People have been asking me about my bread recipe for a while now and I've been slow in getting it up here for a few reasons. First, it's not my recipe - it's a recipe that you can find in a lot of places on the internet. Second, it's specific to a Bosch mixer and since not everyone has one of those I didn't know if there was much of a need/point. And third, I'm lazy since it's on paper only and I didn't want to have to type it up. But my copy is getting pretty ragged so I figured it was time.
First off, in order to get things done I have to put the littlest one on my back - which I did today. He likes it and except for when he pulls my hair, I don't mind it either. I still have other little hands getting into the wheat though. In fact, as I type my kitchen floor has a layer of wheat grains scattered throughout. I go through this process about once a week(maybe 6 days) - making four loaves of 100% whole wheat bread. We love it and I have gotten used to the trouble of making it.
I start by grinding my flour - flour that comes from the mill that Kevin Bacon danced through in the movie Footloose. We just finished out first 45 pound bucket - it went quicker than I thought it would. For every cup of grain I get about a cup and a half of flour - give or take.
Here you can see the ingredients(minus the flour) and my Bosch on the right. I don't think I would be making bread this often if I didn't have a Bosch. It's a workhorse and does an amazing job - I just add the ingredients and it does the rest. Here is the recipe:100% Whole Wheat Bread (Directions for Bosch Mixer, but can be made by hand)
(makes about 4 loaves)
5-6 cups hot tap water (hot to the touch;not hot enough to burn finger)
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey
1/2 c. applesauce
2 tbsp. Kitchen Specialties dough enhancer
2 tbsp instant yeast
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
15-17 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour
Pour warm water into Bosch mixing bowl. Add approximately 5 cups flour on top of liquid. Then add dough enhancer, oil, honey, yeast, and gluten. Use the (M) momentary switch to mix well.
Add approx. 5 additional cups flour, and salt. Turn to speed 2. Continue ading flour 1/4 cup at a time until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Continue kneading on speed 2 for another 5 minutes.
Oil or grease hands and counter. Divide dough into equal portions and shape into loaves. Put into well greased pans. Let rise till double in size. Bake 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. Top of loaves can be rubbed with water or butter for shiny appearance. Dough can be used for pizza crust or cinnamon rolls.
If you don't have a Bosch mixer you use a Kitchen-aid but I would half the recipe because Kitchen-aid motors can burn out on the heavy load of this bread. You can also knead it by hand but it will need a double rising time - once in the bowl before you put it in the pans.
And when they are all done I pull them out and put them on their sides to cool. Once they're cool I put them in bags so we can enjoy them over the next several days. If I know we aren't going to be eating much bread I'll throw a couple loaves in the freezer.
8 comments:
Megan, those are absolutely beautiful! Have you worked out the cost per loaf?
I have worked it out but I'm not going to tell you! My next post is all about the money I'm saving from doing stuff like that! So, you'll just have to check back!
I have been really reluctant to use dough enhancers. I make bread every week too, but I add 2-3 cups of white flour to about 7-8 cups wheat (otherwise it's super heavy). I'd like to know your take on dough enhancers.
cute pic of asher on your back. i used to put linus in the backpack too when i was trying to cook/bake. this recipe looks delish. i only have a kitchen aid though. . . so i'll try to half it.
Jamie - I would prefer not to use dough enhancers but it only requires 2 tablespoons for four loaves so I figure it's better to have 100% freshly milled wheat with a little whey added than more white flour. I made the recipe without the dough enhancers and the extra gluten but the bread was coarse and dry. Tell me why you don't like to use them...
Here's the best info I can find on enhancers:
http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/tips/dough-enhancers-and-how-to-use-them.php
There are two reasons I don't want to use dough enhancers:
1) I can't produce them myself
and
2) They're not the purest/unprocessed 'ideal'.
#1 is a preparedness issue. I'd like to know how to survive on what I can make/produce myself.
#2 is just ridiculous, and is an example of me going to extremes. I am really drawn to extremes. If I'm going to make my own bread, then it's going to be sourdough made with only wild-caught starter, flour, oil, water, and salt! (There are people who can make a *fantastic* loaf of sourdough like that -- great texture, taste, etc.) But for me, that ideal is ridiculous. I still eat Moose Tracks ice cream. So I cannot in good conscience say that I am opposed to using a 'processed' food like dough enhancer in my bread. Once I'm living 100% on the land, then I'll have the backup to say that I don't want to use a 'processed' food like that :-)
For that matter, I don't know how to generate/extract oil from things I could grow, nor do I know how to extract salt from the earth, so oil and salt don't fit my criteria either! I'll end up with water + flour, assuming it rains ;-)
Megan,
I guess I have just avoided dough enhancers thinking that they were basically chemicals. I never even bothered to look into them. White flour probably fits in that catagory too, but people have been eating it for longer, so I guess I am more familiar with it. I will check out the website you recommended and educate myself! :)
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