This is my favorite recipe for honey whole wheat bread and I love it. It is easy and always turns out just right. I pulled the recipe right off the back of the Gold Medal Whole Wheat flour bag, can you believe it?
I wish I had remembered to take a picture of a slice of bread; the texture is perfect, not too gummy or dry.
printable recipe
Whole Wheat Bread
| 2 packages (4 1/2 tsp) yeast |
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| 1/4 cup warm water (105F to 115F) |
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| 1/2 cup honey |
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| 1/4 cup butter, softened |
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| 3 tsp salt |
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| 2 1/2 cups very warm water (120F to 130F) |
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| 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour |
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| 2 3/4 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour |
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Preheat oven to 170F then turn off. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
Combine honey, butter, salt, 2 1/2 cups very warm water in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until cooled a bit.
To cooled honey mixture, beat in 3 cups whole wheat flour with electric mixer on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, until moistened. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.
Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and dissolved yeast.
With spoon, stir in 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour ...
until dough pulls cleanly away from side of bowl.
On lightly floured surface, knead in remaining 1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour; continue kneading 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy.
Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray; place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides.
Cover; let rise in warm oven 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Generously grease 2 (8x4- or 9x5-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate; divide in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough with rolling pin into 18x8-inch rectangle.
Starting with one 8 inch side, roll up dough tightly, pressing with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal; pinch each end to seal.
Fold ends under loaf.
Gently place in pans.
Cover; let rise in warm oven 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Remove from oven.
Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough; bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake about 10 minutes longer or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped.
Immediately remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 170F then turn off. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. 
Combine honey, butter, salt, 2 1/2 cups very warm water in a large bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes until cooled a bit.
To cooled honey mixture, beat in 3 cups whole wheat flour with electric mixer on low speed, scraping bowl frequently, until moistened. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. 
Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour and dissolved yeast. 
With spoon, stir in 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour ...
until dough pulls cleanly away from side of bowl. 
On lightly floured surface, knead in remaining 1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour; continue kneading 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. 
Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray; place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. 
Cover; let rise in warm oven 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size. 
Generously grease 2 (8x4- or 9x5-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate; divide in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough with rolling pin into 18x8-inch rectangle.
Starting with one 8 inch side, roll up dough tightly, pressing with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal; pinch each end to seal.
Fold ends under loaf.
Gently place in pans. 
Cover; let rise in warm oven 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Remove from oven. 
Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough; bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake about 10 minutes longer or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. 
Immediately remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
The loaves turned out really well. I have this bread on my list to make this month and I am going to have a go at making it in the bread maker.
ReplyDeleteYum, Heather! I have been contemplating making my own bread; I'm tired of spending ten minutes in the bread aisle trying to decide if I want to break my bank or eat sawdust. I am in love with wheat bread, and this recipe looks great!
ReplyDeleteQuestion: How long do these loaves stay "fresh" for you?
Amy, the loaves stay fresh for a few days, not as long as the stuff you buy in the store since they don't have preservatives in them. However, I have had great luck with freezing them. I even cut them in half last time and froze them, thawing each half as needed and they were delicious.
ReplyDelete