OK, here's my whole wheat bread recipe. I've made this one for years and several loaves just the last few weeks (T means tablespoon):
12 oz. water, heated to warm in order to dissolve yeast
1 T active dry yeast (put this in the warm water, let dissolve 5 minutes or so)
Add the following:
1 teaspoon salt
3 T sugar
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk (if you prefer, just use milk instead of water and skip this)
1/3 cup untoasted wheat germ (Optional. I store this in the refrigerator for freshness).
1/3 cup wheat bran (Optional)
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup sasame seeds
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 raw egg
White flour (I get 50 lb. bags of bread flour at Costco!)
Mix these together in a mixing bowl, well and add white flour with a mixing spoon until thick enough to turn out on a floured kneeding board (a large cutting board will work). Scrape out most of what's left in the bowl onto the kneeding board. Kneed in more flour until the loaf is "smooth and elastic" and does not stick to the board. Continue to kneed for up to 5 minutes - this activates the gluten in the flour.
Put a 1/2 teaspoon or so of oil into the mixing bowl (You don't have to clean the bowl), and spread all around the bottom and up the sides, and toss the loaf into the bowl and swish it around to get oil all over it. Cover (plate or plastic) and put in a warm place (85 degrees or so) and let the loaf rise until around double in size. If it doesn't feel warm to the touch before doing this, heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds (maybe 30).
Pull out of bowl onto the kneeding board and kneed a few seconds and form into a loaf shape and press down into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Cover, if desired, and place back in the warm place (85 degrees or so), and let rise until around doubled in size and put in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit 5 minutes and remove from pan and let cool thoroughly (a couple of hours) on a wire rack before slicing with a very sharp knife (the best way to slice bread is by forcing one end against a vertical surface by shoving at the other end of the loaf, during the entire slicing process). Refrigerate in a plastic bag and it will keep for weeks (if you can resist eating it all first!).
I also make this recipe with 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds instead of the millet and sesame seeds. Instead of the optional wheat germ and wheat bran, you could just double the amount of whole wheat flour.
12 oz. water, heated to warm in order to dissolve yeast
1 T active dry yeast (put this in the warm water, let dissolve 5 minutes or so)
Add the following:
1 teaspoon salt
3 T sugar
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk (if you prefer, just use milk instead of water and skip this)
1/3 cup untoasted wheat germ (Optional. I store this in the refrigerator for freshness).
1/3 cup wheat bran (Optional)
1/2 cup millet
1/2 cup sasame seeds
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1 raw egg
White flour (I get 50 lb. bags of bread flour at Costco!)
Mix these together in a mixing bowl, well and add white flour with a mixing spoon until thick enough to turn out on a floured kneeding board (a large cutting board will work). Scrape out most of what's left in the bowl onto the kneeding board. Kneed in more flour until the loaf is "smooth and elastic" and does not stick to the board. Continue to kneed for up to 5 minutes - this activates the gluten in the flour.
Put a 1/2 teaspoon or so of oil into the mixing bowl (You don't have to clean the bowl), and spread all around the bottom and up the sides, and toss the loaf into the bowl and swish it around to get oil all over it. Cover (plate or plastic) and put in a warm place (85 degrees or so) and let the loaf rise until around double in size. If it doesn't feel warm to the touch before doing this, heat it up in the microwave for a few seconds (maybe 30).
Pull out of bowl onto the kneeding board and kneed a few seconds and form into a loaf shape and press down into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Cover, if desired, and place back in the warm place (85 degrees or so), and let rise until around doubled in size and put in preheated 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven, let sit 5 minutes and remove from pan and let cool thoroughly (a couple of hours) on a wire rack before slicing with a very sharp knife (the best way to slice bread is by forcing one end against a vertical surface by shoving at the other end of the loaf, during the entire slicing process). Refrigerate in a plastic bag and it will keep for weeks (if you can resist eating it all first!).
I also make this recipe with 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds instead of the millet and sesame seeds. Instead of the optional wheat germ and wheat bran, you could just double the amount of whole wheat flour.