8.7.10 Honey Wheat Bread

Since I made two types of cupcakes last week, I decided that I could skip a week & bake something else instead; I chose to make Honey Wheat Bread  from All Recipes.  I've made this bread once before, and it is a very forgiving recipe.  It seems like you can alter the amounts of flour & honey with success.  The only thing that I should mention is that although the recipe says that it makes 3 loaves, I seem to only get 2 loaves out of it, which is fine with me because we don't go through bread that quickly.  Since homemade bread doesn't last very long, I took one of the loaves after it had risen, punched it down, wrapped it in foil, placed it in a freezer bag, & then froze the loaf for later use.  When I was ready to bake the loaf, I put it in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  Then, I let the loaf rise (I sit it outside with a tea towel over it...it's nice & hot here in NC) and baked it according to the directions.  Steve thought that this second loaf tasted a bit drier than the 1st.  It may have to do with the freezing, but it may also be that I baked it a couple of minutes longer.  It's still good, though, and if you've never baked bread from scratch, this is a great recipe to start with!

Honey Wheat Bread

On a side note, a thick slice of this bread with a generous helping of local honey spread on top is beyond DELICIOUS!  The honey soaks into the bread making it great for breakfast or dessert (Steve figured this one out...nice!).

Simple Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey (I was a little heavy handed with the honey & it tasted great)
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup honey (again, I was heavy handed)
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly (make sure you don't use too hot of water because it'll kill the yeast & your bread won't rise).
2. Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
3. Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely