Daily Wheat Bread
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 32
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories: 107.6
- Total Fat: 3.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
- Sodium: 218.6 mg
- Total Carbs: 18.4 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
View full nutritional breakdown of Daily Wheat Bread calories by ingredient
Introduction
This is a very simple whole wheat bread that anybody can bake. The results are light and tasty. Don't be fearful of ending up with two bricks of bread you won't want to eat! Don't fear the yeast! For very little hands on time you will be rewarded with healthy bread. If you are kneading by hand, you will find the time relaxing and rather meditative. This bread is delicious for sandwiches and toast.I make all the bread we eat in our home. I do this for two reasons - I want to control the ingredients in the food we consume, and I want to save money. The recipes I post here are the result of years of tweaking.
Whole wheat flour is best purchased bulk (rather than the expensive 5 pound bags, unless they are on sale!). If you have a grain mill or a Vita Mix, it is easy to make by grinding wheat kernels. Remember - whole wheat flour does go rancid because it contains all parts of the wheat kernel. Buy in limited amounts or store more than you will use in a month in the freezer.
Caveat: I bake at altitude -5,800 feet. You may need to adjust by adding just a touch more yeast (1 teaspoon).
Vegans: Make this vegan by substituting agave syrup for the honey. I have done this successfully many times. This is a very simple whole wheat bread that anybody can bake. The results are light and tasty. Don't be fearful of ending up with two bricks of bread you won't want to eat! Don't fear the yeast! For very little hands on time you will be rewarded with healthy bread. If you are kneading by hand, you will find the time relaxing and rather meditative. This bread is delicious for sandwiches and toast.
I make all the bread we eat in our home. I do this for two reasons - I want to control the ingredients in the food we consume, and I want to save money. The recipes I post here are the result of years of tweaking.
Whole wheat flour is best purchased bulk (rather than the expensive 5 pound bags, unless they are on sale!). If you have a grain mill or a Vita Mix, it is easy to make by grinding wheat kernels. Remember - whole wheat flour does go rancid because it contains all parts of the wheat kernel. Buy in limited amounts or store more than you will use in a month in the freezer.
Caveat: I bake at altitude -5,800 feet. You may need to adjust by adding just a touch more yeast (1 teaspoon).
Vegans: Make this vegan by substituting agave syrup for the honey. I have done this successfully many times.
Number of Servings: 32
Ingredients
-
2 1/3 C room temperature water
1/3 C canola oil
1/3 C honey (OR agave syrup)
5 - 6 1/2 C whole wheat flour, divided
1 T salt
1 T vital wheat gluten
2 T active dry yeast
2 T ground flax (flax meal)
2 T sesame seeds
Directions
In a large mixing bowl combine the water, oil and honey. Mix well until the honey is dissolved.
Put 5 cups of whole wheat flour on TOP of the wet ingredients. Do NOT stir.
Sprinkle salt, gluten and yeast on top of the flour.
Mix until no flour is visible (it's okay to have some lumps).
Cover and let the mixture sponge for 30 minutes (I always cover my bread bowl with a shower cap).
After the sponge rests, add the flax meal, sesame seeds, and the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough clings to the hook and the sides are pretty clean. The dough should feel moist, but not overly sticky.
Knead - when I use my Kitchen Aid, I knead for 6 minutes on medium speed. When I knead by hand I knead for a full 10 minutes (exercise and meditation, all in one!).
Oil the top of the dough and cover (shower cap or plastic wrap).
Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20-30 minutes, until doubled in size (I heat up a mug of water in my microwave, and then put the covered dough in there).
After the dough has doubled in size, dump onto your very clean kitchen counter. Divide dough into two piles (for 9x4 1/2 inch pans). Cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes (I cover with a cloth towel that is very well dusted with flour - I use it over and over for many baking things - but you can use that plastic wrap again).
Shape dough into loaves and place in oiled, floured pans.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover (same cloth or wrap) and let rise in a warm, draft free place (my microwave) for 20 minutes, or until the dough is about one inch above the pan.
Bake loaves for 30 - 35 minutes. If the loaves are browning quickly, you can cover them lightly the last 10 minutes with a piece of foil.
Turn immediately onto a cooling rack.
This recipe yields 2 beautiful 9x4 1/2 inch loaves. I slice each loaf into 16 slices (counting the heel).
This bread freezes well. Remember - there are no preservatives, so the bread will mold more quickly than commercial breads.
Number of Servings: 32
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BLUE_KARMA.
Put 5 cups of whole wheat flour on TOP of the wet ingredients. Do NOT stir.
Sprinkle salt, gluten and yeast on top of the flour.
Mix until no flour is visible (it's okay to have some lumps).
Cover and let the mixture sponge for 30 minutes (I always cover my bread bowl with a shower cap).
After the sponge rests, add the flax meal, sesame seeds, and the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough clings to the hook and the sides are pretty clean. The dough should feel moist, but not overly sticky.
Knead - when I use my Kitchen Aid, I knead for 6 minutes on medium speed. When I knead by hand I knead for a full 10 minutes (exercise and meditation, all in one!).
Oil the top of the dough and cover (shower cap or plastic wrap).
Let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20-30 minutes, until doubled in size (I heat up a mug of water in my microwave, and then put the covered dough in there).
After the dough has doubled in size, dump onto your very clean kitchen counter. Divide dough into two piles (for 9x4 1/2 inch pans). Cover and let rest for 5-10 minutes (I cover with a cloth towel that is very well dusted with flour - I use it over and over for many baking things - but you can use that plastic wrap again).
Shape dough into loaves and place in oiled, floured pans.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover (same cloth or wrap) and let rise in a warm, draft free place (my microwave) for 20 minutes, or until the dough is about one inch above the pan.
Bake loaves for 30 - 35 minutes. If the loaves are browning quickly, you can cover them lightly the last 10 minutes with a piece of foil.
Turn immediately onto a cooling rack.
This recipe yields 2 beautiful 9x4 1/2 inch loaves. I slice each loaf into 16 slices (counting the heel).
This bread freezes well. Remember - there are no preservatives, so the bread will mold more quickly than commercial breads.
Number of Servings: 32
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BLUE_KARMA.