Bake Your Own Bread

In my last post I wrote about making sandwiches using my home made whole wheat bread (saving money by using the ingredients in my food storage) and someone asked for a bread recipe.  First you should know I am no expert by any means.  Second you should know there are a million good recipes out there in internet world.  This is just the one I use because my sister gave me the recipe.  She has been baking her own bread for years so I figured she was a good source.  I have no idea where she got it or how much it's been adapted.  In fact, this is my adapted version of her recipe.  So anyway - on with the show!

3 Whole Wheat Loaves
2 Tb yeast
4 C warm water
1/2 C oil
1/2 C honey or sugar
2 tsp salt
10 C flour
1/4 C gluten (optional)

In a large mixer (I use a Bosch, my sister uses a KitchenAid) combine the water and yeast and let it sit for five minutes. (I often skip this step because I'm a bit impatient and it still comes out great.)

Notice the bubbles?  That shows the yeast is working!

Add oil and sugar.  Stir in salt and 2 cups of the flour.  Then add 5 cups of the flour, or until it looks like pancake batter and beat for 10 minutes.  Usually about half way through I'll scrape down the sides.

This is after 10 minutes of beating - nice and smooth!

Add the gluten and the rest of the flour (should be 3 cups) until it is soft, but not too sticky.  Sometimes I've done more and sometimes I've done less and it's all good.  The more flour you add the less sticky it will be and easier to handle.

See how soft and not too sticky it is?

Take out the beaters and cover it with a light dish towel or bit of plastic wrap coated in non-stick spray.  Let it rise in the bowl for 30 minutes, or until double in size.  Then shape it into loaves and put them in greased pans, and let it rise again, about 30 minutes, or until double.  I always let it rise on the top of the oven while it's preheating, or while I'm baking something else, to keep it nice and warm.

Freshly formed loaves ready to rise, uncovered it so you could see how
not-nicely my loaves are shaped.

Bake for 20 minutes on 375.  When they're done I let them cool for about 10 minutes before sliding them out of the pan. Then I let them really cool before slicing and putting them in bags.  To freeze I put the bagged bread inside a freezer Ziploc and squeeze out the air.  Since I slice before freezing I think it's easier to use right away.  Feel free to do what you want with your bread!  Give a loaf away and make friends.

Sarah