This is my mother-in-laws bread recipe and is what Alex grew up eating.
While I'm not exactly sure what her recipe is...this is pretty much it if not exactly. The only difference being that she grinds her own wheat.
I think the key here is the molasses. The wheat and molasses flavor is about as comforting as anything I can think of. Seriously. It's lovely.
At any rate it, it took me literally years to figure out "bread" and to have consistent results. This is my attempt at giving my little success hints to anyone who's interested in making their own bread. Just hoping they keep in mind that bread is a lot of practice and timing.
But, regardless of if it turns out exactly as you intended it is almost always delicious- hot right out of the oven with a good thick layer of butter. :)
Whole Wheat Bread (makes four loaves)
-King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
-3 TB yeast (2 1/4 tsp per loaf)
-4 tsp. salt (1 tsp per loaf)
-molasses- 1 cup ( 1/4 c per loaf)
-Veg oil -1 cup ( 1/4 c per loaf)
-4 cups water (one cup per loaf)
(Edit- picture is wrong- liquid should be to 6 cup line)
Mix one cup vegetable oil and one cup molasses in large pyrex. Add hot water to the the 6 cup line ( I just use hot water from tap.)
You want it to be about 125 degrees maybe a tad higher. If it's cooler, it will just take a little longer to rise. Not a big deal.
Put a mark in your bowl with your finger just to give you a reference point to see if your yeast is active. Let it sit for about 15 minutes to get going.
When the times is up do a quick look to make sure your yeast is working- it will have bubbled up a little. If not give it a few more moments. Then, it's time to start adding flour. Toss in a cup and turn the mixer onto a medium high speed.
If kneading by hand, just keep stirring in enough flour until you're able to turn the dough onto a floured surface.
Here's the key to bread and the experience part of it.
You want to bread to have a good density while still being moist. But you definitely don't want the bread to be dry and over packed either. Better to error on the "a little too wet, then too dry."
(that's sort of a confusing phrase-go ahead a re-read it a few times)
When turned on a countertop it shouldn't stick, but you'll probably have a little on your hands.
Add the flour slowly letting the bread sort of eat it up. The flour will naturally sift to the bottom of the mixer-that's ok it will all eventually work itself into the dough. Wait for the dough to start "cleaning" the bowl- just add a little at a time- maybe 1/2 cup or so. It will all of the sudden start changing from sticking to the sides, to cleaning the dough off of the sides. This usually takes me adding about 4 1/2 to 5 cups of flour Let it continue cleaning the bowl for maybe 30 more seconds to make sure the dough is mixed through. Then turn the mixer off.
Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface give it a couple good kneads. It should feel soft, dense, and moist but not super sticky. My counters will stay relatively dough free during this phase.
Cut the dough into four quarters using a serrated knife.
Make sure your loaf pans are greased (I use spray fat but anything works). Make little loaves and place them into the pans. Using your hands smoosh them down roughly and tuck them in. This just gives them more of a bread loaf shape.
Cover and set in a warmish place to rise. It usually takes me about 35 or more minutes. This all depends on the temperature your water was when you added the yeast, the temperature in the room while it's rising, and the volume of the dough. For instance-when I halve this recipe it always takes a lot longer to rise because during the initial quick rise period the mixture loses heat faster meaning the yeast isn't quite as active. What until the dough has raised to about an inch above the rim.
Anyways, set your timer and be patient. It should rise. (Edit- I now just place them in my oven to rise without being covered.)
I do not preheat my oven for this bread(something I learned from my mother-in-law) Just set the bread in the oven (as middle as possible) Although, I always have 2 with browned tops and two with browned bottoms. Once they're in there, turn the oven onto 350 degrees and bake for about 33 minutes or, until nice and brown all the way around. It will sound sort of hollow when tapped on. You want them to be pretty dark brown on the outside to ensure they are cooked all the way through.
It's important to cool the loaves right away otherwise they'll get soggy. Just flip them over onto cooling racks or a kitchen towel.
The bread is much easier to slice once its cooled but we never wait that long. :) Make sure you have plenty of butter on hand. You never can have enough butter in my opinion. :)
Best of luck!
Add the flour slowly letting the bread sort of eat it up. The flour will naturally sift to the bottom of the mixer-that's ok it will all eventually work itself into the dough. Wait for the dough to start "cleaning" the bowl- just add a little at a time- maybe 1/2 cup or so. It will all of the sudden start changing from sticking to the sides, to cleaning the dough off of the sides. This usually takes me adding about 4 1/2 to 5 cups of flour Let it continue cleaning the bowl for maybe 30 more seconds to make sure the dough is mixed through. Then turn the mixer off.
 |
| See how it started cleaning the bowl out? |
Turn the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface give it a couple good kneads. It should feel soft, dense, and moist but not super sticky. My counters will stay relatively dough free during this phase.
Cut the dough into four quarters using a serrated knife.
Make sure your loaf pans are greased (I use spray fat but anything works). Make little loaves and place them into the pans. Using your hands smoosh them down roughly and tuck them in. This just gives them more of a bread loaf shape.
Cover and set in a warmish place to rise. It usually takes me about 35 or more minutes. This all depends on the temperature your water was when you added the yeast, the temperature in the room while it's rising, and the volume of the dough. For instance-when I halve this recipe it always takes a lot longer to rise because during the initial quick rise period the mixture loses heat faster meaning the yeast isn't quite as active. What until the dough has raised to about an inch above the rim.
Anyways, set your timer and be patient. It should rise. (Edit- I now just place them in my oven to rise without being covered.)
 |
| Ready to go in the oven. |
I do not preheat my oven for this bread(something I learned from my mother-in-law) Just set the bread in the oven (as middle as possible) Although, I always have 2 with browned tops and two with browned bottoms. Once they're in there, turn the oven onto 350 degrees and bake for about 33 minutes or, until nice and brown all the way around. It will sound sort of hollow when tapped on. You want them to be pretty dark brown on the outside to ensure they are cooked all the way through.
It's important to cool the loaves right away otherwise they'll get soggy. Just flip them over onto cooling racks or a kitchen towel.
The bread is much easier to slice once its cooled but we never wait that long. :) Make sure you have plenty of butter on hand. You never can have enough butter in my opinion. :)
Best of luck!
Very interesting about the halving the recipe thing. I will try a full batch next time and see if they rise a little better! I love Maria's face peeking up in your dough picture. Also, Anny I have to say, "spray fat" sounds very Southern. :)
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