Whole Wheat Bread

I've finally found a whole wheat bread recipe that my family loves!  Not just to eat while it's warm, but for toast and sandwiches too.  It's soft yet doesn't fall apart.  It's absolutely delicious. 

I grind my own flour but you can just buy yours.  Or talk your friend with a wheat grinder into grinding some for you.  I started using hard white wheat to fool my kids that it was only half wheat flour.  But they like it so much that I've been using half hard red and half hard white wheat.

I found this recipe over at The Sisters Cafe.  I changed it a little bit to suit my needs.

Whole Wheat Bread

makes 5 loaves

3 1/2 cups hot tap water

1 12 oz can evaporated milk

3 T. instant yeast

2/3 cup oil

1 cup honey

1 cup white flour (I guess that doesn't make it "whole wheat" bread)

3 T vital wheat gluten

12 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 T salt

If grinding your own wheat, grind all of the wheat before you start.  Approximately 8 cups of wheat is equal to 12 cups flour. 

Using a heavy duty mixer, (I use a Bosch) combine ingredients in the order given, mixing well after half of the flour.  Then add the other half of flour and salt.  If dough is too sticky, add a little bit extra white flour.  Knead in mixer for 8 minutes.  Dump dough onto counter and form into a log.  Divide into 5 equal parts.  Put each part into a greased medium loaf pan.  Push down the sides to fill the bottom of the pan, leaving the top round and smooth.  Don't worry too much about it looking perfect here. 

Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until desired size. 

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter, if desired. 

Let cool ten minutes before removing from pans.  Cool completely before slicing.  Although we never wait for that.