Okay, so I tried again. After watching the video on elasticity, I felt like I knew better what the dough was supposed to look like. Two days in a row of making bread – my arms are feeling it!
So I cheated a bit this time. I used the Kitchen Aid mixer to start the dough. This was much easier than mixing by hand, and I could really tell a difference in the dough consistency. The flour seemed to be incorporated much easier. I did use the hook attachment.
The kneading process went easier as well. I ended up kneading the dough for almost ten minutes to get the elasticity shown in the video I posted yesterday.
I also purchased new yeast. Check the expiration on your yeast! I don’t know what my previous attempts expiration date was, but I have deduced that it may have been expired.
The second attempt dough had a much more productive rise time. I don’t think it actually doubled, but it was at least 2/3 bigger. It was a lot easier rolling to dough out the second time too. And the second rise time produced results as well. The dough was very nicely rounded on top!
The bread again smelled delicious while baking. And, alas, when I took it out of the oven it looked like a loaf of bread, instead of the brown lump from the day before.
And it tasted good! Thank the Lord, I successfully made wheat bread!
The bread is hearty enough that I think it would be a great sandwich bread. Sliced a little thicker it would be a good bread side.
100 Percent Whole Wheat Bread
2 Cups milk
½ Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1 Tablespoon Salt
¼ Cup Butter
1 Cup Warm Water
2 Packages Active Dry Yeast
7 ½ Cups Un-sifted Whole Wheat Flour
All Purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
In a small saucepan, heat milk until bubbles form around the edge of the pan, remove from heat. Add sugar, salt and ¼ cup butter, stir until the butter melts; cool to lukewarm.
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large bowl; stirring until dissolved. Then stir in milk mixture. Add 4 cups whole wheat flour, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth. Gradually add remaining whole wheat flour, mixing in the last of it by hand until dough is stiff enough to leave the side of the bowl. Turn dough onto lightly floured pastry cloth or board sprinkled with all purpose flour. Knead until smooth and elastic – about 5 minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl; turn dough to bring up greased side. Cover with a towel, let rise in a warm place, free fro drafts, until doubled in bulk – about 1 hour.
Lightly grease two loaf pans.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured cloth or board. Divide in half. Let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Roll one half into a 16 x 8 inch rectangle; roll up, starting from short side. Press ends even, pinch to seal; tuck under loaf. Place, seam side down, in prepared pan. With a sharp knife, cut ¼ inch slit down center of loaf. Divide other half of dough in half again. Roll out each part into one 12 inch strip. Put two strips side by side. Twist together twice. Pinch ends to seal, place into other prepared pan. Brush surfaces of both loaves lightly with melted butter. Let loaves rise in warm place, free from drafts, until sides come to top of pans and tops are rounded – about 1 hour. Place oven rack in middle of the oven. Preheat to 400 degrees. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until crust is a deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped. If loaves seem too dark after 25 minutes, cover with foil.
Turn out pans onto wire racks, brush tops with remaining melted butter.
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