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Karen's Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Karen's Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

This is an original recipe that I've made many times ever since my 4-H days. It's a winner every time.

Equipment

  • Kitchen Aid or other heavy duty mixer with a dough hook

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees F.)
  • 2 Tbsp (pkgs) active dry yeast
  • 3 Tbsp sugar
  • 4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup oil or stick margarine, softened
  • 1/3 cup homey, molasses, or brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dry powdered milk
  • 4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (about)

Instructions
 

  • Mix water (105-115) and yeast. Add sugar, salt, margarine, honey, and milk.  Stir flours together.
  • Beat in half the flour till smooth and batter falls in sheets from a wooden spoon.  Add enough flour to make a soft dough.  Knead ten minutes, until smooth.
  • Let rise in warm place till double in bulk, about 1 hour.  Punch down, shape into loaves, place in two greased 9x5 pans.  Let rise till double, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 400 degrees25-30 minutes.  Turn out on wire racks and grease tops.

Notes

Note that you can use either honey, brown sugar, or molasses, depending on the taste you want to give the bread and what you have on hand.
For years, I've used powdered milk because it was easy and cheaper than liquid milk. If you don't have powdered milk, don't go buy it special for this. Soften your yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Heat 1 3/4 cup milk in the microwave till just tepid (about 1 minute)
I sometimes add an egg for extra protein. If you add an egg, reduce your water and milk combination to a total of 2 cups.