A Whole Wheat Bread Success Story

Flushed with success over my recent attempt to make the dough for Seven-Grain Bread in the bread machine [see the post “A Picnic by the River”], I decided to try a recipe for whole-wheat bread. This is another recipe from the same old favorite cookbook, THE HUNGRY HIKER’S BOOK OF GOOD COOKING. I found that the whole wheat recipe needed a lot more adapting before the dough could be made in the machine, but the adjustments I made worked well. It really helped that -- unlike the last time I attempted this procedure -- I was at home when the dough cycle ended. The beautifully risen and kneaded dough was a joy to form into loaves. The finished bread was absolutely wonderful! I’m going to share the recipe as I adapted it -- don’t try this without a machine, as the proportions are quite different. (If someone really, really wants to try this and doesn’t have a bread machine, let me know and I’ll be happy to share the original recipe.)

WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD
1 7/8 cup lukewarm water
2 Tablespoons margarine, room temperature
1/3 to 1/2 cup molasses
1 Tblsp. salt
1/3 cup dry milk
3 cups whole-wheat flour (I used the white whole wheat from King Arthur)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup wheat germ
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in pan of bread machine in order listed. Select the Dough setting. (In my machine this takes 1 hour 30 minutes.) When dough cycle finishes, turn dough out on floured surface. Punch down and knead slightly; then form into 2 loaves. Place each in a greased 8-inch loaf pan. Let rise in a warm place until the loaves rise no more than 1/2 inch above the rims of the pans. Bake at 375ºF. for 35 minutes or until done. Remove bread from pans and cool on a rack.

The author also suggests making this dough into hamburger-bun size rolls by dividing the dough in half and then dividing each half into 7 equal pieces. Form pieces into round shapes and flatten them to a 1-inch height. Place on greased cookie sheets. They can be placed closed enough that they almost touch, which they will when they bake. Bake for 30 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool on racks and separate the rolls after they are cooled. (I have not tried this, but it sounds like a super idea!)