50 Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe Epicuriouscom

50% WHOLE WHEAT SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• Make dough starter (sponge):
• In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk together water, honey, whole-wheat flour, and 1/2 teaspoon yeast until very smooth, about 3 minutes.
• In medium bowl, whisk together "Better for Bread" flour, milk powder, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon yeast. Sprinkle mixture over whole-wheat flour mixture (sponge) in bowl of mixer to form blanket on top of sponge. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at least 1 hour, preferably up to 4 hours. (Starter can be made ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap, overnight. There is no need to bring starter to room temperature before proceeding.)
• Mix dough:
• Attach dough hook to stand mixer and mix starter on low (#2 on Kitchen Aid) until rough dough forms, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rest 20 minutes. Add vegetable oil and mix on low until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add salt and mix on low until dough is smooth, sticky enough to cling to fingers, and pulls away completely from bowl, about 7 minutes. If dough is not sticky, using spray bottle, spray with small amount of water and briefly knead by hand just until sticky.
• First Rise:
• Using vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable-oil spray, lightly oil 3-quart or larger bowl (or dough-rising container). Transfer dough to bowl and lightly oil or spray top of dough. Using tape, mark outside of bowl to approximately double current height of dough. Cover container tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm place (75°F to 80°F, see Chef's Notes) until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Using oiled dough scraper or spatula, transfer dough to lightly oiled work surface.
• Gently stretch bottom of dough and fold up to center, then repeat with left side, right side, and top. Round dough package then transfer to bowl, smooth side up, and lightly oil or spray top of dough. Using tape, mark outside of bowl to approximately double current height of dough. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm place until doubled in size and depression holds when pressed gently with fingertip, about 1 hour.
• Shaping dough and final rise:
• Transfer dough, smooth side down, to lightly floured work surface and press gently to flatten to about 1/2-inch thickness. (Dough will still be slightly sticky but use only as much flour on work surface as absolutely necessary to prevent sticking.) Lightly coat sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable-oil spray. Cover dough with oiled plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.
• Lightly coat loaf pan with vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable-oil spray. Using fingertips, dimple dough all over to eliminate air bubbles, then shape into rectangle about twice size of loaf pan. Fold right-hand-side of rectangle over to just past center, then fold left-hand-side over to meet right-hand-side. Roll down top edge of dough, using thumbs to push dough down and away from you. Continue rolling until you reach bottom then use thumbs to press and seal bottom edge. Transfer dough to prepared pan (dough should fill pan to 1/2 inch from top). Lightly coat sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable-oil spray and gently cover pan with oiled wrap.
• Let dough rise in warm place until highest point is about 1 1/2 inches above sides of pan and depression very slowly fills in when pressed gently with fingertip, about 1 hour. Using razor or thin sharp knife, make 1/2 inch deep lengthwise slash along top of bread.
• Bake bread:
• While dough is rising, position rack near bottom of oven and top with baking stone or heavy baking sheet. Set aluminum-foil-lined cast-iron pan or heavy rimmed baking pan on floor of oven and preheat oven to 450°F for 1 hour.
• Using spray bottle, spray top of dough with water. Quickly transfer bread to hot baking stone (see Chef's Notes) and add 1/2 cup ice cubes to pan beneath.
• Bake bread, rotating pan 180 degrees halfway through, until top is golden brown and skewer inserted in middle comes out clean (instant read thermometer inserted into center will register about 205°F), 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer bread from pan to rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Chef's Notes:
• •Dough rises best around 75ºF to 80ºF. If your house is on the cold side, you can set a container of very hot tap water near the rising dough and cover the dough and the hot water with a large plastic container or bowl-you will need to reheat the water every 30 to 40 minutes. Alternatively you can place the dough (and the small container of very hot water) in a microwave oven (not turned on!) or a standard oven without a pilot light, but with the oven light turned on to provide gentle heat. •If you want to make this bread over a 2-day period, you can refrigerate it overnight after the first rise. Once it has doubled in size (first rise), gently press the dough down in the bowl, then cover with plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable-oil spray and refrigerate. The next day, bring the dough to room temperature at least 1 hour before shaping and baking the loaf. Keep in mind that the time in the refrigerator replaces the second rise so there is no need for a second rise. •For proper texture, it's important for the bread to get a blast of heat as soon as it goes into the oven. For this reason, the oven needs to be preheated for a full hour, and it's important not to let too much heat escape when you put the bread in. When transferring the dough to the oven to bake, be sure to shut the door quickly.
