Whole grain/ whole wheat bread help

Hi Sherri-

Sure, I'd be delighted, but I'm afraid I so rarely work from a recipe these days that some of the measurements are approximate. "Till it looks right" isn't exactly helpful, but as you get a little more experience you'll know :)

The important part is the amount of wet ingredients as that will dictate the amount of dry.

Here goes:
This makes two generous loaves and somewhere in the neighborhood of over 40 slices of bread, so yes, there is sugar and "butter" in it, it just makes a better bread and doesn't amount to much for each slice.

2 c. water
3/4 c. low fat soy milk (or skim milk)
Pour into medium sauce pan an gently warm with
1/4 c. your favorite butter or butter substitute, could even use your favorite oil as the "butter" will be melted, but I like the taste
1/3 c. lightly packed brown sugar
Stir and dissolve sugar and "butter" until feels just warm to the touch, not too hot or you'll kill your yeast.

Meanwhile, measure 1/2 c. "ultra-grain" or white whole wheat flour into your mixer (or a large bowl if you're doing this by hand).
Add approx. 2 Tbsp. of double acting yeast (you can use regular yeast, yeast in packets, etc. just follow the directions for your yeast).
When liquids are warm enough add to flour/yeast mixture and allow to dissolve and develop for 1-2 minutes (you should see some bubbles form on the top of the mixture as yeast activates.

Add 1 tsp of salt and another 1/2 c. of the "ultra-grain" flour. Turn your mixer on low speed and mix until incorporated. Then add in 1/2 c. of regular whole wheat flour, 2/3 c. old fashioned oats, 1/2 c. oat bran, 1/2 c. ground flax meal, and 1/3 heaping c. of vege-boost protein powder (or your favorite low flavor protein powder. I used Naturemade, but even a vanilla would work).

Allow mixer to incorporate these ingredients and then add any additional whole wheat flour as needed until dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and then change your paddle for your dough hook. Add another 1/4-1/2c of whole wheat flour and turn on the dough hook. Now add enough "ultra-grain" flour until dough forms a smooth ball and the mixer is kneading the dough. Allow to knead for about 10 min. on med/low speed.

Remove from mixing bowl and allow to rise in separate, well oiled, towel covered bowl, until double in size (about 40-60 min. depending on how warm the room is.

Then punch down the risen dough, divide into two equal portions, form into loaf shapes and place in well greased bread pans. Cover and allow to rise again for another 40-60 min.

About 15 min. before dough is ready to go in the oven, pre-heat oven to 425. Bake loaves at 425 for about 15 min., then lower to 350 for the rest of the time. Depending on your oven they should take about 40-50 min. Loaves will be nicely browned on top and when tapped on the bottom of the loaf they will sound hollow inside.

When you remove the loaves from the oven, place on a cooling rack and brush tops with soy milk (or milk). Leave them in the pans to cool as this will help keep the crusts tender. When cool enough, slice, wrap in tinfoil, double bag, and freeze. Or leave some out for immediate use. Makes great sandwiches or toast.

Enjoy!
If you have any questions just let me know:D

Mattea
 
Debbie:

forget buying store bread for anything excelt emergencies. Go out to Target and buy yourself a bread machine. Please! For less than $100 you can be making fresh bread daily and it takes 5 mins to set up, you can set it on timer and come down to fresh bread in the morning or come back to it after a day at work. You only need a touch of sugar, the recipes included with each bread machine work great and are healthy, and you can also cut out half the amount of salt the recipes ask for. All I would say is that when making a wholewheat loaf on a bread machine, use half wholewheat flour and half "better for bread" enriched white flour, that is, if you want your loaf to rise! Otherwise, a 100% bread machine wholewheat loaf is best used as a weapon to kill intruders!!!

Home made bread from bread machines tastes so much better than any crap from any supermarket, truly. If you do not have a great local baker in your area, and it does seem to be a dying art, then the bread machine is the way to go. We are on our second machine after about 8 years with the first one, then a period without one eating store bought crap, so we had to get another machine because we misssed good bread and store bread cost way too much.

Edited to add: we used our machine through birth and raising of 2 kids. having a toddler is no impediment to using a bread machine, especially not with the timer feature. Kid goes to bed, finally(!), mum or dad puts ingredients in machine and sets timer. Parents go to bed. Kid can't tamper with machine because it is working at night and kid is tucked up upstairs out of harm's..... What could be easier?

Clare
 
If you're up to making your own bread from scratch, "The Tasahara Bread Book" is a classic for healthy, whole-grain breads (I don't know if it's still in print, though).
 

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