Whole Wheat Bread

Home made bread is the best!  Several years ago was at a very good friends home when I tried this bread.....I was so surprised that it was so tender being whole wheat! I wanted to pass on the sandwich makings and just eat the bread it was so good!  It takes a few extra steps but it is so worth it!!

one of the ingredients this recipe calls for is "Bakers caramel".  I didn't know what this was at first but did some searching and found that it is good for color and flavor in breads and gravies.  It is used mostly in the darker breads like rye and Pumpernickel.  I have included the recipe to make your own so you will never be with out it. 

 Come on and try baking some bread...it doesn't have to be a master piece...it just has to taste good!

Bakers Caramel:

1 c. packed brown sugar

2 T. water

1 c. boiling water

Place sugar and 2 T. water in a heavy skillet and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.  

Add one cup boiling water and simmer 7 minutes.  

Pour into a heat resistant glass jar and store in refrigerator.

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Wheat Bread

2 c. hot water

1 T. sugar

2 ½ T. yeast

1 c. white flour

2 ½ tsp. salt

3 T. honey

3 T. brown sugar

5 T. olive oil

1-2 T. bakers caramel (the more you add, the darker your bread will be)

4-5 c. whole wheat flour

Combine water, sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to activate yeast. 

Add white flour, salt, honey, brown sugar, oil, Bakers Caramel and 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour. 

Mix well and let sit for 15 minutes.  

Gradually add remaining wheat flour ( remember, you may not need all of the remaining flour, so add one cup and mix it in and then add half  a cup more and see if you need more) until dough is soft and a little sticky. Knead 10 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise 45 minutes to one hour or until double.   

Remove dough from bowl onto a slightly floured surface.  Divide dough in half. 

Shape into loaves and place in greased bread pans. (Every one has their way of shaping the dough into a loaf....this is just one way to do it......... I like to just use my hands and pat it out so it's a little longer than the pan and about one and a forth wider than the pan.)

start rolling up on the long side.........

tuck the ends under........

Place in the greased pans top side down then roll right side up to grease the top....the seam side should be down with a lovely loaf sitting in the pan....don't worry if it's not perfect, no one will care about that when they smell it baking and are eating a warm slice of it!

Cover and let rise 45 minutes to one hour until double.......

 Place in oven and bake at 375 degree oven for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10 more minutes or until tops are well browned.  To test loaves, tap on top.  If the sound is hollow they are ready.  

Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

If you would like you can rub the tops of the bread with butter.......

Yeah!!! you did it!!!  Now if your family is like mine, one loaf will disappear right after it comes out of the oven.......all you need is a little jam and every one will be happy!

My husband actually made this jam!!  Strawberry blueberry!!!..... Wish the kids were here to have a piece of bread and jam and sit and laugh with us!

© Nancy Rappleye 2011