Shar's Basic Whole Wheat Bread

This recipe is from a Kitchen Supply store/Bosch retailer in Gilbert, AZ. Shar is the owner and teaches bread making classes. This bread only rises once - so you can make it start to finish in about 1 1/2 -2 hours depending on how long it takes your dough to rise.

In Bosch Universal mixer bowl with dough hook:
6 cups warm water, approx. 115*
2 Tbs. sea salt
2/3 cup Canola oil
2/3 cup honey
3 Tbs. dough enhancer
2 cups high gluten bread flour or 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
3 Tbs. SAF instant yeast
6-8 cups of fresh ground wheat flour (to begin with).
(10-11 cups of un-ground grain will make enough flour for this recipe)

Use the momentary switch (M) to mix well. Turn the machine to speed 1 and continue to add wheat flour only until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. When you can see the sides pull clean as well as the dough coming clean from the bottom of the bowl, you know you have enough flour. (Do not add too much flour). The dough should be very sticky and does not come together at this point, but the bowl is clean.

Knead on speed 1 for 8-10 minutes or until the gluten has been developed. If you feel your dough is too dry, simply add a few tablespoons of water to moisten. (Always pulling the sides clean) If dough starts sticking simply add a little white flour to take up the moisture. (Remember your Bosch has 700 watts of power and a reset button).

Oil your hands, remove dough from mixer onto a slightly oiled counter, divide your dough with a dough divider into 4-5 large loaves depending on your pan size. (We like the 8 1/2 by 4 1/2" pan, and we usually get 5. However, because we never measure our flour exactly, sometimes we get 4; it will depend on the weather and the climate outside).

Shape loaves, and place in a well-greased or sprayed (Pam) pan, never use oil. Cover with a dry towel and let rise until dough has risen double or approx. 2 inches above the rim of the pan. This will take from 30-60 minutes depending on the room temperature.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350* for 30-35 minutes, or until the inside temp. is 200*. An instant read thermometer is very useful in telling whether your bread is done. Tests after baking time is complete by taking bread out of its pan and pushing the thermometer into side or bottom of loaf. If not 200 degrees, place back in pan and bake another few minutes.

Cool on cooking racks before putting into bread bags. The bread can be frozen up to 30 days without freezer burn.

Meghan R.
San Jose, CA