Soft and tender, this bread makes fabulous toast. A new Liv Life favorite, the kids have been asking, "Mom... do we have fresh bread today??" as they walk in from school, and I'm happy with the serving of whole grains.
If you prefer a lighter bread, adjust the whole wheat/all-purpose flour ratio to your taste. Note that different amounts of flour will be required depending on humidity levels as well as flour measuring techniques. If your dough is too wet towards the end of mixing, add more flour by tablespoons until your reach the proper texture.
Printer Friendly
2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast (we prefer Red Star)
1 Tbs oil or melted butter
2 Tbs pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup oat bran
1 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3-4 Tbs sprouted wheat berries (optional)
melted butter for brushing
Add the water and active dry yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the oil or butter, maple syrup and salt. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour and begin mixer. Add oat bran and continue to mix. Switching to dough hook (unless you started with it) now add the remaining whole wheat flour and mix to combine. Add the all-purpose flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough forms a ball. Allow to knead for 6-10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and supple, adding the sprouted wheat berries towards the end of kneading if desired.
Place dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow to rise in a warm place for an hour to an hour and a half (dough may not fully double in size, but will rise and become "puffy"). Punch dough down and place into a lightly oiled 8 1/2-inch by 4 1/2-inch bread pan. Cover again with the clean dish towel and allow to rise - about 1 hour.
Toward the end of the rising time, preheat oven to 350ºF. When dough has risen, place pan into the oven and bake until bread is nicely browned and sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately brush with a tablespoon or so of melted butter. Allow to cool. Enjoy!
Liv Life Note: If your house is anything like mine this time of year, finding a warm place for the bread to rise can be difficult. I heat 1 cup of water to boiling in my microwave, push the cup to the side and place covered bread into the microwave (do not turn on). I'm always amazed at the perfect temp that 1 cup of water makes that little space!
