Rae Udy

RECIPES: Whole Wheat Bread, English Muffins, Bread Sticks, French Bread, Hard Rolls

By Rae Udy

Food and dietary guidelines recommend adults eat six to ten servings of grains each day and that half the amount be whole grains. The average person eats less than one serving of whole grains each day and 50 percent never eat whole grains at all, according to the Whole Grains Council.
Meeting the daily requirement is easier when including three slices of whole grain bread during the day.
The following Whole Wheat Bread recipe with variations, is a traditional process of mixing, rising and baking. Baking bread is very easy but it does take time, skill and patience.
Bread machines do the work for you and I use mine regularly, but I still like the art and style of bread making and this recipe will help even the novice create a yummy treat. To mix this recipe in a bread machine divide all ingredients in half and add liquids first, then flour and end with yeast. Set on whole wheat cycle and let the machine do the rest. If you are planning on making the variations, use the dough cycle and remove when process has finished and form into English Muffins, bread sticks or rolls.
Whole wheat flour contains the complete whole wheat kernel including the fiber-rich bran, the vitamin E packed wheat germ and the starchy endosperm. It is also high in fiber, and vitamins A, C, E and is a good source of calcium, iron and potassium.
Source:
http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD
2 cups skim milk
¼ (one-quarter) cup honey, maple syrup or brown sugar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ (one-quarter) teaspoon salt
2 packages dry active yeast
6 cups whole wheat flour
Combine milk, honey, oil and salt in a small saucepan and bring to almost boiling. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Pour milk mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in dry yeast. Set aside five minutes for yeast to dissolve and activate. Add two cups flour and beat until mixture is smooth. Add as much remaining flour one cup at a time beating well after each addition until mixture forms a stiff dough. Place dough on a generously floured board and knead for ten minutes or until dough is smooth and handles easily without sticking to your fingers. Lightly oil the large bowl the dough was mixed in. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat all sides lightly with oil. Cover with a warm, damp clean towel and set aside to raise for one hour. Punch dough down with a wooden spoon or clean hands and cut dough into two pieces. Shape one into a bread loaf and place in a lightly oiled or sprayed loaf pan. Cover with a dry towel and set aside for thirty minutes to rise. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake bread for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool ten minutes on wire rack. Invert and take out of pans. Slice thin to serve 16 warm or cold. Prepare remaining loaf as bread or make one of these variations.

WHOLE WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS: Roll remaining dough into a one-half inch rectangle. Cut into three-inch circles with a floured biscuit cutter. Sprinkle bottom and top lightly with cornmeal and place on dry cookie sheets about two inches apart. Cover with a dry towel and set aside to rise for twenty minutes. Heat a dry griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Carefully place each muffin on hot pan. Cook three to five minutes on each side. Yields about one dozen.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD STICKS: Cut the remaining dough into 24 equal pieces. Roll and stretch each piece into ten inch long sticks. Lightly brush with skim milk then roll in raw sesame seeds. Place on lightly oiled or sprayed cookie sheets. Cover with dry towel and set aside to rise for twenty minutes. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for eight to ten minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool two minutes before removing from baking sheet. These will crisp slightly as they cool. Yields two dozen bread sticks.

WHOLE WHEAT FRENCH BREAD: Place remaining dough on a lightly floured board and roll into a large rectangle about one-half inch thick. Starting at narrow edge roll up tight, pinching edges as you go. Form into an oval loaf. Lightly sprinkle cornmeal on a dry cookie sheet. Place loaf seam side down on the prepared cookie sheet. Brush loaf with warm water and make one-half inch deep diagonal cuts across the top of the loaf about two inches apart. Set aside uncovered for thirty minutes to rise. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a shallow pan on bottom shelf of oven and fill with hot water. Bake loaf for thirty to forty minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely. Slice into one inch pieces and serve with butter.

WHOLE WHEAT HARD ROLLS: Cut remaining dough into eight equal pieces. Shape into small loaves. Continue as French Bread. Bake for twenty minutes or until golden brown. Yields eight sandwich rolls.