Friday, April 17, 2009

Food Friday - Simple Whole Wheat Bread

I found this on allrecipes.com. It was submitted by Nita Crabb. It really is fairly simple (bread always takes time but this one isn't complicated) and the texture is amazing and the taste is fabulous! Oh, and you can freeze one of the loaves for later.

Ingredients:
3 C warm water
2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 C honey
5 C bread flour (I just used all purpose)
3 T melted butter
1/3 C honey (yes, more honey)
1 T salt
4-6 C whole wheat flour
2 T melted butter (yes, more butter)

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 C honey. Add 5 C white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
  2. Mix in 3 T melted butter, 1/3 C honey, and salt. Stir in 2 C whole what flour. Knead, adding more wheat flour until it pulls away from the counter but is still sticky to the touch. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough (this helps keep your dough moist). Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
  3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9x5" loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 T melted butter to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.
I seriously want you all to try this at least once! It very well may turn you into a homemade bread loving creature. Alisha was here the first day I made this so I expect her to post a comment telling you all how delicious it is! The rest of you can leave a comment after you've tried it. I'm serious here. I don't often make requests of you but this is a recipe you really need to try and then leave me a comment about your experience. What else are you going to do with the next three hours of your life?

Besides, bread takes 3 hours but it doesn't require your attention for most of that time so you can mix it up and while it rises the first time you can watch American Idol or Biggest Loser (or whatever is sitting unwatched in your DVR) and then you can make it into loaves and while that rises you can take a nap. Then you can get up and bake the bread and everyone (especially your husband) will be so impressed that you made bread today! It won't matter if the beds aren't made because you made bread! It won't matter if the laundry isn't folded because you made bread! Oh, and you can give one of the loaves away thereby adding blessings to your tally - and we all need those. So there you have it, you are so making bread today!

6 response(s):

Scott R. said...

This is the exact recipe that came with my Kitchenaid. It is delicious bread! In our house we've purchased many different brands of honey throughout the years. Some taste better than others. With this bread, use the yummiest honey you can find. It will make a difference. Thanks Heidi. You are cool.
Sarah R.

Charlotte said...

Okay--You ask so little of us, that I'll do it. Not today, and not tomorrow either (H&I will be in SL), but within a week, I'll do it, and I'll leave another comment here about it.

I'm sure I'll like it. The big test will be whether or not Eric likes it. He's not so much of a whole-wheat kind of guy.

Alisha said...

So GOOD! I am totally going to make some!

Cassavaugh Family said...

Lately I have found myself leaving comments on blogs, facebook or email and forgetting to click send or publish or comment... I think I did this after attempting to leave a post here last week. I was extremely excited about your recipe and went straight to it Sunday when we came home from church with our new wheat grinder! We ground our wheat and then I took a nap and woke up to a wonderful smell. Nick did bread with the boys while I slept! I will be blogging about it as soon as possible.

Charlotte said...

Okay-remember how I said I'd make it within a week? That turned out to be a lie. However, I made it last night, and it was easy and delicious. It would have been more delicious if I would have remembered to put the Tablespoon of salt in it, as the recipe directed, but, I didn't. So I have something to work on for next time. For now though, we I just keep the salt shaker handy when we have a slice.

Thanks Heidi!

LClark said...

Hello Heidi-
Making this tonight for a big ward gathering. Yum. Thanks!
Loren