Here is a guide you are welcome to save that goes over the very basics of the types of whole grains you need in your kitchen and why. I hope you find it useful!
Whole Grain Cheat Sheet
whole grains
Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Bread
This recipe is for soft whole grain sandwich bread! Milled with 100% whole grain hard wheat, it is a delicious & nutritious bread!
This recipe calls for hard white wheat due to preference. I have also had great results with hard red wheat. The key is using a hard wheat as this is a yeast bread.
The two keys, in my opinion, to soft whole grain bread are kneading long enough and using an egg. It is difficult to overknead whole grain bread. I knead one loaf in my KitchenAid about 12-14 minutes on low.
The egg used provides a natural form of lecithin. Lecithin improved gluten structure, helped bread stay together but also rise higher. It is a must!
Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Bread
Soft sandwich bread made with 100% whole grains!
Ingredients
- 392 grams of hard white wheat berries (2 1/4 cups of grain)
- 1 1/4 cups of warm water (not too hot it will kill yeast)
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 TBSP vital wheat gluten (optional)
Instructions
- Mill your grain. Add wheat gluten if using and mix. Remove about 1/4 of the flour and set aside.
- Add yeast to warm water. Let your yeast bloom. Once it has bloomed, add it the the 3/4 flour to your mixing bowl as well as water and yeast. Combine and cover. Let it rest 20-30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl combine oil, honey, salt, and egg. Mix well.
- When your dough is done resting, add oil mixture as well as the rest of the flour. Add dough hook and let it knead 8 minutes and check it. Time needed depends on your mixer. In my KitchenAid, I knead anywhere from 10-20 minutes. You should be able to pinch a bit of dough and pull and it stretch about 2 inches before breaking off. The dough will be wet. Avoid the desire to add more flour!
- Once you have a good stretch, scrape the sides down and cover. Let it double in size. This may take 35 minutes to an hour depending on the warmth of your kitchen. You may also let it rise overnight in the refrigerator. This produces a favorable texture as well.
- Once doubled, transfer to a greased or lined 9x5 bread pan. Let it rise 35-45 minutes. You want it to rise above the pan, but not spill over the sides.
- Bake at 375° F for 24-28 minutes. Check it at 24. Let cool and slice.