Whole Wheat Bread

A recipe for the softest, moistest, fluffiest, freshest-staying, homemade, 100% whole wheat bread you've ever sunk your teeth into!

I use coconut oil in this recipe. It works great and doesn't make the bread taste like coconut at all. However, you may use regular canola/safflower/vegetable oil, if you prefer.

Kneading and rising times are approximate and depend on many different variables. The dough must be kneaded until it pulls away from the bowl and is no longer sticky, even if that takes longer than 10 to 15 minutes. And the dough should be allowed to rise in the pans until it is as high as you want your final bread to be.

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
4 teaspoons instant/quick-rise yeast


2 1/2 cups very warm water (120F to 130F)

1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil (melted and cooled) OR vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
4 teaspoons lemon juice

2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, mix together first three ingredients. Add water and mix for one minute, scraping down bowl halfway through if necessary. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Add salt, oil, honey, and lemon juice; beat for 1 minute. Add remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup. Knead dough in mixer using dough hook for 10 to 15 minutes or until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and feels smooth rather than sticky.

Preheat oven to lukewarm by setting it to 350F and then turning it back off after exactly 1 minute. Grease two nonstick bread pans, or grease two regular bread pans and line with parchment paper. Turn dough onto greased surface. Evenly divide into two loaves and place into prepared bread pans, gently pressing dough into corners.

Place pans in warm oven and allow to rise for 20 to 40 minutes, or until dough is nicely domed above the tops of the pans. Without removing pans from the oven, turn on oven to 350F and set timer for 30 minutes. Once baked, immediately remove hot bread from pans and cool on rack.

More Info

Servings / Yield: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 1 hour   /   Total Time: 1 hour
Category: Baked Goods
Keywords: bread