taste buds!
Watch in the coming days and I'll try to answer all your questions about vitamin C.
You can replace any kind of oil for the olive oil or even use butter.
Lizbeth -
That book is on my wish list! Sounds like fun!
Gina
I have a Viking mixer and I don't think it can handle 13 cups of flour. I will wait on your smaller batch. Does it turn out the same? Your loaves are beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI love trying new bread recipes. Wow, you have a Bosch mixer! I've been reading about those & that is quite the machine :)
ReplyDeleteWith all the concerns about plastics leaking chemicals these days, I'm looking for a new way to store my homemade bread other than a ziplock bag. Any suggestions?
Mmm. I can't wait to try this recipe. The recipe I usually use doesn't have eggs. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSarah -
ReplyDeleteI haven't found any good alternative to bags, wish their was though. I've heard the worse thing about plastics is heat so I try to make sure my baking is cold before I put them in bags or plastic wrap. For rustic type hearth breads with a chewy crust, just wrapping in a towel is fine but not so good for soft sandwich breads that dry out.
Gina
Thanks for your reply Gina. I'm going to order som 17" Cloth Bread Bags from Bob's Red Mill today ($8.29/ea). I'm still concerned with the amount of chemicals that leach out of plastic so I think this might be a good alternative. You're creative enough, you could probably sew some ;o)
ReplyDeleteI have been making this recipe for a couple of months now. My family loves it. I have never had whole wheat bread turn out so light and fluffy before. I add a cup of Red River cereal to my mix to add some texture, but the bread still rises beautifully. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteDear Gina, I decided to try your bread recipe this week instead of my usual. It turned out so soft as and light! We all loved it. There were only a few differences in this recipe compared to my own, but they must be what made this batch so good. I don't use eggs or the vitamin c in my normal recipe. Also I let the yeast, water and 2 cups flour sponge for 15 minutes. I was a bit leary to just throw all the ingredients in the Bosch as you wrote, but I knew I could trust you (and your mother!). So I now have a new bread recipe . Thanks so much! I love your blog and visit often. I'm from Pennsylvania too. God bless, Mindy
ReplyDelete