Whole Grain Loaf Recipes

WHOLE-GRAIN ARTISAN FREE-FORM LOAF

Steps:

• In bowl of a 14-cup food processor with dough attachment, or heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle, combine whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and wheat gluten. Add 4 cups lukewarm (100 degrees) water and mix just until well blended, about 2 minutes; dough will be very wet and loose.
• Transfer dough to a container with a slightly vented lid, or a bowl covered loosely with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours; longer rising times (even overnight) will not harm dough. After rising, cover securely and refrigerate, and use dough over the next 14 days. Do not punch down or knead dough at any time.
• To bake: Prepare a baking peel by sprinkling liberally with cornmeal, or line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Tear off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) mass of dough, and dust very lightly with flour. Quickly shape into a ball, stretching surface so that it is smooth. Stretch ball gently to elongate it, and place on baking peel. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 90 minutes for refrigerated dough, or 40 minutes for fresh unrefrigerated dough.
• Thirty minutes before baking, heat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone placed on middle rack, and an empty broiler tray on a lower rack or bottom of oven. Just before baking, use a pastry brush to paint top of loaf with water. Sprinkle with seeds if desired. Slide loaf onto pizza peel or place on baking pan and put in oven. Quickly pour 1 cup hot water into broiler tray in oven, and close door. Bake until richly browned and firm to touch, about 30 minutes; adjust baking times as needed for larger or smaller loaves. For best texture, allow bread to cool before serving.

WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD

Steps:

• Stir whole-wheat flour, bran, and 1 cup water in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Stir milk and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Put whole-wheat flour mixture, milk mixture, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, the cornmeal, 3 tablespoons oats, the ground flaxseed, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook; mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add 2 1/2 cups bread flour; mix until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 2 minutes (if dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time). Continue kneading until dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes more.
• Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Add dough to bowl; turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour (or refrigerate overnight; bring to room temperature).
• Turn out dough onto a work surface; shape into a loaf about 9 inches long. Using a spray bottle, mist with water; sprinkle top with remaining 2 teaspoons oats and the whole flaxseed. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray. Transfer loaf to the pan, and cover lightly with the plastic wrap. Let stand until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mist oven with water; place loaf in oven. Bake 5 minutes; mist oven again. Continue to bake, rotating pan once, until well browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Unmold bread onto a wire rack; return to oven, and bake directly on oven rack 5 minutes more. Remove from oven; let cool completely on rack.

WHOLE-GRAIN GREEK MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Put the bulgur in a small bowl, cover with hot water and soak until softened, about 1 hour. Strain and set aside.
• Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, half the mint, 1 tablespoon of the oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan lightly with cooking spray and set aside.
• Pulse the onions into a paste in a food processor, scraping down the bowl as needed. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion paste and any onion juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the paste begins to brown (it will still be light), about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, cinnamon, allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper and continue cooking until the onion-spice paste starts to look dry and is fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the onion-spice paste, bulgur, ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, remaining chopped mint, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper to a large mixing bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan; sprinkle with the pine nuts if using and press in. Bake until the meatloaf begins to pull away from the sides, is browned on top and registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Slice the meatloaf into 1-inch-thick slices and serve hot with the cucumber-tomato salad and dollops of Greek yogurt alongside.

SEEDED WHOLE GRAIN LOAF

Steps:

• In bread machine pan, place all the ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available. Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).

WHOLE-GRAIN MORNING LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 10-by-5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Wrap apple in paper towels; squeeze out liquid.
• Whisk together the flours, wheat bran, wheat germ, baking soda, spices, and salt.
• Stir together apple, yogurt, applesauce, honey, eggs, and vanilla with a rubber spatula in a large bowl. Fold in flour mixture. Fold in dates and nuts. Pour into pan. Sprinkle with flaxseed.
• Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Unmold.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 3/4 cup warm water. Add the oil, sugar, molasses, salt and remaining water. Combine flours; add 4-5 cups flour to mixture. Beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a firm dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each portion into a loaf. Place in 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 350° until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.
• Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

SIMPLE WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Steps:

• Place flours, yeast, sugar & salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in milk, followed by oil and egg.
• Beat on high for 2 minutes.
• On low speed add about 1/4 cup bread flour until dough forms a mass.
• Place dough on floured surface and knead 50 turns.
• Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into a loaf and place in a greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan.
• Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot until it's one inch taller than the pan, about 35 minutes.
• Meantime, preheat oven to 375° F.
• Bake for 30 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, I cover the top of the loaf with a foil tent to prevent over-browning.
• Remove immediately from pan onto a cooling rack. Let it cool at least 10 minutes before slicing.

WHOLE GRAIN CHALLAH

Steps:

• Please watch the video for detailed instructions. The following is intended as a general guideline to accompany the video.
• Combine the dry ingredients (not the seeds).
• Combine all the wet ingredients (except the egg wash) in a medium bowl.
• Mix the dry ingredients into the wet. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Knead the dough for 5-7 minute or do a series of 3 or 4 stretch-and-folds at 10-15 minute intervals.
• Let the dough rise in covered bowl until about doubled in volume. The time it takes can vary greatly depending mostly on room temperature. Figure on somewhere between 1 to 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough. On a flour dusted work surface, divide the dough into equally weighted balls (one ball for each strand you intend to braid).
• Roll the balls into strands and braid into whatever style suits your fancy. Reference YouTube for numerous options.
• Place loaf on parchment lined baking sheet, apply egg wash, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds and cover with plastic wrap (mist plastic wrap with a spray of oil to prevent it sticking to dough). Over the next 1-2 hours the dough will rise about 50% to as much as nearly doubling.
• Place in 350º oven until the internal dough temperature reaches 190º. Bake time is about 18-20 minutes. Ovens vary, so the first time you make this bread, start checking the dough temp at about the 16 minute mark.
• Let cool for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy while fresh and warm.