Best Golden Whole Wheat Bread Recipes

THE VERY BEST WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together 3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, vital wheat gluten, and quick-rise yeast until well combined.
• Add the water and mix for one minute, scraping down bowl halfway through. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
• Uncover the bowl and add the salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice. Beat for 1 minute.
• Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between each cup. Knead the dough in the mixer (still using the dough hook) until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and feels smooth rather than sticky. This usually takes 10 to 15 minutes, but if your dough pulls away and loses its stickiness sooner, it could take as little as 5 minutes.
• Grease two nonstick bread pans measuring 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" to 9" x 5" x 3" each (or grease two regular bread pans and then line them with parchment paper). Preheat the oven to lukewarm by setting it to 350°F and then turning it back off after exactly 1 minute.
• Turn the dough onto a greased surface. Evenly divide it into two loaves. Form and place the dough into the prepared bread pans, gently pressing it into the corners.
• Place the pans in the warm oven and allow them to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, until the dough is nicely domed above the tops of the pans. Without removing the pans from the oven, turn on the oven to 350°F and set the timer for 30 minutes. The bread is done when the tops are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer. Once the loaves are baked, immediately remove the hot bread from the pans to cool on a rack.

GOLDEN WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In small bowl combine yeast with 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees) and stir to dissolve. In a medium bowl combine whole wheat flour, bread flour, bran and salt. Add yeast mixture and 2 cups cool water (75 to 78 degrees) to dry ingredients; mix by hand to make a granular mass. Knead about 2 minutes; dough should be very loose and sticky. If necessary add 1 to 2 tablespoons cool water.
• Oil a large mixing bowl and a sheet of plastic wrap; set aside. Transfer dough to a very lightly floured work surface and knead until somewhat cohesive, 3 to 4 minutes, using as little flour as possible and using a scraper to lift and turn dough. Return dough to bowl and place oiled plastic wrap over surface. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
• Return dough to work surface and knead again 6 to 7 minutes; dough should be soft and loose. Return to oiled bowl and cover again with oiled plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature for one hour.
• Knead dough while still in bowl, gently deflating it with your fingertips. Fold in thirds like a letter, then bring ends in and turn over so seam is underneath. Let rise again for one hour.
• Repeat folding and turning process, and let rise again until doubled in volume, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When dough is fully risen, an indentation made by poking your finger deep into the dough will not spring back.
• Sprinkle a large baking peel generously with cornmeal, or line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Divide dough into two equal pieces, shaping each into a tight boule (slightly flattened ball). Place loaves on peel or pan, leaving about 4 inches between them to allow for rising. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and allow to rise again until nearly doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. If loaves begin to grow together, put in oven before they touch.
• Thirty minutes before baking, heat oven to 450 degrees. Place small cast-iron skillet on floor of a gas oven or lowest rack of an electric oven. Place oven rack two rungs above pan. If using a baking stone, place it on the rack. Fill a plastic spray bottle with water.
• Score a tic-tac-toe pattern with a sharp knife or razor blade on top of each loaf. Slide loaves into oven. Mist loaves 6 to 8 times, pour 1 cup hot water into skillet and quickly close oven door. After 1 minute, mist with water again, and close oven door.
• Bake 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Continue to bake until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, another 13 to 18 minutes. Place on a rack to cool.

SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
• Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

HONEY WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, stir honey into warm water, then sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Stir together flour and salt in a medium bowl, then stir in yeast mixture and melted butter just until a dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Punch down dough. Shape into an 8-inch square, about 1 inch thick. Fold in two opposite sides of dough to meet in middle, slightly overlapping. Press seam to seal. Place dough, seam-side down, in a buttered 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm spot until dough is about 3/4 inch above top of pan, 30 to 45 minutes.
• Transfer pan to oven and immediately reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until top is golden brown and bottom sounds hollow when tapped, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack 20 minutes, then turn out bread onto rack and let cool completely. Bread can be stored, tightly wrapped, at room temperature up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water. Add the oil, sugar, molasses, salt and remaining water. Combine flours; add 4-5 cups flour to mixture. Beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 350° until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.