Easy Homemade Wheat Bread

I came upon this recipe through the food buying coop that I belong to, so I cannot take the credit for how easy and yummy it is. Before I began grinding my own wheat berries, I made this recipe with store bought wheat flour. Whether you grind your wheat berries or use store wheat flour, this is a cheap method to making wholesome bread. I used to pay at least $3.50, sometimes $4.00 for organic wheat bread, and it still contained lethicin, sugar, and other fillers! But now I can make wholesome bread right at home, even while we are doing school!

It is helpful to have a Kitchen Aid mixer and minute timer. I typically cut the recipe in half because my mixer is standard size, cannot accommodate the entire amount of flour and it works the machine a bit too hard. Feel free to add fresh herbs and roasted garlic, or cinnamon and raisins!

Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Grind 8 cups hard red or white wheat
Add 2 1/2 T. active dry yeast and 1/4 t. sugar to 1 c. warm water
Set aside to let it work

Add to mixer with dough hook:
4 1/2 c. hot tap water
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. honey
1 1/2 T. salt
3 tablets vitamin C—crushed
Mix to combine about 15 seconds.
Add to mixture:
10 c. ground whole wheat flour, 5 c. at a time and mix 15 or 20 seconds
When 10 c. have been added, knead for 6 minutes

Add yeast mixture and
1 c. regular oats
Knead for 2 minutes

Add 2 to 3 c. of flour (should be the rest of the wheat you ground)
Knead for 12 minutes

During the 12 minutes, oil 4-4X8 pans. Oil your hands and divide dough into four parts. Shape dough into loaves, place in pans, and cover with a light cloth. Let rise until double or a bit above the top of the pan.

Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Bread is done when it has a hollow sound when tapped. Set pans to cool and wait about 10 minutes, then remove bread from the pans to cool on racks. Let cool before slicing.

I'll add a photo of the finished loaf when it comes out of the oven! Please let me know how your bread turns out!