This recipe for whole wheat bread makes a delicious, tender sandwich bread. Tastes great on toast or in sandwiches every day of the week!
This whole wheat bread, baked in the comfort of one’s home, is deliciously sliced or toasted and offers a nuanced and satisfying flavor. This dish’s ease of preparation is definitely a plus.
Proofing may be done at room temperature, which is fantastic news for anyone who has ever struggled to locate a “warm place” in their home during the winter.
This whole wheat bread is delicious; it was a hit with my family, and I think you will enjoy it, too.
Ingredients:
- 1 egg (room temperature)
- 3 cups of whole wheat flour
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of milk (room temperature)
- 1 cup of warm water
- ⅓ cup of packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons of melted butter
- 2 tablespoons of active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- ½ teaspoon of granulated sugar
Instructions:
- In a bowl of warm water, combine the yeast and sugar and stir until dissolved. Let it sit for 15 minutes to develop foam.
- Mix the melted butter with the light brown sugar, egg, milk, and salt while the yeast is active. Verify that everything has been mixed and dissolved properly. Turn the mixer to low and add whole wheat flour to the milk mixture by the cup.
- Now, while the mixer is on low speed, pour in the foamy yeast liquid. Mix until a wet dough mixture is formed (see the photo). A few minutes are needed for this procedure. Finally, with the mixer remaining on low speed, add the all-purpose flour a half cup at a time.
- Since you may not require all 3 cups of all-purpose flour in the drier months, reduce the amount you add by half, starting with 1 tablespoon and mixing it in with the remaining 1/2 cup of flour until the dough “lifts” away from the edges of the mixing bowl.
- One at a time, add flour 1 tbsp until dough “lifts” from the bowl. If possible, avoid using too much flour. The dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky, when mixed.
- After forming a ball, knead the dough for additional 5–7 minutes. More gluten, produced by the additional kneading, is responsible for bread’s characteristic texture.
- Warm the dough for 1 hour to double its size. Cover with a clean kitchen towel.
- Two loaf pans should be buttered and left aside while the dough is rising. Typically, I merely run a cold stick of butter along the pan’s insides and exteriors before using them.
- Following the first hour of proofing, punch the dough down and return it to the mixer. For best results, mix the dough on low speed for three to five minutes to eliminate air pockets.
- Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Form each piece into a loaf and put it into a greased loaf pan.
- To ensure the loaves reach their full potential, cover them with a clean kitchen towel and leave them to proof for a further 30 minutes at room temperature. (The dough will also rise while it’s in the oven.)
- While the dough rises, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the center. It’s important to rapidly oil the tops of the loaves before they go into the oven. Bake for around 30–35 minutes. To prevent the loaves from getting too black, tent them with aluminum foil.
- Lift the loaves from the pan onto a cooling rack with caution once they’re done baking. If not, steam from the oven’s heat will soften the pastry’s exterior. To keep the loaves fresh, place them in plastic bags with zippers once they have cooled.