Keri’s Whole Wheat Bread
1 ½ cups hot tap water
3 Tablespoons oil
¼ cup honey + molasses to equal 1/3 cup
(or about 1 ½ Tablespoons molasses)
½ Tablespoon salt
4 cups whole wheat flour
½ Tablespoon **active dry yeast
Put ingredients in the order your bread maker requires. Dry ingredients first or liquid ingredients first. I use the dough setting and then bake in the oven. When dough is ready to shape, pour out dough and stretch into a rectangle. It will be a little sticky. On floured board, roll up loaf like you do for cinnamon rolls. Pinch the ends. Put in greased and floured loaf pan hiding the pinched ends at the bottom, let raise 30 minutes to an hour. Don’t let the dough over raise or it will get a sour yeasty smell and taste and can deflate while baking. The bread will raise a little as it bakes.
Bake 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. I have a big loaf pan, if you use a regular size pan, you may need to make 2 loaves and bake 25-35 minutes. You will know when the bread is ready because it will smell done, and when you thump the bottom of the loaf it will sound hollow.
Kitchen blender directions:
Grind about 3 c. of wheat to make 4 c. whole wheat flour. In 5-qt. mixer bowl, combine water, oil, honey, molasses and salt. Mix. In a small bowl, mix 1 ½ c. flour with yeast. Add to liquid. Mix for 5 minutes on speed 3. Change to dough hook. Add remaining flour and mix on speed 2 for 5 minutes. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until double in size. Stretch dough into a rectangle. Roll up loaf like you do for cinnamon rolls. Pinch the ends. Put in greased and floured loaf pan, let raise 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake 350°F for 45 minutes. I have a big loaf pan, if you use a regular size pan, you may need to make 2 loaves and bake 30-40 minutes. You will know when the bread is ready because it will smell done, and when you thump the bottom of the loaf it will sound hollow.
By hand:
In large bowl mix with a heavy spoon or hands: water, oil, honey, molasses and salt. Stir in 1 cup flour and yeast. When all ingredients are well combined add the rest of the flour stirring in one cup at a time (approximately 3 more cups). Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5-10 minutes. This step is very important to loaf quality and will make your arms and shoulders get very strong 🙂
Because you are using your hands to knead, the dough will be very sticky. You may find that you are adding more flour to make the dough workable. This is normal, but add just enough flour to make a smooth and elastic dough. Too much flour makes the finished loaf dry. Try not to use more than 1/2 cup.
** I use active dry yeast, instant dry yeast or compressed yeast. It is different than the yeast our grandmas used. It does not need to be proofed and mixed with the water beforehand. It is added with the flour and works perfect every time. It may not seem like 1/2 Tablespoon is enough, but it is.
Chef’s Notes:
A little trick is to oil a liquid measuring cup before you measure the honey. Pour 1/4 cup of honey in your measuring cup, then add the molasses until it measures 1/3 cup. The honey mixture will pour right out.
Useful Recipe and Cooking Links:
Carla P. recommended: How To Smoke Meat on a Gas Grill
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