I've posted a couple whole wheat bread recipes over the years, but I've also been completely honest admitting I just can't perfect a whole wheat bread. Usually my breads are heavy and dense. I've tried numerous recipes but just can't nail one I really, truly love.
While looking over my site this morning I found this one I posted way back in April of 2007. I had never made it... but wanted it in my files as I was always keeping an eye out for new recipes to try. Well, I never have. But I now can because I have something on hand I've never kept stocked in my pantry before; Lecithin. (In baked goods, it reduces fat and egg requirements, helps even distribution of ingredients, stabilizes fermentation, increases volume and protects yeast cells in dough when frozen.) I ordered some last week as recently I've seen more and more bread recipes calling for an addition of this ingredient. With so many wheat bread recipes calling for it, I decided perhaps I should give it a go.
This recipe also uses white whole wheat, which is another reason I believe this recipe in particular may finally be a winner for me in the wheat bread 'trials' I've so far failed at through the years! Have you tried this particular recipe? If so, did it work for you?
Whole Wheat Bread
2 Tblsp. honey
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water (110-115ºF.)
1 tsp. salt
2 Tblsp. flax seed (ground)
4 cups white whole wheat flour
2 Tblsp. gluten (vital wheat gluten)
1 Tblsp. lecithin
1 Tblsp. yeast
Put all ingredients in your bread maker on the dough cycle or if you use a kitchen aid machine; mix the water, yeast and honey in the mixing bowl and let it get foamy then add the oil, salt, flax, gluten and lecithin and mix. Add half the flour with the paddle blade, switch to the dough hook and beat in enough flour for a soft almost sticky dough.
Knead it for 3 min.; let it rise until doubled. Punch it down, shape it and place it in a 9-1/2 x 5" loaf pan. Let it rise, then baked it at 350º 33 min.
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