I, somehow, stumbled upon this recipe on the Internet - probably on a boring, dreary, rainy, gray Ohio day. Anyway, I found it on the Everything Home with Carol website (I think she is changing the name to something like The Total Granola). You will need to order some of the ingredients or go to a specialty bake store (we don't have those out in my neck of the woods!!) So off I went to the King Arthur website, where I found the Soy Lecithin and Ground Flax Meal.
Also, it will make your life a whole lot easier if you have a stand mixer to do the kneading, but if not, just knead by hand (helps get rid of a lot of tension - don't ask me how I know!)
Whole Wheat Bread
Makes two regular-sized loaves of bread or 2 dozen rolls.
2 cups of warm water (between 105 to 110 degrees)
1 T yeast
4 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 T salt (I ALWAYS omit the salt because it slows down the rising)
3 T lecithin
2 T ground golden flax seed
1 egg
2 T honey
2 T olive oil
Combine all of above in a mixer, adding up to 2 more cups of flour while mixing for 6 minutes.
I would stop the mixer every couple of seconds to scrape the dough down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. You can tell if the dough is ready by doing what they call the "window pane test." Tear off a small portion of the dough, flatten it with your hands and stretch it out slowly until you have a thin membrane that doesn't break. If it breaks, you still need to knead it more (try to say that fast three times!!)
After kneading, remove the dough from the mixer bowl and put in a large greased bowl to rise. I cover the bowl with saran wrap and drape a dish towel over that. My oven with the light on makes a perfect place to the let the bread rise. I simply set it in my oven with the light on. That bulb seems to give out the perfect amount of warmth. Set your timer for one hour.
After the initial rise, divide the dough into two equal balls and roll them into "loaf" shapes. Place into two greased loaf pans (she recommends glass pans, but since I don't have any and don't really find like running to the store now, my aluminum pans will have to do).
Place them back in the oven (with the light on), cover them with the dish towel and let them rise another 30 to 40 minutes.
This is how the loaves looked after rising 40 minutes!
REMEMBER to remove your dish towel!!!! Leaving your bread in the oven, turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Set your timer for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, I checked the temperature of the inner core of the bread, if it is above 195 or 200 degrees - the bread is done.
When done, remove the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Rub a hard stick of butter on the top while still warm for a beautiful loaf.
VERDICT:
As I said above FINALLY a good whole wheat bread recipe!! It slices like butter - the taste is excellent. My "resident" expert judge (i.e., my husband) loved it. Definitely a keeper recipe!! Now if I can find a good raisin bread!!
The Entire Recipe
Whole Wheat Bread
Makes two regular-sized loaves of bread or 2 dozen rolls.
2 cups of warm water (between 105 to 110 degrees)
1 T yeast
Mix gently then add:
4 cups Whole Wheat flour
1 T salt (I ALWAYS omit the salt because it slows down the rising)
3 T lecithin
2 T ground golden flax seed
1 egg
2 T honey
2 T olive oil
Combine all of above in a mixer, adding up to 2 more cups of flour while mixing for 6 minutes. I would stop the mixer every couple of seconds to scrape the dough down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. You can tell if the dough is ready doing what they call the "window pane test." Tear off a small portion of the dough, flatten it with your hands and stretch it out slowly until you have a thin membrane that doesn't break. If it breaks, you still need to knead it more (try to say that fast three times!!)
After kneading, remove the dough from the mixer bowl and put in a large greased bowl to rise. I cover the bowl with saran wrap and drape a dish towel over that. My oven with the light on makes a perfect place to the let the bread rise. I simply set it in my oven with the light on. That bulb seems to give out the perfect amount of warmth. Set your timer for one hour.
After the initial rise, divide the dough into two equal balls and roll them into "loaf" shapes. Place into two greased loaf pans (she recommends glass pans, but since I don't have any and don't really find like running to the store now, my aluminum pans will have to do). Place them back in the oven (with the light on), cover them with the dish towel and let them rise another 30 to 40 minutes.
REMEMBER to remove your dish towel!!!! Leaving your bread in the oven, turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Set your timer for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, I checked the temperature of the inner core of the bread, if it is above 195 or 200 degrees - the bread is done.
When done, remove the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Rub a hard stick of butter on the top while still warm for a beautiful loaf.
Enjoy!!!
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