Fresh Ground 100 Percent Whole Wheat Bread

Update September, 2011 - My bread took first place at the fair!

Even kids who think they hate whole wheat bread love mine, and it is one hundred percent whole wheat, ground fresh daily by me!

If you’ve made whole wheat bread before, you’ll likely remember most recipes call for about six cups of flour to make two loaves… that’s why those loaves are so heavy and mine practically float on air!

I start with Prairie Gold hard spring wheat berries… I won’t use anything else, not even winter berries.  There’s a nifty little whole foods store over in Mulberry Arkansas, which is about an hour and a half away.  They’ll order in about anything you want in bulk.

 I have a hand crank Country Living Grain mill that I use to grind all my grain with, however we all know Jim spoils me rotten and he was kind enough to put a motor kit on it last year, so I will only ever hand crank that puppy again if the power is out!  Grinding grain is hard work… it’s like cutting wood! 

  

I grind my grain very fine, it’s much finer that whole wheat flour you buy at the grocery store.  My ingredients on the right:

Organic cane sugar, Kosher salt, instant acting yeast, an egg, oil or melted butter, your choice, vital wheat gluten, fresh ground flour, and water.

I use my bread machine to knead my dough, because it does a great job and it’s easier to use than my stand mixer. 

Add 1-1/2 cups of very warm water, the egg, 1/4 cup of oil or melted butter, 2 tablespoons of cane sugar, and about 2 teaspoons of the Kosher salt.

 

Next add 3 cups of the wheat flour, 3 tablespoons of vital wheat gluten… and do NOT leave the gluten out, it and the double kneading are what make this bread so light and fluffy. Make a well on top the flour and add 1 tablespoon of the yeast. 

 

Since I’m using my bread machine to knead the dough, I set it on the dough cycle.  Otherwise, just start mixing.  This needs to be a very wet dough, it’s way too sticky to handle with your hands.

Don’t add any more flour at this point unless your dough is a lot wetter than pictured below.  Fresh wheat absorbs a lot of water… a LOT!

What I do at this point is let the dough complete its kneading cycle, then I start the dough cycle all over again on the machine.  Otherwise, mix your dough, let it rest for 30 minutes, and mix it again.

Let it rise until doubled, and very, very carefully tip it out onto either your counter top or a cutting board that you’ve splashed water on.  The water is to keep the dough from sticking, you don’t want to add more flour or it will get dry, nor do you want to handle it roughly and knock all the gas bubbles out.

Carefully cut the dough in half.

Spray two 9’ x 5” bread pans with cooking spray or grease them.  Pick up each half and gently place it in the loaf pan.  You can shape it a bit, but I don’t bother much, I don’t want to disturb the gas bubbles.

Cover and let it rise until doubled in size. 

 

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until nice and golden in color. Let cool on racks.

If you slice the bread while it’s hot, you’ll ruin the crumb, so control yourself!  The flavor is actually much better once cooled anyway.

I added a closeup picture on the right so you could really see the texture (crumb) of the bread.  No denseness!  Most wheat bread you see gets pretty heavy looking at the bottom.

 

Top it with some peanut butter and homemade blackberry jam and you’re golden!

Now go make some for your family!  Enjoy! 

Comments

[Gay Jordan, Texas]

CJ...I have a Bosch mixer and it will easily knead whole wheat dough. I bought it before 1999 when I was learning all the natural things in case we had problems as some had predicted. The lady giving lessons used her mixer to make this bread and sell in to a natural store in Houston. I am gonna try your recipe. Mine does call for much more flour...and is very heavy.
Thanks for all of your great info from sewing to cooking!!!!!
I "met" you on the 830 list. lolol

[hilary mcdaniel]

OMG, slap my face. You did NOT show us how to do this. Now I'll be compelled to make homemade bread again. We recently bought an electric grinder so I have no excuse. I am so weak when it comes to homemade bread but my middle spreads faster than a rumor, so I stay away from it. You made it tooooooo easy. Your bread looks incredible.
Now on to finding the correct wheatberries. hilary

[Vivian]

My mouth is watering. Homemade bread is a downfall. When I make it, boy do I eat it. I have no control. I haven't thought to put it through the dough cycle twice.

[American Quilter's Society]

Pleeeeeeeease share. Pictures are so good I think I smell the aroma.