Wheat Bread Recipe

Just for you Yvonne!

This bread is wonderful, and quite light, especially for using whole wheat flour. Because we go through so much bread, and I really don't like going to the store very often, I make this every couple of days and we use it for all of our bread "kneeds" (haha, I'm so punny)


Ingredients:
4 Cups water
2 Tablespoons Yeast
1 Tablespoon Salt
1/3 cup of sugar (or honey)
1/3 cup of oil
7-9 cups of wheat flour

Makes 2 loaves

Directions:

Get the water luke warm, about the temperature you would use for a baby's bath.

Pour the water in the mixing bowl and add the yeast. Let this sit for a few minutes as the yeast foams. (Also a good time to finish grinding the wheat)

Add in the salt, sugar, and oil. You can use honey instead of sugar and I find it works just as well but since honey is more expensive than sugar, sugar wins. If you do use honey, use your 1/3 cup measuring cup for the oil first, then for the honey. This helps grease up the cup so the honey just slides right out.

Add in a couple of cups of flour and turn your mixer on low.

Start adding the flour a cup at a time, waiting for the last cup to be mixed in. Now, the amount of flour is not exact for me. Last time I counted that I put in just under 9 cups of flour. Towards the end of adding in the flour, add it in slowly and just 1/3 cup at a time.
You will know that you have enough flour when the sides of the bowl start getting scraped clean and the dough will have the firmness of a baby's bum. A common mistake most people (including me) make when first making bread is adding too much flour. It's okay, you'll learn. It just makes it a little dry.

After I have enough flour, I let the machine continue mixing it together for 5-10 minutes, this helps get the yeast started, which means less kneeding for you.

When finished, get a large bowl and spray with Pam. Spray your hands with Pam, and grab the dough. Massage the dough together and make it into a dome-like shape. Fold the ends under and place the dome/ball in the bowl.Notice Roger's little ball in with mine. I give the kids a little piece and they LOVE playing with it

Place a dish towel that is dampened with warm water over the bowl and put it in a warm place to rise - in the sun preferable. If you live in Ohio and experience no sun you can use your oven like I do. I turn the broil on for a few minutes, then turn it off and put the bowl inside the oven.

Let the dough rise until it doubles in size - About an hour and half. Bring the bowl out and spray your hands (outside of your dominate hand also) with Pam. After removing the towel, punch the middle of the dome down one time. Then punch and kneed the rest of the dough.

Separate the dough into two equal-sized pieces. Pinch apart, don't pull apart.

Roll the dough into a square-like shape. Don't roll it too thin, but I do make one end a little thinner.
Starting from the thicker end of the dough, roll the dough into a log shape. When I get to the thin end, I massage the end to blend with the dough around it. Fold the ends under, trying to not have any fold lines on the top,Place it in a greased loaf plan. Repeat for other loaf.

Let it rise for 40-60 minutes until it is at a good height. Pop it in the oven at 350 degrees and cook for 25-30 minutes.

Remove from oven allowing the bread to sit in the bread pans for 5 minutes, then dump them out onto a wire rack.

Enjoy

If you want an extra special treat, have it with my homemade Honeybutter:
2 cubes of butter
1/2 cup of honey
Tub of Marshmallow Cream

All whipped together - so sweet