100% Whole Wheat Bread (Non-Dense/Heavy, White Bread Texture)

"I hate dense/heavy whole wheat bread. However, I was told to keep my blood sugar level I had to eat complex carbohydrates. It began my search for a pure whole wheat bread that I could eat as a sandwich and enjoy it all. Two notes: the vital wheat gluten and kneading time are crucial! You must do them or it won’t work. Also, I am at a high altitude of just over 4,200 feet so adjust for where you live."
 
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photo by Dimpi photo by Dimpi
photo by Dimpi
photo by emelvick photo by emelvick
photo by Dimpi photo by Dimpi
photo by Narshmellow photo by Narshmellow
Ready In:
3hrs 35mins
Ingredients:
11
Yields:
2 loaves
Serves:
16-20
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ingredients

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directions

  • The Sponge: In your bread mixing bowl put the yeast, 3/4 cup water, and the cup of whole wheat flour, mix until combined then cover with plastic wrap and a towel and let it sit for 45 minutes to an hour in a warm place. It should be bubbly.
  • The Dough: Add the 2 cups water, 2 cups whole wheat flour, dry milk, wheat gluten, salt, sugar and oil. Mix until combined.
  • Here’s where you learn how to make bread. Start to add your remaining flour. I add one cup at a time but you can do it by the half a cup. 2 cups might be enough but it could go up to 4 cups. Fully incorporate the flour you add before adding more.
  • Whole wheat bread will still be a little sticky and a little stiff, carefully judge when you think you have enough. Once you make bread enough you’ll know when it’s enough flour. You can always add more flour when you're kneading.
  • Kneading: By hand, 20 to 30 minutes. In a mixer, 10 minutes. I suggest the bread mixer. The first time I made this I did it by hand. Because whole wheat is heavier I could only last about 2 minutes. I baked it but this was not a light textured bread. The second time I did it for 10 in my mixer… wow what a difference.
  • Rising: Once your dough is kneaded your going to coat it all over in a little oil and stick it in a bowl that will let it rise at least one and a half times it’s size. Now you’re going to cover it with plastic wrap and a towel, put it in a warm place and let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour. It should have risen over double it’s size.
  • During this rising time you want to spray or butter two bread pans. I use Pyrex 9”x5”.
  • Shaping, Last Rise, and Baking: When your dough is ready dump it out and push the bubbles out of it. Divide it as equal as you can. Flatten each piece out to a rectangle about the size of the pan then roll it up tight and pinch the seams together tucking the ends inches Turn over and put in the pan seam side down.
  • Put the loaves in a warm place and cover with a towel, let them rise from 30 minutes to an hour. You want your loaves to be at least 2 inches over the top of the pan, nice and high, they won't rise anymore in the oven. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes then lower the heat to 350 and cook for another 20 minutes. They will be a deep brown.
  • Take them out and remove them from their pans and cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Questions & Replies

  1. I live at about 2500 elevation so how do I change your recipe to fit this?
     
  2. Why do you proof the yeast for 45-60 minutes? It's obviously bubbly long before that much time has elapsed.
     
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Reviews

  1. This is a great recipe. I've found a lot of success using weight measurements for the dry goods here's what I use: 12 grams fast rising yeast 3/4 cup warm water 120 grams whole wheat flour 2 cups warm water 240 grams whole wheat flour 34 grams dry milk 60 grams vital wheat gluten 10 grams salt 64 grams sugar 1/4 cup oil 480 grams whole wheat flour Get yourself a good scale and this works great every time!
     
  2. Absolutely the most amazing whole wheat bread I've ever eaten. I've tried several wheat breads, but they all require either some white flour or end up hard as rocks. This bread is light, fluffy, and so full of flavor. I did substitute 1/3 cup honey for the sugar and replaced 1/2 cup water with 1/2 milk since I didn't have any dry milk. I also forfeited loaves and instead made large buns for sandwiches. I am not high altitude, so I baked 15 mins at 375 and 15 mins at 350 for a perfect golden brown. This recipe + locally ground whole wheat flour + local raw honey = AMAZING. I'll never use another whole wheat recipe. THANK YOU!
     
  3. I live at almost 9000 feet in elevation. This was absolutely perfect!!! I grind my own wheat and have NEVER gotten light and fluffy at this altitude. Thank you soooo much!! My husband thanks you too.
     
    • Review photo by emelvick
  4. This recipe is amazing! I never thought I would find a recipe for whole wheat bread that I actually looked forward to eating. I used white whole wheat flour, subbed 1/2 cup of regular bread flour for the vital wheat gluten, used melted reduced calorie margerine instead of oil, and I reduced the sugar to 3 tablespoons. I love this recipe!!!!!
     
  5. Easy, simple and perfect and no kneading! This is now my go-to bread recipe to replace store bought junk. It is perfectly textured to use for sandwich bread too! LOVE it!
     
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Tweaks

  1. This recipe is amazing! I never thought I would find a recipe for whole wheat bread that I actually looked forward to eating. I used white whole wheat flour, subbed 1/2 cup of regular bread flour for the vital wheat gluten, used melted reduced calorie margerine instead of oil, and I reduced the sugar to 3 tablespoons. I love this recipe!!!!!
     
  2. Finally a whole wheat bread that is not dense and does not contain all-purpose white flour. I used the recommendations for the weighed measurements by another review and it was perfect. Also followed the suggestion of honey instead of sugar and milk (with reduced water) instead of dry milk. The bread machine is being tossed to the curb.
     
  3. Absolutely the most amazing whole wheat bread I've ever eaten. I've tried several wheat breads, but they all require either some white flour or end up hard as rocks. This bread is light, fluffy, and so full of flavor. I did substitute 1/3 cup honey for the sugar and replaced 1/2 cup water with 1/2 milk since I didn't have any dry milk. I also forfeited loaves and instead made large buns for sandwiches. I am not high altitude, so I baked 15 mins at 375 and 15 mins at 350 for a perfect golden brown. This recipe + locally ground whole wheat flour + local raw honey = AMAZING. I'll never use another whole wheat recipe. THANK YOU!
     
  4. Excellent bread recipe! I actually started out wanting to halve this recipe but forgot and made the whole batch. The motor on my 5qt Kitchenaid was smelling burnt 2 min into the kneading, so I split the dough and kneaded separately. A few notes - I only had regular active dry yeast (it was fine), used a little over 5 cups of white whole wheat flour, nonfat instant dry milk instead of baker's dry milk, 6 rounded tbsp of gluten, honey instead of the sugar and about 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds (terrific addition). I accidentally let it rise for almost 90 min the first rise - it almost trebled. But I just punched it down gently, kneaded some and shaped it. Turned out fine. Thanks for the recipe, Narshmellow!
     
  5. This is the first bread recipe I've made using only whole wheat flour that actually turned out like bread and not a very large hocky puck. I'm so happy! My DH loves it , my daughter (the picky one) loves it. And it's healthy! Update: I've been making this bread for two months now. I cut the salt by half and use 1/4 cup honey in place of the white sugar. It's a little healthier and we like the taste better.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I was born and raised in Utah. I was a graphic designer for ten years for a local school district. I have since moved on but still enjoy doing that for fun. I love to cook, read, listen to music, craft things. I don't think I really have a favorite cookbook. But if I had to pick it would be one that was written up by women in the area with home recipes. I think those are the best. Probably one of the reasons I enjoy Recipezaar so much.
 
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