Generally speaking, yeast and I have a pretty good thing going (and I'm not talking about beer here). But sometimes yeast likes to keep our relationship spicy by doing its own thing. Granted, it's only acting under the influence of the weather--humidity levels and, more importantly, HEAT or the lack thereof--but there are times when I do feel slightly betrayed by my old friend, not to mention, I hate waiting around for it when it just will not rise.
But despite all that, I keep on baking with it. And after two years and much experimentation, I am convinced I have found the formula/method that produces the most flavorful loaf of whole wheat bread. Even so, this bread is not perfect; my one complaint is that the crumb is not dense enough, which means you'll have to cut thicker slices (oh darn) or have holey bread for your sandwich. A little more experimentation may be needed... Though bread baking is an exact science (it's known as chemistry, but my sister likes to call it witchcraft), for me, it's usually a lot of trial and error, and maybe a bit of luck.
What follows is a slightly altered bread machine manual recipe for 100% whole wheat bread. This can still be made using a bread machine, but if you have an entire day to devote to baby-sitting a bowl of bread dough, the end result is very much worth it. I've discovered that what really makes this bread is the sponge starter, but if you don't want to do that, just double the amount of yeast to 1 1/2 tsp, add that to the water and let it foam. Then add the other wet ingredients, followed by the mixed dry ingredients. [If you use the 1/3 C oats, let this wet mix sit for 30 minutes. Or use 1/3 C flour instead of oats and don't worry about letting it soak.]
100% Whole Wheat Bread, Irish Rose-style
Please don't be intimidated by this recipe. Once you've made it a few times you'll get a feel for the process, and baking bread will be no big deal. And when you've got this one down, this recipe makes another really superb loaf.
3 C whole wheat flour (divided)
1/3 C old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C flax seed meal (optional)
3/4 tsp yeast (unless not using sponge starter; see above)
1 C warm water
2 T warm milk
2 T oil (I use olive)
1 T honey
1 T molasses
1 egg, lightly beaten
To make the sponge starter, put the water and milk in a bowl. I microwave the milk but don't get it too hot. Together, the liquid should be the temperature of a cozy bath. I will even go so far as to run the bowl under the warm/hot water first so its cold metal doesn't heat up the liquid once I pour it in. Then add the 3/4 tsp yeast. Once it's gotten foamy (this is practically instantaneous), add the 1/3 C of oats and 1 C of flour and whisk until all is combined and bubbles are forming. Mix the other 2 C flour and flax seed meal together and spread it over the wet yeast mix to cover like a blanket. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and put it in a warm, draft-free place (I usually put it in a turned-off oven with the light on). The starter will be ready after an hour and should be used within four hours, or it can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours. I usually let the yeast grow for about an hour and a half.
The yeast should grow enough that cracks form in your flour "blanket." This is a good sign that it's ready. Another good indication: you get a strong whiff of beer when you uncover the bowl. Whenever you decide it's ready for the next step, add the egg, oil, honey and molasses and stir to combine. Once it's come together, add the salt. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to get all the ingredients well-combined. If the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add flour a tablespoon at a time. Using the stand mixer to knead the dough adds a lot of helpful heat, and I'll let that do its thing for maybe five minutes before I knead it by hand a few minutes more on a floured surface. Add flour as needed, until the dough forms a tight little ball.
Put the dough in a greased bowl and cover. Let this sit in a warm place for about 90 minutes. To check your dough for "rise done-ness," stick a thumb in the middle. If the puncture remains, it's ready. If the dough springs back, give it a little more time. Knead on a floured surface for a few minutes. To strengthen the gluten, gently stretch the dough as you knead it. Return to the bowl and cover. Repeat first rising.
After the second rise, grease a loaf pan to have ready. Place the dough on the floured surface and press out any large air bubbles. You should have a large square at this point. Fold the top end down halfway and bring the bottom up to meet it. Do this with the sides. From here, form your loaf by pinching the bottom seam together and by pinching down the ends. This part can get a little tricky, but just try to work it into something resembling a loaf of bread. Also, gently roll the dough back and forth so that it is as long as your pan. Put this in the greased loaf pan and let rise anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
Rising tricks:
-Put a bowl of water in the bottom of your oven and turn the oven on for a minute of two. Turn off and put the bowl/pan in the oven with the door shut.
-Heat a pan on the stove. Turn off the heat and set the bowl/pan on the heated pan.
-Put a cooling rack over a tub of hot water. Place bowl/pan on the rack.
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