• THE DOUGH PERCENTAGE
• flour: 100% water: 70.6% yeast: 0.8% salt: 1.8% oil: 5.5%

EVERYDAY 100% WHOLE WHEAT SANDWICH BREAD

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and sugar together (if using honey or agave nectar, dissolve it in the lukewarm water instead). In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and oil together. Separately, combine the water and milk, then whisk in the yeast until dissolved.
• Add the egg mixture and the water mixture to the dry ingredients. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for 1 about minute. The dough should be wet and coarse. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to fully hydrate the flour.
• Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 2 minutes. The dough will firm up slightly and become smoother. If it's still very wet, add more flour; if it's very stiff, add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough should be very supple and slightly sticky. Continue to mix with the dough hook on medium-low speed, or mix by hand for 4 minutes more, increasing the speed to medium-high or stirring more vigorously for the final 20 seconds to develop and organize the gluten. The dough will still be slightly sticky but will also feel stronger and more elastic.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface with a wet bowl scraper and knead by hand for a final few seconds, working in more flour or water as needed so that the dough is very supple and pliable and slightly sticky; then form the dough into a ball. Do a stretch and fold, either on the work surface or in the bowl, reaching under the front end of the dough, stretching it out, then folding it back onto the top of the dough. Do this from the back end and then from each side, then flip the dough over and tuck it into a ball. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Repeat this entire process two more times, completing all repetitions within 30 minutes.
• Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl large enough to hold the dough when it doubles in size. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then immediately refrigerate overnight or for up to 4 days. (If you plan to bake the dough in batches over different days, you can portion the dough and place it into two or more oiled bowls at this stage.)
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 hours before you plan to bake. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into two equal pieces for loaves or small pieces for rolls, about 2 ounces each. Shape the dough into sandwich loaves (see page 23), freestanding loaves (see page 20), or rolls (see page 25). For sandwich loaves, place the dough in greased 4 1/2 by 8 1/2-inch loaf pans. For freestanding loaves or rolls, line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat and proof the dough on the pan. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap, then let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, until increased to about 1 1/2 times its original size. In loaf pans, the dough should dome about 1 inch above the rim.
• About 15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). If making rolls, brush the dough with egg wash (see page 135) prior to baking. (This isn't necessary for loaves.)
• Bake loaves for 20 minutes, then rotate; rotate rolls after 10 minutes. The total baking time is 40 to 55 minutes for loaves, and only about 20 minutes for rolls. The bread is done when the top and sides are a deep, rich brown; the loaf sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom; and the internal temperature is above 185°F (85°C) in the center.
• Remove from the pans and cool for at least 20 minutes for rolls and at least 1 hour for loaves before slicing or serving.
• For a stronger, more elastic dough, add 2 tablespoons (0.5 oz / 14 g) of vital wheat gluten (sometimes called pure wheat gluten). This will create a lighter loaf with larger air pockets. Increase the water by 1/4 cup (2 oz / 56.5 g).
• You can also omit the milk and replace it with more water, but milk makes the bread a little more tender and golden. Another option is to substitute soy milk or rice milk.
• You can easily make a multigrain version of this bread. As long as you use whole wheat flour for at least 80 percent of the total flour, there will be enough gluten to support the loaf. This means you can replace up to 20 percent of the whole wheat flour with an equal amount of other grains (by weight), in a variety of forms, including rye flour, multigrain cereal blends, cornmeal, and flaked or rolled grains like oats or triticale flakes. (If using flakes, you can use them in flaked form or grind them into flour in a seed grinder or blender.) You can also use small-seeded "grains" like amaranth, chia seeds, millet, and quinoa. Amaranth and chia are about the only grains that can go into a loaf whole, without being rolled or ground into flakes, meal, or flour. Slightly larger grains, like millet, quinoa, and corn grits, can also be left whole if you like the crunch they provide. If you want to use larger grains like rice, rye, barley, or wheat in their whole form, thoroughly cook them first, as they won't hydrate in the dough and could crack a tooth.
• To win someone over from white bread to 100 percent whole grain bread, it may help to have a transitional version that bridges the gap. You can replace some of the whole wheat flour in this recipe with an equal amount of unbleached bread flour (by weight) to make a lighter loaf. Reduce the amount of water by about 1/2 tablespoon (0.25 oz or 6 g) for every 1 ounce (28.5 g) of bread flour you use.
