I consider myself to be a pretty good bread maker, not that I do it as often as I wish. I am pretty picky when it comes to "healthy" type breads. I don't want it to taste "healthy", I want it to taste great and be healthy. Is that too much to ask?! I have been searching for the best whole wheat bread recipe. I have made some good ones, but I wasn't super crazy about any of them. This recipe is from a class I took at our local extension office. What I like about this bread is of course, it tastes great, and it's soft and squishy like white bread..you close your eyes and texture feels the same as white bread and not hardened brick like some. The other great thing about this recipe is that it is so easy, just dump all the ingredients in and go.
Now you do have to have a good mixer that can do bread. I always used my Kitchen Aid until the end of last year. The Kitchen Aid was great, but I could only do two loaves at a time. I wanted to make 4 or 5 at a time so I could freeze some and pull them out when needed. I splurged and bought myself a Bosch mixer. It is the best!! Expensive? Yes...but this is a high quality home bread mixer and so far as been worth every cent! I love it!
Quick Rise Whole Wheat Bread
2 3/4 cups hot water (about 120 degrees)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil or lecithin
1/4 cup honey
1 T. salt
1 1/2 t. lemon juice
7 to 8 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
1-2 T. instant yeast
Add ingredients in the order listed to bread mixing bowl. Using a dough hook, mix well and add more flour if needed so that the dough cleans the sides of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes. Shape into 2 or 3 loaves depending on the size of your bread pans. Spray bread pans before adding dough. Cover with a tented plastic sack or cloth and let rise 1 hour. It is ready to go in the oven when double in bulk. Preheat oven to 400, when ready to put bread in oven turn down to 350 and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
If anyone is interested in how to make four loaves out of this recipe or tips or questions on bread making techniques please let me know. If not, ENJOY!
