Whole Wheat Bread | cooking ala mel

The last time we went grocery shopping, we were able to get everything we needed from Aldi.. all except for the double fiber bread that I usually get. Because I couldn’t justify going to another store just for one item, I decided I’d try to make my own bread that is just as delicious.

I wanted to make sure it had a decent bit of fiber, so I added both wheat germ and wheat bran, for some fiber and nutty flavor. Because it’s made of whole wheat flour only, it didn’t rise as much as you might expect, lending to a slightly more dense bread, but the flavor is fantastic. You can’t beat fresh, homemade bread.

I always forget how easy it is to make bread. Sure, it’s slightly time consuming, when you consider the two rising times, but the hands on time is only about 15 minutes.

15 minutes for crusty, delicious, homemade bread? I think I’m going to have to make this a lot more often.

The recipe makes two loaves, but if you know you aren’t going to eat two loaves, you can take the other half of the dough when you split it and freeze it. Then all you’ll have to do is let it defrost in the fridge, bring it to room temperature, form it into a loaf and let it rise again before you bake it. I did that. I’m probably going to need to make it before the week is over, I’m sure.. yum.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for a quart of Tropical Tradition’s Gold Label Coconut Oil!

Whole Wheat Bread
makes 2 loaves
1 cup warm water
2 t active dry yeast
1 t honey
1 cup milk (I used lactose-free, fat-free)
2 T coconut oil, melted
4 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 cup wheat germ/wheat bran mix (roughly half of each)
1 T + 1 t Swerve Sweetener (or sugar)
1 T salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the honey in the warm water. Stir in the yeast, and allow to sit for about 5 minutes, until the yeast is foamy. Add in the melted coconut oil and milk; stir. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, wheat bran/wheat germ, Swerve, and salt. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the yeast mixture while running your stand mixer at low speed fitted with a dough hook. Knead using the dough hook until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add flour, 1 T at a time, until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl.

Transfer the dough into a large oiled bowl, cover with a towel (or oiled plastic wrap), and allow to rise in a warm place, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface, and divide into two pieces. With each piece, form the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball, and shape into a rectangle. Fold one third of the rectangle down, and then fold the other third on top of it (like you would with a letter). Pinch the seams closed. Fold this again in half, lengthwise, and pinch the seams closed. Turn the loaf over, seam side down, and place into a parchment lined or well greased loaf pan.

Cover the dough with the towel (or oiled plastic wrap) again, and allow to rise until it comes over the edges of the loaf pan, about 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF while the dough is rising. Once risen, slash the dough with a sharp knife down the center. Place the loaf into the oven, and lower the temperature to 375ºF. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until deeply golden on top.

Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, remove, and cool on a wire rack completely before slicing. Keep well wrapped at room temperature (you can freeze it for a few months, too).

Note: If you’re unsure of how to fold the loaf, here’s a great tutorial over at The Kitchn.

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