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amanda_pennsylvania

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My dad mentioned that he'd like to start baking bread; anyone have a favorite bread recipe or book? He's still off white flour, so I imagine wheat breads would be best...I'm thinking I could assemble some recipes for him for Christmas. He wants to do it the old-fashioned way, so no bread machines. (At least that's one appliance I don't have to worry about!)

 
I have a wonderful recipe - let me see if I can find it and convert it for you smileys/smile.gif

 
Ingers rye bread

Those breads are very popular here:

As for the converts:
1 dl = 2/3 cup
1 litre = 4 cups
200 grams = 1/2 pound
1,3 kg (kilograms) = 3 pounds
75 g yeast = 1,5 package of fresh yeast
200C = 390F

Ingredients

1.3 kg fine whole-wheat
200 g fine wholemeal rye
200 g whole wheat
75 g yeast
2 swept teaspoons of salt
9 dl wheat bran / kruskakli
1.8 l of lukewarm water, preferably 37 degrees
(or 1 liter of sweet or sour skim
milk + 8 ml water)
1 dl flax seed
1 dl sunflower seeds

Preparation

This recipe makes three bread in 2-liter forms or four bread in 1.5-liter form. The bread should be frozen, and stored in the refrigerator as you use them, as they may become moldy if they are too long at room temperature.

Mix all the dry ingredients, dissolve the yeast in a little of the liquid and work all the ingredients well together, either in food processor or by hand. The dough is very loose, but it should be. It can not be kneaded on the board.

Let the dough raise in less than an hour in the bowl. Beat the air out of the dough and let it rise a second time in bowl, about half an hour. Beat the air out of dough and pour dough into greased molds and then put the loaves into the hot oven at 220 degrees on top and bottom heat, or 200 degrees on hot air. The bread should be baked in an hour.

The bread will be slightly moist inside, and they will "hang" on the knife when you cut into them, but they should do. When you have a moist bread, you can opt for less toppings. This bread is really strong in fiber, and actually very good!

 
Most recipes for whole wheat bread contain white flour as well. I've never had a lot of luck

with 100% whole wheat bread, though I haven't given it a thorough trial.

Is he totally off white flour? If so, I may be willing to try some 100% ones again for my own sake and to help along a budding bread baker!

Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery fame has several wonderful books on bread baking worth checking out. (Sadly, I don't own any. Santa, are you listening?)

 
I think it is really neat that he wants to pick up a new hobby! Sorry, I can't help; but wanted to

chime it that it is great that he exploring new areas of interest!

 
This is by far the best recipe for 100% Whole Wheat Bread I've ever seen. It's from...

...King Arthur Flour. I make it for my family every couple of weeks. Tender and tasty, not heavy.

Michael

100% Whole Wheat Bread From King Arthur's Flour

1 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons of the water in the recipe
1/4 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
*Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.

1) In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Note: This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. Adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.

2) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

3) Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 to 2 hours, or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4) Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The finished loaf will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.

5) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Yield: 1 loaf.

 
I use Bernard Clayton's book and also another I love

Baking Bread Old and New Traditions by Beth Hensperger.

Lots of interesting whole grain breads in this one.

I also adore the New York Times Bread & Soup Cookbook (Yvonne Tarr Young) but it is the wrong book for your Dad- mostly white flour-type breads.

Baking With Julia is fabulous but again, probably not the book for your Dad to start with. The Beth Hensperger book would be. And, of course, Bernard Clayton's book.

 
I don't use recipes when I bake bread...

I learned as a teenager from my Sunday School teacher. It's the feel, texture, and response of the dough. Other than that, I add whatever flours and grains I have on hand and want in the bread. The mistake that most recipe bakers experience with bread is adding too much flour. When you pour the starter out onto the board covered with flour, it should be sloppy, wet, and sticky. Your job is to knead it to develop the gluten without adding the flour and cheating. As you develop the gluten in the dough, it becomes less and less sticky. With lots of practice, you can knead the sticky mess into a beautiful elastic dough without the extra flour which makes the baked bread stiff, dry, and tough. Hate to say it, but bread baking is one of those things that you really need to know the feel of the dough and when it is right. A recipe can only go so far to help you with that.

 
Oops. Thanks Ang. By far my favorite recipe for 100 percent Whole Wheat Bread from ...

...King Arthur flour. I make a loaf or two every couple of weeks. Always comes out great, and not real heavy.

100% Whole Wheat Bread From King Arthur's Flour

1 to 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey, molasses, or maple syrup
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Premium 100% Whole Wheat Flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast, or 1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons of the water in the recipe
1/4 cup Baker's Special Dry Milk or nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
*Use the greater amount in winter or in a dry climate; the lesser amount in summer or a humid climate.

1) In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. (You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual.") Note: This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. Adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.

2) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or large measuring cup, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

3) Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 to 2 hours, or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4) Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. The finished loaf will register 190°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.

5) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Yield: 1 loaf.

 
Michael, could I just use milk as the liquid in the first place?

and forget the powder? I want to try this without going to the store.

 
I don't see why not. Bernard Clayton got asked that once and it was at that moment...

...he realized he had never said that it was ok to do that in his book!

I always have powdered milk around so I've never done it, but I think it would be fine.

Michael

 
A worthy goal, no doubt. Clayton's book talks about the addition of flour and ...

...cautions against anything more than a "...little sprinkle..." here and there, in order to facilitate kneading, but not so much as to "...overload the dough". Good advice.

Nothing trumps experience... or so I keep telling my teenagers.

Michael

 
Thanks, all. I will print out the recipes/advice and check out the books.

I think I will buy a basket and assemble some break-making ingredients for him for a Christmas present. Or maybe wrap everything up individually--put the yeast in his stocking, wrap up a couple of bags of flour, an apron, etc. That's what my mom would have done to make it fun.

 
They have a Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. My attempts with this book...horrible!

Though I do hear their original book is the one to get.

 
Amanda, Peter Reinhart is my favorite. While he's a serious bread guy, what makes

his recipes exciting, is it's instructional. You understand WHY you do certain steps. I'm sure he's got discussion in his books about the differences in flours and substituting whole wheat. (My understanding...usually you can sub out about half the white for whole wheat. More than that and it has some kind of detrimental effect. Texture? Rise? Crumb? I can't remember.)

 
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