Friday, March 4, 2011

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

This bread comes out just perfect - easy to slice, even in thin pieces, and holds together really well. It is so delicious!

Recipe from my dear friend, Jennie Christopherson (who has an amazing craft/food/etc. blog HERE that you should totally check out).

Ingredients:
2.5 c hot water (around 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
1.25 T yeast
2 t sugar
1 T salt
1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 c sugar (or 1/3 c honey)
1.25 T bottled lemon juice
1/3 c flax seed
1/3 c gluten
5.5 - 6 c whole wheat flour

Directions:
- Mix together the yeast, water, and 2 t. sugar and let rise about 10 minutes (should puff up).
- Mix the salt, oil, sugar, and lemon juice together in a mixer with a dough hook.
- Add the yeast mixture and mix.
- Blend the flax seed in a blender or food processor until broken apart and fluffy.
- Add the flax plus enough whole wheat flour to equal 3.5 cups to the mixer.
- Add the gluten and mix.
- Continue adding an additional 2-2.5 cups of flour until the dough comes cleanly off the sides of the bowl as you knead it with the dough hook. Knead in the mixer about 10 minutes. The dough will be very soft, but will be elastic when pulled apart.
- Preheat the oven for a few minutes to lukewarm and turn off.
- Turn dough onto oiled counter top, divide, shape into loaves, and place in oiled pans.
- Let rise in warm oven 30-45 minutes until the dough fills in and reaches the top of the pans.
- Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes.
- Let cool 10 minutes in pans, then remove from pans.

Yields 2 large or 3 small loaves.

3 comments:

Liz Johnson said...

Not to beleaguer the point or anything, but every single time I've had a bite of this bread, I have moaned and raved about how fabulous it is. Seriously the best bread EVER.

Egenmay said...

This may be a dumb question, but what does adding gluten do to the bread?

Liz Johnson said...

I just realized I never responded to this. The whole wheat flour has less gluten per ounce than all-purpose flour, so it makes the bread softer and lighter. It rises easier and holds together better, too!