whole-wheat bread

Simple whole-wheat bread is a perfect daily staple.

I love to exalt bread! Humble food that it is, I think it touches a chord in us. If you’re like me, just looking at a picture of beautiful homemade bread makes you feel happy. It is so comforting and so elemental.

We’ve been trying to bake all of our bread by hand since January 1st, and so far, so good. My favourite bread stall at the farmer’s market might make me avert my eyes, but it is good for our wallets and waistlines. I like nice bread–I’m a bread snob–and the cost of buying artisanal breads can rack up. Good thing that you can bake delectable bread at home for a fraction of that cost.

This bread is perfect for sandwiches and toast.

This recipe, from the venerable Joy of Cooking, is ridiculously fool-proof. It has yielded us perfect results for the many loaves we’ve churned out. And it is flexible: it has dealt nicely with fridge rises; over-proofing; a rise on such a hot surface the dough started baking in the bowl (opps!). Amidst all of these errors, it has always turned out deliciously wholesome, with a tender, fluffy texture.

Bake it and tell me what you think. I hope these comforting loaves bring you warmth on a chilly January morning.

Daily Whole-Wheat Bread
Yields two 9×5 inch loaves
from the Joy of Cooking

Ingredients
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
4 cups whole-wheat flour
4 cups white all-purpose flour

Method:
In a large bowl, put in 1/4 cup warm water and the yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes, until yeast is dissolved.

Add the beaten egg, melted butter, 2 1/2 cups lukewarm water, salt, and honey. Stir.

Add in the eight cups of flour.

Knead for about 8-10 minutes, until the dough feels smooth, with a slight stickiness.

Lightly grease a large bowl, and place the dough in a bowl, covering with a tea towel. Let rise until double in a warm place, about an hour.

Lightly grease two 9×5 loaf pans. Push the dough down and slice it into two even pieces. Knead each smaller piece for a few minutes, then shape each piece into an oblong and place in the baking dish. Cover with tea towels and let rise until doubled, or for about 45 min. Nearing the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Slash the top of each loaf with a sharp knife in three small diagonals. Plus in the centre of your heated oven. Bake for about 45 min or until crust is golden. If you thump the bottom of the loaf, it should sound hollow. Let cool on a rack.

These loaves freeze well.