Wheat Bread

My sister attended some baking classes and found a fantastic bread recipe that I LOVE to use when I make bread.This is my favorite read recipe and I make it all the time. We love to make small loaves so each family member gets their own and eat it for dinner with a glass of milk. Delicious!

This recipe make four large loaves or three large loaves and six small ones. Enjoy!

1 c. sour dough starter
5 c. warm water
2 Tbsp. salt
2/3 c. oil
2/3 c. honey
3 c. white flour
14 c. whole wheat flour, divided
3 Tbsp. yeast (Saf is the best yeast)

I use a Bosch machine when I make bread. I love it! Add sour dough starter and water to bowl of Bosch. If you don't have sour dough starter you can use 1 c. water, for a total of 6 c. water. Sourdough gives the bread a little better texture, but it is also fine with only water. Add in oil, honey, and yeast. Add salt. Add white flour and 4 cups wheat flour. Turn on Bosch. Slowly add remaining wheat flour, about a cup at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. You may need a little more than the 10 c. flour, you may need a little less. I poke the dough with a finger. If it is sticky, add a little more. If the flour won't all beat you you probably added too much and need a little more water. ADD SLOWLY. The bread dough will need to beat in the Bosch for about 6 minutes to be kneaded.

OK, I cheat when I make bread. I am not patient enough for letting the bread sit and rise twice. That is what you are supposed to do, so if you prefer to follow the "rules" and do it the "right" way, cover the bowl with a damp, warm towel and let the dough rise until double in size. Punch down and shape into loaves. Me, I shape it into loaves right here and put the bread pans in a warm oven (not hot - warm it on the lowest setting and turn it off when warmed) with a pan of hot water underneath to keep the oven moist. Shut the oven door for about 20-30 minutes, until loaves are about double in size. Take pan of water out, turn oven on to 350 degrees and bake 35 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

More tips: you can substitute some of the flour for other grains. Things I have done: blend some oats in the blender until powdered. I prefer to grind my own wheat and will add quinoa to the wheat and use that flour as well. I have also ground rice into my wheat flour.

I prefer to use whole white wheat over the red wheat. White is a little lighter.

You can add 2 Tbsp. lemon juice to the water to give the bread a little more vitamin C.