WHOLE WHEAT BREAD – Hot out of the oven!

Everytime I go down to our storage room, I run into a large bag of Stoned Ground Wheat, that my daughter and Son in Law gave us quite a while ago.  When I look at that bag of wheat, the same thought runs through my mind.  “Put that Wheat into a large rubbermaid container, so that it doesn’t get stale!”  Today, I’m happy to say that I finally did something about it.  I also dove in and made delicious Whole Wheat Bread.  I made four loaves to be exact. 

This recipe is my all time favorite for Whole Wheat Bread.  The texture is really nice, and it really is a good for you bread.  It’s perfection, when toasted in the morning.  This recipe calls for Molasses, and I hate the smell of molasses!  I would never lick it off my fingers….should it get on my fingers. I know…don’t ask me why.  Molasses or not, it still remains my favorite homemade Whole Wheat Bread.

I got on a molasses kick today in fact, and also made one of my favorite cookies.  Molasses Sugar Cookies, were a childhood favorite, and they are one of my adult favorites as well.  I will post this recipe tomorrow, or later today.  Try both of these yummy recipes soon!

Some of you will think I’m nuts.

This is what I use to make large batches of Bread,

 Orange Rolls & Cinnamon Rolls.

It’s an old Oster Mixer, that we received thirty years ago as a wedding gift from my parents.

I love it, because I can use a very large Tupperware bowl to make 5, 6 or even 7 loaves at a time!

This is my KitchenAid that I also love, but it just won’t do that.

I might beable to squeeze in 3 loaves…but not any more.

Two loaves would be more like it.

I also have the largest capacity bowl…I believe.

They really do need to make the bowls bigger!

Get with that KitchenAid.

This thing just keeps on ticking.

I will really be sad the day it dies!

This recipe will make four large loaves of bread.

Add enough flour, so that it’s a nice soft dough, but not really sticky.

It will form into a nice soft ball of dough.

I oil the bottom and the sides of my bowl,

Place the dough back into the bowl, cover and let rise until very double.

It is rising beautifully, but not quite done.

So…..I will cover it again.

While it’s rising,

prepare your bread pans.

I just use Pam, it’s works nicely for me.

Almost complete!

Just a few minutes more.

When the rising is a full double and complete,

PUNCH IT DOWN!

See…………

Divide that big hunk of dough into two balls.

Now….divide those two balls into four.

I always shape my loaves with my hands.

It’s very simple that way.

You can also roll it out with a rolling pin,

and shape it jelly roll style.

Trust me…the hands way is so fast and easy.

Just make sure that all the ends are tucked under the loaf of dough.

Make sure also that you don’t have any air bubbles,

and that the dough is nice and smooth on top.

Cover with a clean towel, and let rise, until tops are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the sides.

See….these loaves are just about done.

Now they are ready to bake.

Make sure that your oven has been pre-heated.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Ovens vary….I cover mine with loose foil, the last 10 minutes or so.

This prevents the tops from getting too brown.

Ready for the oven.

I place my loaves in the center of my oven.

See!

Remove them from the pans, and place on a wire rack to cool.

I also brush the tops with melted butter.

Oh….the smell!

Oh the taste!

We can’t eat all four loaves at once, so I freeze 3 of them.

Place in large ziploc bags, and seal well.

Now….I place those 3 bags into a large jumbo size ziploc bag.

Those bags are wonderful….have you tried them?

If you double bag, you loaves won’t get freezer burn.

When you thaw a loaf of frozen bread,

remove it from the bag first and just let it sit naked on your counter top.

When it’s thawed you can place it back into a dry bag.

Perfect!

Remember….this is excellent toasted.

In fact, my husband toasted some at 4:30 a.m. this morning.

The smell is divine.

Enjoy!

Here is the recipe:

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

4 cups water

1/2 Cup shortening or butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Molasses

1 Tablespoon salt

2 Tablespoons yeast

and

1/2 teaspoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water.

9 cups Whole Wheat Flour

2 cups White Flour

DIRECTIONS:

Mix above ingredients together.  Add 6 cups of whole wheat flour and mix well, until smooth. Cover this dough and let rise til doubled (about 20 minutes).  Now add 3 cups more Whole Wheat flour and 2 cups White flour.  Mix well, and knead for about 10 minutes.  The dough should be a soft firm, but not sticky.  All the dough will pull away from the sides of the bowl, and you can form a nice ball of dough.

Cover and raise till double.  (about 45 minutes).  Punch down (knead for 5 minutes) and put into 4 loaf pans.  Let rise until dough is risen about 1 to 1 1/4 inches above the sides of the pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.  I like to bakes my loaves in the middle of the oven.  For the last 10 minutes of baking time, I place a loose foil tent over the tops, so that they don’t get to brown.

You will know that the loaves of bread are done, by tapping the tops of the loaves.  If it sounds hollow, that is a good indication they are not doughy on the inside!