SUCCESSFULL HOMEMADE WHEAT BREAD!

So, sorry no picture, but I have to write about this for my own looking back sake. I have been putting off making bread for so long (even though I have really wanted to), because I hear so many horror stories about it and how it's different every time and how dry it is or crumbly or just doesn't taste good.

Well, I got my mom's recipe via my older sister Cara, because my mom says Cara's bread turns out better. I bought 400lbs. of white wheat which I heard has the same amount of nutrients as red wheat but just has a lighter flavor. Anyway, I ground a bunch at my friends house and made it from the freshly ground flour. I followed Cara's recipe almost exactly except for a few things. And I have to say......... IT IS INCREDIBLE! It's too good. That is all I want to eat and I can feel those carb packed pounds piling on but it is so tempting. It is so chewy and moist and dense. I don't like fluffy airy bread. I like it heavy and dense. And that is exactly how this turned out. It has such a good flavor and there is absolutely no crumbling or crusting or flaking! I have done it now the same twice. I will keep my fingers crossed. I will say this....... the bread doesn't look quite as good as it tastes. That is something I majorly need to practice. The loaves look pretty sad, but I guess I don't really care as long as it tastes good.

So, here is the recipe according to Cara and I wrote near it how I changed it.

Nona's Wheat Bread

5 cups warm water (not so hot that you can't touch it)
3 Tbsp yeast
2 Tbsp salt
2/3 cup honey
2/3 oil ( she uses canola, I used olive: I think that is what made it so moist)
I do 1/3 oil then 1/3 honey etc. so the honey doesn't stick to the measuring cup

Turn the Bosch on for a few second just to mix it up then let that sit and goo for a while, maybe 10-15 minutes, until it start to look really bubbly and smell yeasty. Put the flour guard lid on, turn the Bosch on 1 and add all the wheat flour first. I've been doing 9 cups (I added 10). Then add about 2 1/2 cups white flour (I only did 2 white), just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the Bosch to 2 and let it knead for 10 minutes. I check it after about a minute because sometimes I haven't put enough flour and the dough isn't staying together, it's spreading up the sides of the bowl. When 10 min. is up turn it off, prop the lid slightly open and let it rise until its about 2 inches above the top of the bowl. ( I only let it rise until it's beneath the top of the bowl) In the meantime grease 5 loaf pans with shortening and use plenty.

When the bread is done rising I pour a puddle of oil on the counter about the size of a softball, get some on my hands and pull the dough out of the bowl onto the counter. I just kind of rub it around until it's all covered with oil. Then I divide it into the loaf pans, cover them with towels and let them raise again. After about 20 min. I turn the oven on to 350, 15-20 min later I put the bread in all at the same time and cook it for about 27 minutes. As soon as it's done I run a cube of better over the top of each loaf, just enough to soften it up a little.
( I did this part different. I preheated the oven right after I put the dough in the pans and set the pans on the oven with a towel over them while they raised. I only let them raise for about 15-20 min total and only until they were again beneath the top of the pans. I then cooked them on 300 for about 30-35 minutes.)

DELICIOUS!