Whole Wheat Bread
I am back from vacation, well not exactly vacation. It is bit confusing. Let me explain. It was supposed to be vacation but turned out to be one from hell. First the flight that was supposed to land around 11:00 pm landed around 2:00 am, then another 2 hours in plane due to bad weather. Finally made it out of plane guess what, everything coming into the airport was blocked. That wasn’t the worst part of all. There wasn’t a single hotel with rooms available. Wait for it here comes the best part, rented car from Budget Car Rental and while I was napping my friend decided that wasn’t the right car and got it exchanged along with my stuff in it. Then comes calling to Budget, they were closed for weekend and on week days they were not interested in picking up the phone or even calling me back. Alas a phone call from budget just before my flight back to SLC to inform me that we returned the empty car even though my friend saw the GPS in the car and thought it belonged to the rental when returning the car. Lesson learned never renting car from budget ever again.
With all this hassle on vacation all I wanted was to relax when I came home. So I challenged myself to make a bread. Followed the recipe to exact and something wonderful happened. My house was smelling of fresh bread and that made me so happy. The bread was dense, soft and amazing.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 ¾ cups hot water (130 ° F.)
- ¾ Tbsp salt
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 ½ Tbsp Dough Enhancer
- 1 ½ Tbsp SAF Instant Yeast*
- 6-7 cups freshly ground whole wheat flour
- Mill about 6 cups of wheat in the Nutrimill on the medium setting.
- Add water, honey, oil, Dough Enhancer, salt and four cups of whole wheat flour to the Bosch Compact mixing bowl. Knead on speed 2.
- Add the yeast, and the remaining flour, until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl (the amount of flour used will depend on the moisture content of the wheat and other factors). Knead until the gluten is properly developed (12 – 18 minutes, depending on the protein content of wheat).
- Oil hands; remove dough from mixer, shape into loaves, and place in well-greased pans (use hand shortening). Let rise until double in size.
- Bake at 350 ° F. for 35 – 45 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and let cool on wire rack. Makes two, 24 oz. loaves.
Note: *If using regular yeast, and yeast after water, honey, oil, dough enhancer and salt is added to mixing bowl. Let dough rest 10 minutes to allow yeast to proof.
August 4th, 2011 at 12:28 am
Oh my goodness… not only one, but consecutively things went wrong… I’m sorry to hear things didn’t go smoothly. But your “pay back” bread making was SUPER success! Look at our whole wheat bread… so beautiful! Moist inside and looks like bread from a fancy restaurant! Hope you are relaxing a bit now…with this nice bread.
August 4th, 2011 at 6:13 am
So sorry to hear about all these problems…well, your bread is gorgeous…then who cares about the rest? ;D
August 4th, 2011 at 7:12 am
What a stunning crumb, the slices all look so soft! I haven’t made bread in a while since it’s been so hot, but I think suffering through a bit of heat would be worth it for a loaf like this.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:14 am
It really was worth Hannah, specially the smell in the house it was just so amazing.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:14 am
Thank you Cristina, bread did make up for it.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:16 am
Thank you Nami, I was glad to be home and smell of fresh baked bread floating around the house acted like relaxing agent.
August 4th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
My gawd, sounds like a nightmare. But at least the whole wheat bread round up everything in a good way. I would have another nightmare baking the bread if I were in your shoes.
August 4th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Oh no! You went through a horrible time! I’m so very sorry for everything you went through on your vacation! I can understand why you were glad to be home so you could relax and try to recuperate after everything you had been through.
And I do so much totally understand that the smell of fresh baked bread can make you happy and lift up your spirits.
Your bread turned out beautifully, and you made such a wonderful photo of it. The bread is making my mouth water!
Congratulations on such a wonderful loaf, and I hope the nightmare of your vacation will soon be forgotten! 
August 5th, 2011 at 8:41 am
Thank you Tigerfish, Baking bread is a nightmare for me too but I need something to challenge me to relax and luckily the bread must have felt bad for me so it came out great.
August 5th, 2011 at 8:44 am
Awaaaaa Sheila, you made my day with such a warm and sweet comment. I hope to forget it soon too and hopefully noone will have to go through it. But with comment like yours I don’t mind going through it
August 5th, 2011 at 9:47 am
I love homemade bread! You have done a perfect job in creating such a healthy and tasty loaf!
August 5th, 2011 at 11:02 am
Thank you Angie.
August 8th, 2011 at 4:14 am
Hell yes, i want write something like this whether it be not that didnt bring forth time, may i repost this » Whole Wheat Bread – Sensible Cooking by Chandani
August 9th, 2011 at 7:56 am
Oh my goodness Chandani – your bread looks like on hecll of a professional looking job and you chose to do this after the stresses of a vacation???? WOW!
I really love how yours looks. I haven’t fixed some in ages
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
August 9th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Oh Devaki I had lot os professional help and I stuck to every part of instruction. That is why it looks that great. I got professional help with with photos.
August 9th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
I have never considered making bread at home…I am intrigued!
August 9th, 2011 at 3:13 pm
I know @ alittleyum. I never try this stunt myself often but when I came back from Chicago I had to do something I normally wouldn’t.
August 10th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Oh! Sorry about your vacation…it sure seems that is was not a pleasant one
The bread looks delicious, light and nice texture. I too love the smell of the bread in the oven.
Hope you are having a great week Chandani
August 11th, 2011 at 8:50 am
Thank you Juliana. I am having great week now that I am back.
August 11th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Gorgeous bread!! Looks amazing.
August 12th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Thank you Caroline.
August 15th, 2011 at 8:22 pm
So sorry to hear about the yucky cars…but so glad to see this bread! Thank you for sharing your words and pictures, my friend. I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow. I’m enjoying your post with a big bowl of watermelon. Just perfect. Much love and many blessings from Austin!
August 16th, 2011 at 9:06 am
Thank you Monet. You always know how to make me feel better and special. And what a coincidence I am also drinking watermelon juice and enjoyed a bowl full of it last night.
August 20th, 2011 at 12:01 am
sorry about your trip, we have also had trouble with budget..sucked!! ahh I can imagine how lovely your home smelled freshed baked bread is so soothing. glad you back!! HUGS!
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:34 am
Thank you Bonnie, So I am not the only one with bad experience with Budget car rental. Your hugs made my day