100% Whole Wheat Bread

100% Whole Wheat Bread

From Grandma Lybbert

*Measure 2 lbs. 10 oz. of whole wheat flour (about 8 cups) in mixer.
Add and Mix:
2 Tablespoons yeast

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons oil
1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs
2 Tablespoons salt

1/3 cup molasses
1 cup powdered milk

1 qt. warm water

Mix until dough leaves the side of the bowl (about 10 minutes). Let rise until double in size. Measure into pans and shape into loaves. Grease tops with crisco (optional). Let dough rise in the pans until the dough rounds in the pans. Bake 350 for about 40 minutes. Be sure to spray the pans. Weights for flour are approximate.

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This bread recipe is tried and true. My grandma has the best whole wheat, cracked wheat and white bread recipes around. They make 4 loaves of bread and have proven to be a favorite everywhere. I make bread once a week and freeze the remaining loaves for later use during the week. Trust me, they don't last long around here. I challenge you to try this recipe. It is so good. If you don't have a wheat grinder, borrow a friends to test it out. The 20 year supply of wheat you have stored in your house will do you no good without a grinder. I not only use it for bread, but for pancakes, waffles and more. You won't learn how to make good bread unless you try. I have been asked many times how to make the bread I make, so here are step by step instructions on how to do so. If you have a Kitchen Aid, I'm not sure if it has the motor capacity to mix 4 loaves of bread so you might have to half the recipe, which I have never done. Good luck and feel free to email me with any additional questions.

Ingredients.

My Bosch. These things last forever. For the first 5 years of my marriage I was using my mom's old one that was 30+ years old.

All of the ingredients, minus the whole wheat flour. If you are using instant non-fat dry milk, go ahead and add it with the other ingredients. If you are using NON-instant, then you will want to mix it with the flour before adding. Capeesh?

100% Whole Wheat Flour that I ground in my Nutrimill.

Adding the flour. I usually add 3 cups of flour before I turn my mixer on and gradually add the rest of the cups. In Texas I use a little over 9 cups of flour, but depending on your altitude you will have to adjust that. Practice makes perfect.

Everything all mixed up after kneading in the mixer for 10 minutes. You want your dough to be slightly sticky. I like mine to stick to the sides of the bowl just a little bit.

Cover with a towel and let rise until double.

Now give it three good punches...or more depending on how your day has been so far.

Grease your pans and divide the dough up evenly into the pans. Again, I weigh mine to make them all be equal in size, but you do not need to do this. I made bread for 8 years without using a scale and they turned out just fine.

Make the dough into a ball and spank with your hand to help get air bubbles out. Yes, I just told you to "spank" your dough.

Roll the dough out on a nicely greased counter. I recommend using Crisco. After each loaf, I add more Crisco to the counter. I also wear gloves while I shape my loaves like I do with the cinnamon bread. It's just better for me that way.

Roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the bottom seam and roll the ends under.

This is what it should look like when you are done. Remember, the more you make bread, the better you will get. I definitely do not consider myself a good dough shaper of bread. Did that even make sense?

Here they are ready to rise again. I lightly spray the tops of mine with cooking spray or I lightly grease them with Crisco.

Cover with a towel while they are rising. My house was 66 degrees, so it took my bread about 1.5 hours to rise. In the summer, it takes about 20-30 minutes.

Here they are, ready for the 350 degree oven.

Hot out of the oven. The top needs something...

...oh yes, butter. Spread the tops of each loaf with butter.

Cut. Eat. Enjoy.