I have not purchased bread in 2 years. Really, it’s true except for a loaf of baguette I recently bought for a recipe test, and the occasional Dutchie Crust Rolls I get at Canfora Bakery when I make some kind of pulled meat for a crowd. Bread making has been a task that, once mastered, has been a integral part of my kitchen life. It is something I consider therapeutic, an essential component to my well-being; it’s also something that makes me proud in the most humble way. To provide a healthy, preservative-free staple for my family on a regular basis is worthy of my pride.
active dry yeast.
Sometimes that pride is knocked back a healthy amount when I have a flop, but after becoming a weekly, at-home yeast baker, I can’t say that I could ever go back to buying my daily bread. A year ago, I grew a wild yeast culture, a full Wisconsin sourdough, out of grapes growing on my Parents’ farm. I have only just now stopped traveling with it when I go out of town (sadly, I am not joking), since I feel that it has grown up healthy from everyday feedings, and it has entered that adolescent stage that requires me to let go a little. I never thought I’d be able to bake with a wild thing like that yeast, but with a good amount of perseverance, I not only was able, I feel that I am finally proficient.
end of first rise.
Wild yeast breads take a day or more of building, something that when practiced becomes second nature. But when I’ve been gone from home a few days, and I haven’t fed my teen-aged culture and I need a good loaf of bread, lately I’ve been turning to this 100% whole wheat sandwich loaf. To a new bread maker, it may seem like a lot of work (it really isn’t) – and to a seasoned sourdough baker, it feels like a welcome break. The dough is mixed, kneaded, rested, formed, rested again and then baked, and the result from some casual work is a whole wheat bread that is not at all dense, but slightly sweet, fairly soft, and a pretty good keeper. And, it passes my strict requirements of the ability to become great toast.
kneaded dough, rolling into a loaf, pinching the bottom closed, pressing into a loaf pan.
If you are a new bread baker and could use some tips, just one of my favorite sources is King Arthur Flour. Their staff is so dedicated to dough that they will chat with you live on the telephone, or promptly answer your email. I actually use King Arthur all purpose and high protein bread flour regularly – but I recently got a great deal on 50 pounds of high protein 100% wheat flour when it was on sale at Outpost. The organic flour I got was milled at (a Wisconsin company) Great River Organic Milling, from grain grown in the Northern Plains. When I got my 50 lb. sack, I panicked at the thought of using the whole bag before it got old… my freezers both way too full to accommodate that much flour. After I started adding this delicious bread into my baking life however, I instantly reassured myself that I’ll use it in plenty of time.
end of 2nd rise: time to bake.
This recipe is from King Arthur Flour. I feel that is it pretty fool-proof, after making it several times now. I usually bake by weight (since I’m a geek like that), but today I measured only using the volume measurements and it worked out just as well. I find a nice place to raise bread in the cooler months is in my oven with the oven light on: it creates a warm environment, without being too hot. When it’s time to heat the oven to bake, I leave the loaf to finish rising on top of the oven where the residual heat from warming the oven naturally rises. (You might need to temper this by letting your loaf pan rest on an insulating bed of kitchen towels, depending on your oven / stove top set-up.) I also mix my breads using a stand mixer. You can mix and knead the dough by hand if you prefer.
Be sure to visit the King Arthur Flour website to discover their tips for a perfect loaf as well.
100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour)
yield: 1 loaf
1 to 1 1/4 c. lukewarm water
2 1/2 t. active dry yeast (or 1 packet dry yeast)
1/4 c. vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)
1/4 c. honey
3 1/2 c. high protein whole wheat flour
1/4 c. nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 t. salt
Add all ingredients in order listed to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook (or a large bowl if working by hand), using only a scant 1 c. of water to start. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together and forms a ball (or stir with a sturdy spoon until this happens and then knead by hand). Knead for about 5 minutes the the dough hook until the dough forms a soft, cohesive ball. Add additional water to correct the dough if needed.
Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours. (Whole wheat dough never really “doubles” in bulk, so look for it to be noticeably puffy, and about 1 ½ times its original size.)
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and press gently into a flat rectangle. Roll tightly, trying not to be too rough, but still being firm, into a loaf about 8 inches long, and gently pinch the bottom seam shut. Place the loaf in a greased loaf pan seam side down (use butter or shortening to grease the pan, oil will cause it to stick), cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise until the center has crowned about 1″ above the rim of the pan, about 1 hour. This rise can take longer if the loaf is not placed in a somewhat warm place, I let it rise in the oven with the warm oven light on for 30 minutes, then I move it to the top of the stove as I preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350.
Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning if needed. (If you use a light colored pan, as I do, you may not need to do this at all. Darker pans make darker baked goods, it’s good to remember that!) The finished loaf will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center. If you are going on looks, the loaf should be deep golden colored and should feel heavy for it’s size. After removing the bread from the oven, let it rest only a minute or two in the pan, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Once cooled and cut, store any leftovers in a plastic bag at room temperature.
If you were curious enough to try the dinner rolls I told you about last week, this loaf bread is a natural progression of yeast bakery, I think. When the loaves of bread start to tumble from your hands effortlessly, and your kitchen experiments tend always to include some form of bread, this is when you’ll know that you have started to become a baker. Also comforting is the knowledge that this is age-old wisdom, and it is there for you to discover, no matter how scared you may be on the onset. So don’t be afraid of the yeast, be persistent, and you will be rewarded!
