Bread in an Hour

Fool Proof Whole Wheat Bread

Recently, a friend remarked that I was "amazing" when she heard that I usually keep my house stocked with homemade, whole wheat bread. I assured her it was not such an amazing feat and then let her in on my secret - one simple recipe from a wonderful neighbor who was willing to share in order to make my life a little easier.

I was given a recipe from my neighbor Sandy Barker. It's an old family recipe but I'm not sure how old. Sandy's family has lived on the same ranch for at least 100 years! Regardless, this recipe is a modern time saver for me. I can produce 4 loaves of delicious whole wheat bread in 1 hour start to finish!

Here, I'll pass it along in hopes it will help another busy mom as it has helped me.

Fool Proof Whole Wheat Bread

by Sandy Barker

Two Loaves:

3 T. (or 3 packages) yeast in 1/2 c. warm water

2 1/2 c. warm water

4 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. oil

1/3 c. honey

1 T. salt

2 - 3 c. white flour

Four Loaves:

3 T. yeast in 1/2 c. warm water (same as 2 loaf recipe)

5 c. warm water

7 c. whole wheat flour

2/3 c. oil

2/3 c. honey

2 T. salt

5 - 6 c. white flour

Directions: Sprinkle yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Don't stir. Combine water, oil, honey, salt, and 4 or 7 cups flour. Beat at low to medium speed in a stand mixer with dough hook for 2 - 3 minutes. Alternately add yeast mixture and remaining flour until dough cleans bowl. Knead 5 - 10 minutes in mixer until elastic. Grease pans. Grease your hands and form loaves. Allow to raise while oven preheats. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Put butter on top of loaves while still warm. Hide bread from your family if you want to eat any yourself!

(Notes: This bread can be kneaded by hand, but it is a very sticky dough, so use oil on your hands and on the kneading surface)

A jumble of my own notes:

• Sandy recalls that the recipe has been changed from the original. It used to call for 100% whole wheat flour and no white flour. It still works well as an all whole wheat recipe.
• The directions above were written for mixing up the dough in an electric stand mixer but it can be mixed and kneaded by hand, as well. I use a Kitchenaid stand mixer and increased the amount of whole wheat by one or two cups while decreasing the white flour a bit for a total of 14 cups of flour (the maximum mixing capacity of flour for the model I own). Make sure to check the manufacturer's maximum mixing capacity of flour for the model of stand mixer you own before you attempt to make the four loaf recipe.
• This IS a very sticky dough and you might think that you've made a big mistake when you're done mixing but it's supposed to be this way. I find the dough easier to handle if I dump in out onto a lightly floured surface after kneading in the mixer and then take a knife to cut the big blob of dough into fourths. I then use my oiled hands to pick up each soft blob to shape into loaves by tucking the edges under the dough while holding it in the air, not on any surface. As soon as I've got a somewhat thick, cigar shaped piece of dough, I plop in into a pan and begin to work on the next one.
• Yes, you read correctly, the amount of yeast is the same for the two loaf recipe as it is for the four loaf recipe. Sandy does not know why. It just works.
• This dough ONLY needs to rise for the amount of time it takes your oven to preheat. After mixing, preheat your oven while you're forming the dough into loaves and putting them in pans. After the oven is ready, just stick the doughy loaves into the oven to bake. No need to wait longer.
• The bread in the photo is sliced a little thick but it easily slices up as thin as you like with an electric bread slicer. This bread is excellent for making sandwiches.