100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread

dbsnova's Note:

If you like fluffy brown bread this is it. No white flour here. You can use any 100% whole grain wheat flour. I mill my own. This bread is not heavy like most 100% whole wheat breads. If it is you used too much flour and your dough was too stiff. If it flattens out and won't stand up you need more flour. The total amount of flour is usually about 6 1/2 to 7 cups. This recipe has been in my family for years and we all make it. We make a lot more now that we have powerful mixers and the hand kneading is bye bye.

• Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 2.0 Loaves

• 2 3/4 cups hot water
• 1/3 cup olive oil, any oil is fine
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon salt, Sea Salt is good
• 7 1/2 cups of 100% whole grain wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons dry active yeast

Directions:

1. Place the first five ingredients in the bowl and mix.
2. Add: 2 Cups 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour. (to cool the water and end up with warm dough) Mix then add 2 Tbs of Dry Active Yeast. If your not sure about your yeast proof it in a little warm water first.
3. Add: 4 Cups of 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour.
4. Mix until the consistency is some what even. Then continue to slowly add flour 1/2 Cup at a time until the dough quits sticking to the sides of the bowl. It should be tacky to the touch. The trick is to have enough consistency to stand up with the least amount of flour so the bread will be fluffy. It will most likely be 6 1/2 cups but in any case do not exceed 7 1/2 cups of wheat flour. You can trade one cup of wheat flour for one cup of all purpose white if you wish. Don't over mix or the bread will be tough.
5. When your dough is finished, leave it in the mixer, cover the bowl and let it rise for about 30-45 minutes. The dough will be larger but it doesn't need to double.
6. Grease two bread pans with Crisco. You can also flour the pans to reduce sticking.
7. Mix the dough again just enough to knock it down at least close to the original size.
8. Drop the dough on a floured surface so you can work the dough and shape it. Shape it with your hands to make a nice ball getting enough flour on it so it isn't sticky. Divide the ball in half and do it again. Shape the loaves by turning the dough under it's self over and over. When the dough is shaped the sides and ends will be sealed and all you will see is a nice oblong shaped loaf with smooth sides and top. Drop the loaves in your bread pans and let them rise until almost doubled. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 36 minutes. If you forgot to preheat 41 minutes. (gas oven).
9. When done turn the bread out of the pan to a rack to cool. You can eat it right away (a great time for real butter) don't wrap it until completely cooled. (Condensation will make it soggy) Put in tinfoil to store on the counter. If you put it in the refrigerator it will turn into a brick. Enjoy.

Reviews

[BKfit]

I would give this 10 stars if I could. I have never made a 100% whole wheat bread without it being heavy or crumbly until this recipe. I have been searching recipes for a long time and this is the recipe I have been searching for...light, fluffy, not crumbly, stores well, great sandwich bread, and easy to make. It prepares so quickly it is amazing. Tastes great the way it is or you can subsitute different types of sugar for the molasses and honey, different grains of flour, etc. I changed the setting to one loaf, prepared it as directed but mixed it with the dough cycle on my bread maker...let it rise once, pushed it down, and rose again in the baking dish - it came out perfect. I have an older oven and does not keep the temperature good so I tent mine with foil while baking and use a thermometer to ensure 190 degrees before taking out of oven. Makes great buns too...just divide dough into 12 pieces and reduce the baking time a bit. Thanks for this recipe!

[jojo9144]

Fantastic!! I wish I could give it 10 stars! I'm fairly new to making bread and all of the other 100% whole grain recipes I've tried turned out dense and the texture was less than desirable. Not so with this recipe. I was amazed that loaves this good came out of my oven!!! :)

[cherriezzontop]

This is a great recipe! I searched the internet looking for a 100% whole wheat recipe with great reviews to use in my bread machine, but didn't have much luck. I decided to just give this one a try in my bread machine and it turned out great! I did make a few minor adjustments. I cut the recipe in half since I just needed 1 loaf. I put the water, yeast, and 1 TBS of Brown Sugar (not in the recipe but added it in) into the machine and let it sit for 10 minutes. I added the wheat flour and other ingredients except for molasses because I didn't have any. I set my machine to the wheat cycle and let it go. It turned out perfect. This was my first attempt at wheat in my machine and I am very pleased! The bread came out perfect and is very moist and fluffy. Thanks for the recipe!