The Daily Bread:
1.5 cups white flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 tablespoon vital wheat gluten
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon buttermilk powder
1 cup water
1 tablespoon molasses
1 egg
1 tablespoon yeast
More flour/water if needed for the dough
I am using a bread machine for this one. My hands have gotten old enough that I have trouble kneading dough by hand, plus it is just easier. I generally use the dough setting and bake the bread in the oven.
I use King Arthur flours, they are top quality and worth the slight extra cost. You can get buttermilk powder in the baking section of most supermarkets. The vital wheat gluten is from King Arthur as well. I use it with whole wheat flours (or rye) to help the dough rise. I use about a tablespoon of the gluten per cup of whole wheat.
The yeast that I use is Saf Red Instant yeast. It is foolproof, and you can just add it directly to your bread machine with everything else.
Bread machines vary, but I put in all the liquid ingredients, then the dry on top, then turn the machine on to the dough setting. Once it preheats and starts kneading, you should check it to see if the dough needs more flour or more liquid. If it looks just a bit wet, give it a few minutes, since the flour will absorb water gradually as the machine works. If you add too much flour at the very beginning you’ll end up with a brick.
Once it finishes the dough cycle, take it out of the machine, punch it down, form into a smooth ball and let it rest for a few minutes to relax the dough. Then shape it into whatever you want to bake and let it rise again until nearly double. Then bake. I’ll probably do an oblong free form loaf on a baking stone with this one. I put a bit of cornmeal on my baking peel, put the shaped loaf on it, wait for the rise, then slide it into a preheated oven onto the baking stone. Try to do that part quickly so your oven doesn’t drop in temperature too much. The cornmeal helps it slide off the peel onto the stone. Flour works too.
Baking temperature is more flexible than you think. I usually start at 400, but my oven runs just a bit cool. You may need to adjust if it looks like it is browning too fast. Baking time is around 20 minutes, but that depends on whether you are doing one big loaf or smaller rolls. It’s done when it is nicely browned, has a hollow sound when you tap the bottom, and I use a thermometer to check temperature. 190 F is about right for most bread.
Then the hardest part, waiting for it to cool before you cut into it. This is supposed to be part of our supper tonight, so I’ll try to save some for that!
Final action shot!
Author: Lorette
My name is Lorette. I learned to knit in 1999, and took up spinning in 2009. I'm a physician specializing in internal medicine, and live in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy my blog!
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I have everything I need – may just try this out today!
I have the same bread machine and baked a very similar loaf yesterday — half unbleached flour and half whole wheat, also from King Arthur. Gotta try adding buttermilk powder and an egg, though; I bet that kicks the flavor up a notch!
Thanks for sharing the recipe it sounds wonderful. I can’t wait to give it a try!