Wheat Bread - our favorite

from TiffanyFirst... you have to grind the wheat... which is the worst and the best part. The best for you, the most satisfying to feel like you really made homemade bread... but kind of a loud, messy pain. I do it on the back porch!

(the sponging look)

Let sponge together:
6 cups very warm water
6 cups freshly ground white whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp yeast

Then mix in:

2/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lecithin or olive oil
3 Tbsp dough enhancer
4 Tbsp vital wheat gluten

(I actually like mine a little more sticky than this picture)

Add 10-14 cups more flour (until pulls away from side, still fairly sticky)

Knead in mixer for 8-10 minutes.

Form into loaves (makes 6)

Let rise and then bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
OR
Turn oven on for a few seconds to take the chill off and then turn off. Place loaves in oven to rise in lightly warmed oven. When risen turn oven to 350 degrees and back about 25 minutes (do not take dough out, bake in "cold oven."

My notes: My KitchenAid can only handle half of this recipe. I grind enough wheat for about 2 batches (which is 4 for me) and then freeze the dough (pre-formed into loaves) until I need them. This way I only have to grind wheat and make dough approximately monthly but we have fresh bread all the time.

To freeze:

Divide dough into loaves. Shape. Wrap dough in plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray (or spray inside of a freezer Ziploc and put one loaf worth of dough inside). I place all of my "loaves" into a big Ziploc bag and freeze.

I take 1 or 2 dough loaves out at a time, let thaw, "punch down"/reform the loaf (I have done it without doing that but I tend to get more bubbles in the baked bread) and place in a sprayed loaf pan. Let rise and bake.

With my calculations (which are pretty thorough) I estimate this recipe to cost $ .45 per loaf... you could easily cut your costs by using canola oil and sugar, with these two substitutions it costs $ .29 per loaf.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories 91

Calories from Fat 17.8

Total Fat 1.98g

Saturated Fat 0.29g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 188.14mg

Total Carbohydrate 16.08g

Dietary Fiber 2.57g

Sugars 1.27g

Protein 3.52g