Whole Wheat Bread

Handmade Canadian Whole Wheat Bread

Stir this dough with a wooden spoon (or a Dutch dough whisk) and knead by hand the old-fashioned way.

• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 2 Tbsp sugar or honey
• 1 Tbsp traditional dry yeast
• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup white flour plus more
• canola, olive or other cooking oil

1. Put 2 cups warm water in a large glass or ceramic bowl and stir in the sugar or honey  until dissolved.
2. Sprinkle the yeast into the water. Wait 5-10 minutes for yeast to activate.
3. Stir in 2 cups whole-wheat flour with wooden mixing spoon until no big lumps remain.
4. Add the rest of the flour little by little, mixing well. Stir until dough is the consistency of cake batter and the spoon will stand up on its own in the middle of the bowl for a couple of seconds before falling over.
5. Cover bowl with a damp lint-free dishtowel and set bowl in a warm place (around 76-80 degrees F) to rise at least 2 hours.
6. Add salt to 1/2 cup white flour and mix in. Add as much white flour as the dough will take, mixing it in until dough forms a ball and stops sticking to your hands.
7. Thoroughly oil a loaf pan.
8. Sprinkle countertop or wooden board with flour. Knead 5-15 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding white flour as necessary to keep the dough from becoming sticky.
9. Form the dough into a loaf shape. Put dough in the loaf pan bottom side up, then turn to oil all around.
10. Set back in a warm 76-80 degrees F place and allow to rise again, 45- 60 minutes until loaf is fully rised to the size it will be when baked.
11. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
12. Bake loaf 30-35 minutes.
13. Let loaf cool in pan on a rack until you can safely handle it, then turn out loaf onto the rack let loaf cool on a wire rack 30 minutes at least before slicing.

The following recipes use a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour for a bread that's light in texture and made in a stand mixer.

Stand Mixer Single Loaf Whole Wheat Bread:

• 1-3/4 cups water at 110 degrees F
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1-1/8 tsp traditional dry yeast
• 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1-3/4 cups all purpose white flour
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp melted butter or margarine
• 1-1/2 tsp salt

In a two-cup measure, stir 1 tsp brown sugar into 1-3/4 cups water at 100 degrees F.

Sprinkle 1-1/4 tsp yeast over top.

Let stand 5 minutes, then stir. Let stand 5 minutes.

In mixer bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour and 1-1/2 tsp. salt.

Mix in yeast mixture, then melted butter.

Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 20 minutes.

Add 1-3/4 cups white flour, mix with kneading hook at least 5 minutes.

Or if mixed by hand, knead by hand on floured counter until smooth, about 20-30 minutes.

Place in greased container, cover and let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled.

Punch down, form into loaf and place in greased loaf pan.

Cover and let rise again 1-1/2 hours.

Bake in preheated 400 degrees F oven for 20-30 minutes.

Two Loaves Whole Wheat Bread:

• 3-1/2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 pkg. yeast or 2-1/4 tsp.
• 3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp melted butter
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 3 cups white flour

4 Loaves Whole Wheat Bread Original Recipe: Stir and Hand-Knead

• 7 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsps traditional dry yeast (or 2 pkgs.)
• 7 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup melted margarine
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 7 cups white flour

In very large bowl, mix sugar and warm water, sprinkle yeast over, let stand 10 minutes, stir.

Mix in whole wheat flour, margarine and salt.

Add white flour, mix.

Turn on floured counter, knead.

Place in large greased container, cover and let rise 1-1/2 to 2 hours

Punch down, shape, place in 4 greased loaf pans. 

Cover and let rise 1-1/2 hours.

Bake at 400 degrees F 20-30 minutes.

Yields 4 loaves.