Hearty Whole Grain Basil Bread Food

HEARTY WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Stir water and yeast together and let set for a minute.
• Add everything up to the bread flour, plus 1 cup of the bread flour. Beat by hand to combine, then use dough hooks and finish beating for 2 minutes.
• Add more of the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until you have a nice, manageable dough.
• Turn out and knead for 2 minutes, then cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough, about 10 minutes. Put back in bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled.
• Punch dough down and shape into 2 loaves. Place in well greased pans (I use Pam). Let rise to the top of the pans.
• With a very sharp knife, make two slashes about 1/2" deep on each loaf.
• Bake at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes.

HEARTY WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve the salt in the water.
• Add the honey and canola oil, mix well to completely dissolve.
• Add the eggs and mix well.
• Add 1-2 cups of the bread flour, mix until good and sloppy.
• Add the yeast, and mix well.
• Add the remainder of the bread flour, mixing well.
• Add in the wheat germ and then the whole wheat flour, a cup at a time, until difficult to mix with a spoon.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface (use any remaining whole wheat flour for your surface) and continue to mix and knead until all the flour is incorporated.
• Knead for 10-15 minutes, until dough is uniformly smooth, and bounces back at you when you press it. The firmness resembles a nerf ball, and the surface at this point should be tacky (like a post-it note) but not sticky enough to adhere to your hands.
• Pour a little bit of oil in your empty bowl, and coat all sides. Put the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with the oil.
• Cover the bowl (with a large plate, or with plastic wrap) and set it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, for approximately 60-90 minutes. If you used instant yeast the rising time will be shorter than for active dry yeast.
• Punch down dough and remove from bowl to floured surface.
• Knead briefly to incorporate oil.
• Form into two loaves, or into 24 dinner rolls or bread sticks.
• Put bread back in your warm spot, covered with plastic wrap, to rise again, another 45-60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake loaves for 30 minutes, rolls or bread sticks for 10-12 minutes, until golden on the crust.
• Cool on racks.
• Freezes well.

100% WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Place the first five ingredients in the bowl and mix.
• Add: 2 Cups 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour. (to cool the water and end up with warm dough) Mix then add 2 Tbs of Dry Active Yeast. If your not sure about your yeast proof it in a little warm water first.
• Add: 4 Cups of 100% Whole Grain Wheat Flour.
• Mix until the consistency is some what even. Then continue to slowly add flour 1/2 Cup at a time until the dough quits sticking to the sides of the bowl. It should be tacky to the touch. The trick is to have enough consistency to stand up with the least amount of flour so the bread will be fluffy. It will most likely be 6 1/2 cups but in any case do not exceed 7 1/2 cups of wheat flour. You can trade one cup of wheat flour for one cup of all purpose white if you wish. Don't over mix or the bread will be tough.
• When your dough is finished, leave it in the mixer, cover the bowl and let it rise for about 30-45 minutes. The dough will be larger but it doesn't need to double.
• Grease two bread pans with Crisco. You can also flour the pans to reduce sticking.
• Mix the dough again just enough to knock it down at least close to the original size.
• Drop the dough on a floured surface so you can work the dough and shape it. Shape it with your hands to make a nice ball getting enough flour on it so it isn't sticky. Divide the ball in half and do it again. Shape the loaves by turning the dough under it's self over and over. When the dough is shaped the sides and ends will be sealed and all you will see is a nice oblong shaped loaf with smooth sides and top. Drop the loaves in your bread pans and let them rise until almost doubled. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 36 minutes. If you forgot to preheat 41 minutes. (gas oven).
• When done turn the bread out of the pan to a rack to cool. You can eat it right away (a great time for real butter) don't wrap it until completely cooled. (Condensation will make it soggy) Put in tinfoil to store on the counter. If you put it in the refrigerator it will turn into a brick. Enjoy.

HEARTY WHOLE GRAIN BASIL BREAD

Steps:

• Soak millet in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 minutes, set aside.
• In a separate bowl add 1/2 cup warm water and sprinkle yeast inches Add 2 teaspoons of honey and whisk together until combined. Set aside for 10 minutes, or until foamy/frothy.
• In a separate bowl add flours and salt and whisk together. Once yeast is ready, pour yeast into a mixing bowl fitted with dough hook. Add melted butter, 1 1/2 cups warm water, and 3 TB maple syrup. Mix until combined. Then add 3 cups of flour mix. Mix on low speed until smooth. Then add in millet (plus water in bowl), and the rest of the seeds/oats, and basil.
• Mix at low speed until combined. Then add remaining flour until dough is combined and somewhat smooth.
• On a floured surface kneed dough for about 5 minutes until a smooth ball forms.
• Place dough in greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for an hour or so. (I did about 1 1/2 hours).
• When dough has risen, punch it down. T hen divide dough into about 6 or 7 balls. Form balls and place on cookie sheet fitted with a cooking mat(or parchment paper).
• Take your egg white, and add a little water, and brush the tops of the dough balls. Then cover baking sheet with plastic and let dough sit for about another 1 1/2 hours to rise.
• Pre heat oven to 400 degrees, and when the dough is ready, bake for about 22-25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through.
• Try not to pass out of excitement due to the most amazing smell that will fill your house!
• Pull out of the oven...and smile!
• (Don't forget to brush with more butter straight out of the oven!