100% Whole Wheat Crusty Bread

There's not much like the smell of fresh baked bread...

If anything about this recipe is hard, it is not diving head first into the oven to tear a piece of this bread off before it is ready. It smells THAT good.

Light airy on the inside, crusty and golden on the outside. Before now, it seemed that you only could get that in bread that had at least some white, bleached, stripped of all goodness flour.

Not Anymore!!

This bread is 100% whole wheat! And Light! And Airy! What?!

Take a look at these beauties

Yup, those are big old air pockets in there, with 100% whole wheat bread. Yum!!

This is not a recipe you can throw together, you have to allow about a day and a half before you can eat this baby, tear, i know.

Let's get to it then, I mean its a day and a half here!

This recipe will make 2 small crusty dough rounds, 12 small rolls, or 1 small round loaf and 6 rolls.

Here is one thing to know about bread making (which I am NO master of in any way), measuring will make it or break it. Weighing your dry ingredients is best, it produces the best quality bread because you know exactly how much you are using.
If you have to use measuring cups the quality can actually vary greatly... did you scoop the flour into the cup with a spoon, then gently level off with a knife careful not to pack it down (this is the correct way) or did you just scoop it up and use your hands to pack it in. Those two methods will produce different amounts of flour which will mess with the quality of your bread...

If you have a food scale, use it :)

Whole Wheat Crusty Bread
16 ounces (or 3 and 3/4 cups) - white whole wheat flour

1 ounce (1/8 cup) - Vital Wheat Gluten (I was able to find my bag at a regular chain grocery store)

Just over 1/2 package -  active dry yeast (about 3/4 teaspoon)

12 grams (3/4 tablespoon)  - salt
2 teaspoons raw honey or 100% pure maple syrup, not too warm

2 cups water (you can use a measuring cup now)
**optional herbs, sauteed cooled garlic/onions - this are highly recommended though

 

 

• Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk them up (including herbs and/or garlic/onions)
• Add in honey or maple syrup
• Add in water 1/4 cup at a time, mixing with a wooden spoon between each addition
• Mix gently until no more dry spots remain
• Cover your dough tightly and allow to sit out on counter 12 hours
• Refrigerate an additional 12 hours
• Dough should have doubled, should be flat at the top and should have bubbles on the surface
• Place dough in stand mixer and using dough hook, knead for 6-8 minutes on medium speed (you could also do this by hand but dough is sticky, and will stay sticky making it difficult. You do not want to add more than a few tablespoons of flour while kneading)
• After dough has been kneaded, cut dough in half, fold over onto itself a few times and shape into small rounds (or buns or both). Smooth out top and tuck ends under. Don't overhandle dough.
• Place dough on flour or cornmeal dusted parchment paper. Let rise 30 minutes, checking occasionaly that dough is not touching any other dough or else it will stick
• Place pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees for 20 minutes
• Place an additional baking sheet on bottom rack under the pizza stone/inverted baking sheet
• After dough has risen the 30 minutes on the parchment paper, make 2 or 3 slashes in the top, slide the dough (paper and all) onto pre-heated pizza stone or inverted baking sheet.
• Pour warm water into the baking sheet on bottom rack. The water should be at least halfway up the sides of the baking sheet (the steam created will create the crusty exterior of the bread, should you not want a crusty exterior you can skip this step)

 

For Loaves

Bake 30 min, reduce oven to 350 degrees bake additional 23 minutes

Remove, cool

 

For Buns

Bake 20 minutes, reduce oven to 350 degrees bake additional 20 minutes
Remove, cool

ENJOY :)

 

Happy Eating...

 

original recipe adapted from here