Have you ever looked at the label on a loaf of bread and wonder what all those crazy ingredients are? Did you ever think about making bread but it just looks so hard to make with all that kneading and rising and baking time?
 |
| EEK! look at all those ingredients on this loaf of bread! Does anyone really know what any of them are?? |
It only takes me about 15-20 minutes to get the loaves on the pan and rising. I usually break this recipe into two loaves. You can make one loaf, but it turns out huge and I have yet to get a single bag big enough to hold it. :)
Since this recipe is so easy and basically fool proof, I began selling it at a local farmer's store. I made about 12 loaves a week for him to sell every week. They sold like hotcakes for awhile, but I realized it wasn't really worth my time to make him the bread and both of us make a profit on it. A few weeks after I stopped selling it to him, I got a call from a lady who wanted a loaf or two on a regular basis. I make more money because I'm not selling it through the farmer, and it takes me such a short time to make her 4 loaves every few weeks, that it's so worth it!
This bread is a sweet honey loaf. It is delicious. The crust is soft. I'm sure if you put a little dish of water in the oven when you make it, the crust would be crusty hard. :) When this comes out hot out of the oven, there is not much that is tastier!
So enough talk, here's the recipe! I don't have a fancy KitchenAide or anything, so I actually knead the bread by hand. If you have a machine, you'll have to adapt the recipe accordingly.
Honey Wheat Bread
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 packs of quick rise yeast (use fast rising!)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 2/3 cups very hot tap water
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use canola)
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
2-4 cups white flour
1.In a large mixing bowl, stir together wheat flour, yeast, and salt. Add the hot water and stir until blended.
2.Mix in the oil, honey, and egg. Add one cup of white flour. Stir in until blended well.
3.Turn onto a clean, lightly floured counter top or table. Knead in enough white flour to make an elastic consistency. It shouldn't stick to your hands or the counter. It usually takes around 2 cups of extra flour for me, but depending on the type of wheat you use, you may need more.
4.Once you have the right consistency, place it back in the bowl, cover it and let it sit for about 10 minutes for easier shaping.
5.Meanwhile, grease a large cookie sheet. I use baking spray...such as Pam.6.After you've let the dough sit, turn onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half, shape, and place about 6 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
(The way I shape them is I flatten the dough into a large rectangle. Then fold over each side to look like a roll (kind of). Tuck in the ends and lay on the sheet. You can put these in bread pans, but the cooking is different and not as easy to manage as when they are free-formed.)
7.Cover them with plastic and let rise in warm place until doubled, which takes about 1/2 hour.
8.With knife, cut 3 slices in each loaf. Sprinkle lightly with flour.
9.Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. It should be browned an sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
10.Cool completely before bagging.
And that's it! I hope you enjoy this bread as much as I do! :)
