I got a Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe from my sister a while back and if I am not mistaken it is this recipe from Martha Stewart . However, like with most recipes, I made some changes and switched things around. The result in this case is my Wheat and Rye Bread, which I love and my kids really like it too. It is dense, it is hearty, it is very good!
Wheat and Rye Bread
Ingredients:
2 loaves
3 1/2 cups warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup (You can use honey or other sweetener of your choice)
2 packs of Active Dry Yeast (= 4 1/2 teaspoons)
- - -
3+ cups All Purpose Flour
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 cups Rye Flour
1 cup Ground Flax Seeds (I freshly ground seeds but I am sure you can buy it ground too)
2 teaspoons sea salt
Directions:
- You can either mix by hand, or in a large mixer with a dough hook. I use my KitchenAid mixer and I really like how easily it comes together.
- Mix the All Purpose, Whole Wheat and Rye Flours with ground flax seeds and salt in a large bowl.
- Heat the water and maple syrup to 110-115 degrees.
***The temperature of the water is important! If the water is too hot it will kill the yeast, if it is too cold it will not activate the yeast. Either way you end up with a solid brick of bread that does not rise***
- Add the yeast to the water and stir well to make sure there are no lumps. Let the water and yeast mixture stand for 5-10 minutes until it is nice and foamy on top.
- When the yeast mixture is ready, pour it into the flour and mix to combine.
- If you are using your hands, start of mixing with a wooden spoon and then with your hands. Adding additional all purpose flour, as needed, to make a smooth and firm dough.
- If you are using a mixer, first run it on low to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Once combined, increase the speed to medium and add additional flour if needed to make a smooth and firm dough. The dough should come together in one nice ball and be just slightly tacky to the touch when it is ready.
- When the dough is ready, cover it with plastic wrap and then a clean kitchen towel and put it is a warm spot to rise. Let it rise for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line two 9" x 5" loaf pans with parchment paper
- When the dough is done rising, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and "punch it down" (using your hands to knead the excess air out and make a uniform ball). Do not overwork the dough.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and form into loaves. Place the loaves into the pans and re-cover with the clean towel.
- Let the loaves rise for 30-40 minutes, until about double in size.
- Bake the loaves in the middle of the oven for 50-60 minutes, until a deep golden brown color.
- If you tap the bottom of the bread (not the pan!!) with your knuckles you should hear a somewhat hollow sound to indicate they are done.
- Take the loaves out of the pan and cool on a rack, cover them with the towel.
I know this recipe looks like it has a million steps but it is really pretty straight forward. Yes it does take time to let the dough rise and then the loaves but I think it is worth it.
Enjoy!
**I usually wait until the bread is all the way cool then I slice it and place the slices (with a piece of freezer/wax/parchment paper between each) into a large ziplock bag and then into the freezer. My experience is that it stays a lot fresher doing it this way and then just pulling out the few slices we need at a time and letting them thaw covered on the counter.
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