Everyday Light Wheat Bread

  • Number of Servings: 14
Ingredients
1.5 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour1.5 cups King Arthur unbleached bread flour2 tsp active dry yeast1 tsp salt2 tsp vital wheat gluten1.5 Tbsp raw honey2 Tbsp canola oil1 cup warm water (100-105 degrees) Cooking Spray and/or shortening (to grease pans/bowls)
Directions
Makes 1 standard size loaf, usually about 14 slices, depending on thickness

-Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add honey, oil, and water. Mix thoroughly until dough is shaggy and comes away from the side of the bowl.
-Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. You may need to add flour to the dough as you knead to make it less sticky. Your dough should end up being smooth and easy to handle.
-Allow dough to rest for a minute while you clean & dry the bowl you used to mix it in. Lightly spray the inside of the bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Turn the ball of dough around in the bowl a couple of times to get the oil on all sides. then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and leave it in a warm place for the dough to rise until it doubles in size. (Depending on your location and the temperature of the room, it should double anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours)
-When dough has doubled, test to see if it is ready to be punched down. Lightly press two fingers into the dough. Indentions should remain and they should bounce back very slowly. If this happens, your dough is ready.
-Here's the fun part! Punch it down in the center to let out the air. Then turn the dough back out onto the lightly floured surface and knead it slightly, just for a minute or so.
-Shape the dough into the general shape of the pan it will be baked in (I use a professional-weight 10 inch loaf pan for a nice, even baking and a lovely shape every time!)
-Grease the bottom and sides of the pan you will bake in (I used shortening but you can also use spray) and place the loaf inside. (If you want to slash the loaf or add a topping to make it look nice, this is when I do it. Examples are: oats, honey, ground almonds or seeds, etc...)
-Cover the pan with the plastic wrap and towel and allow bread to rise again, usually about 45 minutes to an hour. Don't let it rise too far over the top of the pan or you could end up with an ugly-shaped loaf!
-When the loaf has risen appropriately, bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. When it is done, it should sound hollow when you thump it on the bottom. Top and sides should be golden brown.
-As with any homemade bread, keep it fresh always poses a problem since there are no preservatives added. My husband and I store ours, unsliced, in our cake carrier which has an air-tight seal (can you tell I don't have a bread box!?) and that keeps it fresh for several days longer than usual. I hope you enjoy this bread as much as we have!

Number of Servings: 14

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user KRYSTENCASE.

Servings Per Recipe: 14
Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 116.8
  • Total Fat: 2.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 166.7 mg
  • Total Carbs: 20.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2.9 g
  • Protein: 4.0 g

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