• Replace up to 5.5 ounces (156 g) of the whole wheat flour with the same weight of any of the following ingredients, in any combination:
• Whole rye flour, rye meal, rye flakes (whole or ground)
• Uncooked cornmeal or cooked grits or polenta
• Oatmeal flakes, whole or ground
• Amaranth
• Uncooked ground quinoa or cooked whole quinoa
• Whole or ground flaxseeds (no more than 1 ounce or 28.5 g)
• Cooked brown rice, bulgur, barley

WHOLE-WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• The day before making the bread, make the soaker and the poolish. For the soaker, mix together the coarse whole-wheat flour and the water in a bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and leave it at room temperature until the next day. For the poolish, mix together the whole-wheat flour and yeast, then stir in the water to make a thick paste. Stir only until all the flour is hydrated, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to ferment at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, or until it just begins to bubble. Then put it in the refrigerator overnight.
• The next day remove the poolish from the refrigerator 1 hour before making the dough to take off the chill. In a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer), stir together the whole-wheat flour, salt, and yeast. Then add the poolish and the soaker, as well as the honey, oil, and egg. Stir with a large metal spoon (or mix on low speed for about 1 minute with the paddle attachment) until the dough forms a ball, adding more water or flour if needed.
• Sprinkle whole-wheat flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mix on medium speed with the dough hook). Add flour if necessary and knead until the dough forms a firm, supple dough. This will take 10 to 15 minutes by hand, slightly less by machine. The dough should be tacky but not sticky. It should pass the windowpane test (page 58) and register 77° to 81°F. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
• Ferment at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (they should weigh about 18 ounces each). Shape them into sandwich loaves, as shown on page 81. Lightly oil two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans and place the loaves in the pans. Mist the tops with spray oil and loosely cover with plastic wrap.
• Proof at room temperature for about 90 minutes, or until the dough nearly doubles in size and is cresting above the lip of the pans.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F with the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Just before baking, you may choose to garnish the loaves by misting the tops with water and sprinkling on sesame seeds.
• Bake the loaves for about 30 minutes, then rotate them 180 degrees, if necessary, for even baking. Continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes longer. The finished bread should register between 185° and 190°F at the center and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. The loaves should be golden brown all around and firm on the sides as well as on the top and bottom. If they are soft and squishy on the sides, return them to the pans and continue baking until done.
• When the loaves have finished baking, remove them immediately from the pans and cool on a rack for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, before slicing or serving.
• BREAD PROFILE
• Enriched, standard dough; indirect method; commercial yeast
• DAYS TO MAKE: 2
• Day 1: 2 to 4 hours soaker and poolish
• Day 2: 1 hour to de-chill poolish; 15 minutes mixing; 3 1/2 hours fermentation, shaping, and proofing; 45 to 60 minutes baking
• Commentary
• Coarse flour weighs slightly less per cup than regular grind flour because it doesn't pack as tightly and contains more air. This explains why the coarse flour is only 4.25 ounces, while the regular whole-wheat flour used in the rest of the formula weighs 4.5 ounces per cup.
• The bread will develop a more open crumb if the flour is high in protein. The strongest flour comes from hard spring wheat, which can often be found at natural food markets that offer a variety of flours (see also Resources, page 291). You may also substitute regular whole-wheat flour from the supermarket.
• The use of oil and/or egg is offered as an option to tenderize the bread. If you use either of them, you will need to add additional flour during the final mixing. Let the dough determine how much flour to add, as you knead it to a firm, slightly tacky consistency. Another way to tenderize the dough is to use milk or buttermilk instead of water when making the poolish.
• BAKER'S PERCENTAGE FORMULA
• Whole-Wheat Bread %
• (Soaker)
• Whole-wheat flour: 100%
• Water: 141%
• Total: 241%
• WHOLE-WHEAT POOLISH
• Whole-wheat flour: 100%
• Instant yeast: .41%
• Water: 88.9%
• Total: 189.3%
• (Dough)
• Soaker: 114%
• Whole-wheat poolish: 142%
• Whole-wheat flour: 100%
• Salt: 3.7%
• Instant yeast: 1.2%
• Honey: 16.7%
• Vegetable oil: 5.6%
• Egg: 18.3%
• Total: 401.5%