Whole Wheat Bread

Red text is updates added 12/23/15

Basic Whole Wheat Bread

2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet) Some bulk yeast packages have 2 1/4 teas = 1 packet

½ cup warm water

6 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground wheat will be fluffier, so lightly tap it down into the cup)

2 teaspoons salt

2 ¼ cups warm water

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons oil

2 Tablespoons Dough Enhancer

¼ teaspoon ginger

Making in a Kitchen Aid

Dissolve yeast in ½ cup of warm water.  Add yeast water and all other ingredients into Kitchen Aid mixer and mix until dough forms on hook.  Continue mixing for several more minutes.  Dough will be sticky.  Remove bowl from mixer and cover with a towel.  Let dough rise until double in size.  Punch dough down and shape into loaves with wet hands.  Put dough into two greased bread pans.  Cover and let rise again until double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Making by hand

Dissolve yeast in ½ cup of warm water. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients together.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour, beginning in the center and working outward so that you first make a smooth batter, then gradually mix in the rest of the flour to make a soft dough.  Dough will be sticky.  Knead the dough until it is soft and stretchy.  Knead with damp hands.  Do not add more flour to your dough.  Cover with a towel.  Let dough rise until double in size.  Punch dough down and shape into loaves with wet hands.  Put dough into two greased bread pans.  Cover and let rise again until double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Making by hand without the Dough Enhancer and or ginger

The dough will need a lot more mixing/kneading without these ingredients.  Plan to mix in a Kitchen Aid for 8 to 15 minutes.  Plan to knead by hand for 30 to 45 minutes.  When the dough has been mixed enough you can take a handful of dough and stretch it into a paper thin sheet of dough that will not break.

Caution

Do not add too many things to make your bread rise or you will find that it will fall while in the oven cooking.