Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I love the smell of homemade bread... it is just perfect. Try this recipe and let me know how you like it. Also, I would love to hear of your homemade bread recipe. I always like to try new ones. I've stuck with this recipe for a while cause it's pretty dang good :) Also, you will need a pretty good mixer for this recipe, especially if you are making all four loaves.

Makes 4 8/4 loaves... I usually half this recipe. If you make the full thing, just freeze a couple of loaves.

7c. whole wheat flour (grind your own if you have a wheat grinder... I desperately want one. If you have one, let me know what you think of the brand you have.)
2/3 c. vital wheat gluten
2 1/2 T instant yeast

5 c. steaming hot water (120-130 F)

2 T. salt
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey or 1 c. sugar (I like honey the best!)
2 1/2 T. bottled lemon juice

5 c. whole wheat flour

Mix together the first three ingredients in your mixer with a dough hook. Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes (this is called sponging). Add salt, oil, honey or sugar, and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. This makes very soft dough.


Pre-heat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves place in oiled bread pans. Let rise in warm oven for 10-15 minutes until dough reaches top of pan (mine always takes a little longer... about 30 minutes). Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.


There you have it, let me know how it goes!