Amish Soft Honey Whole Wheat Bread

SweetsLady's Note:

I've been looking for a soft all whole wheat bread, and I finally found it! This is in an Amish cookbook that I have, and I am writing it as it is written. I mix it with my KitchenAid. :) This is our sandwich bread that we have all the time on hand and the recipe can easily be cut into 1/3 to make just one loaf. :) 10/8/07 Corrections made to make bigger loaves. I usually use How to Rise Yeast Dough in a Cool or Drafty Kitchen to have a great rise.

• Total Time: 32 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 hrs
• Cook Time: 2 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 60

Yield: 3.0 loaves

• 3 cups warm water (110-115 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup honey
• ¾ cup Crisco (I use butter flavored)
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 11 -12 cups whole wheat flour
• 4 tablespoons wheat gluten (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix water with yeast and sugar and let sit until foamy (about 10 minutes). In the meanwhile, put the 3 eggs (in the shell) in a bowl of hot water (to bring the eggs to room temperature).
2. Put flour, salt, and gluten in bowl.
3. Pour in yeast mixture and stir until combined. Add in honey, eggs, and crisco until combined, scraping sides. (I usually use an egg beater for this).
4. Add more wheat flour and knead until smooth.
5. Let set in warm place for about an hour until double in size.
6. Divide into 3 loaves. Let rise again in warm place until doubled (about 1-1/2 hours).
7. Bake as regular bread (I bake about 35 minutes at 375 or until the interior of the bread is 190 degrees using electric thermometer if you have one).
8. Enjoy!

Reviews

[GraceAnn]

Fantastic!! Soft, tasty, perfect!! I followed the recipe almost exactly. I did use butter instead of shortening and I also added 1 cup of Flax meal and I kneaded sunflower seeds into the dough. Baked for 30min and it turned out beautiful. Perfect for everyday bread. So soft and tasty. I will never buy bread again. Thank you so much!

[Rhia]

This is our new bread recipe in my house!!! Thank you for posting :)

[Annacia]

This is a great bread. It baked up tall, light in texture, and what is yummier than fresh bread? In fact it was so yummy that I didn't get a photo because I was outside for about 15 mins while it was cooling and the 3 guys decided that they would help out by doing taste tests for the review. There is about 1/2 of a warm loaf left that has been mercilessly carved. There are also traces of peanut, butter and honey on the counter as well as smiles on 3 faces. I think it's well qualified for the 5 star rating. Sorry, no pic.