Jamis' recipe for homemade whole wheat bread

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe.txt

Jamis' Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients
(Pardon the mixed metric/imperial units. I'm a product of my time.)

    450 g  warm water
    450 g  milk
     1 tbl apple cider vinegar
     1 tbl shortening

     2 tbl yeast (active dry or instant)

  1060 g   whole wheat flour
   0.5 c   sugar
   0.5 c   potato flakes
   0.5 c   vital wheat gluten
     2 tsp salt

Yields two 1kg loaves

Instructions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water and vineager.
     If using ACTIVE DRY YEAST, add the yeast to the water now as
     well, and stir to dissolve. (If using instant yeast, see next
     step.) Add shortning.

  2. In a separate bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, potato flakes, and
     gluten. If using INSTANT YEAST, add the yeast to the flour mixture.
     Stir dry ingredients until mixed.

  3. Install dough hook on stand mixer, and set to "stir". Add milk
     to yeast mixture. Add flour mixture a cup at a time, then let mix
     for 5 minutes on "stir".

  4. Turn dough out onto a clean counter. It should be slightly tacky
     to the touch, but not terribly sticky. (If it is sticky, use
     slightly less water next time, or add more flour--you may need to
     experiment depending on your ambient humidity and/or altitude--
     but you want the dough more wet than dry.)

  5. Knead dough by hand until it begins to tear as you knead it, about
     3-5 more minutes.

  6. Return dough to bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a
     warm place (I preheat my oven to 350°F and set the bowl on top
     of the stove). Wait until the dough expands roughly double, about
     15 to 20 minutes.

  7. Turn dough out onto counter and knead again just until it starts to
     tear, about 3-5 minutes.

  8. Return dough to bowl and cover again. Let it sit in a warm place
     until doubled, another 15 minutes or so. (It will rise faster this
     time.)

  9. Turn dough out onto counter and divide into two equal portions.
     (Each portion should weigh roughly 1kg, unless you added more flour
     or used less water.)

 10. Knead each loaf briefly, then form into loaves and add to greased
     bread pans. Press each loaf flat so that it fills the plan.

 11. Cover loaves with a dish towel and let rise another 20 minutes, or
     until they have risen (at their highest point) about an inch above
     the rim of the bread pan.

 12. Bake at 350°F for 27 minutes.

 13. Turn out immediately onto cooling rack and brush the top of each
     loaf with butter or margarine. (This makes the crust nice and
     tender.)

 14. Cool completely before placing in plastic bread bags. If you don't
     intend to use them within a few days, you should freeze them.
     They'll keep nicely in the freezer for a week or two.


NOTES:

  1. Do not simply substitute white for wheat flour. This recipe is
     specifically for whole wheat. If you want to use white, you should
     find another recipe, or be willing to experiment with this one
     until you find the right proportions.

  2. If you don't have a kitchen scale, GET ONE. It makes all the
     difference in having recipes turn out consistently.