Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Whole wheat bread

This is by far the best whole wheat bread recipe I've ever come across.  It has a sweetness to it that I haven't found in any others I've tried.  My family, as a general rule, are not big fans of whole wheat anything, preferring the white bleached flour over all other flours.  But, they love this bread.  Sliced right out of the oven with fresh, creamy butter on it, it's truly out of this world.  In fact, my husband refers to it as candy!

3 tbsp sugar
4 tsp salt
2 pkgs active dry yeast
4 c whole wheat flour
3-3 1/2 c unbleached white flour
2 1/4 c milk
1/3 c butter (not margarine)
1/3 c molasses

In large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast, 2 c whole wheat flour and 1 c unbleached flour.  In 2-qt saucepan over low heat, heat milk, butter and molasses until very warm (120-130 degrees).  (Butter does not need to melt completely.)  Gradually beat liquids into dry ingredients.  Then alternate rest of flours in until it makes a soft dough.  Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.  Shape into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning dough to grease top.  Cover with towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch down dough; turn onto lightly floured surface; cut in half; cover with bowl; let dough halves rest 15 mins for easier shaping.  Grease two 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pans.  With lightly floured rolling pin, roll one dough half into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle.  Starting at a narrow end, roll dough up tightly and pinch the edge with your fingers.  Seal ends by pressing and folding them under.  Place the roll, seam side down, in loaf pan.  Repeat for remaining dough.  Cover loaves with towel; let rise in a warm place until loaves are doubled, about 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake loaves 25 mins, then cover with foil and bake an additional 10 mins more.  Remove from oven and drizzle melted butter on top of both loaves.  After 5 mins, remove from pans so the bottoms don't become soggy, and cool on wire racks.

2 comments:

  1. That is a beautiful loaf of bread! I wonder if I could cut that recipe in half and make it in my bread machine!

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  2. That's a great idea, Shari! Sure would be a lot less work. I've never tried it, though. If you do and it works well, let me know, okay?

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