A bread maker is great if you want to explore a lot of different breads without having to invest a lot of time into learning a lot of techniques or following wildly different recipes. But once you've figured out a staple bread that you want to make week after week, a bread maker might not be the best answer. I have one, and I found that I was constantly making bread. I also found myself forgetting to get the paddle out of the bread once it cooled. After slicing into the paddle one time too many, I figured there had to be a better, more fool-proof way to make bread.

This whole wheat bread is simple even though it has three rises. Once you've made it a few times, it'll be second nature. I weigh everything, even the milk, so everything is in grams. I find putting a bowl or pan on a scale and adding everything is a lot easier than getting out an array of measuring cups and spoons. There's a lot less mess to clean up, too.

The recipe is for two loaves. Since we go through a loaf or two each week, making two loaves ensured we wouldn't run out mid-week. Feel free to cut everything in half (except the rise times, of course) to get close to the original recipe that I based this on.

If you don't have wheat gluten or malt powder, don't worry. You can leave them out and everything should be fine. I add them for a bit of extra flavor and texture.

Print Recipe

Whole Wheat Bread Yum

Course

Bread

Prep Time

30-40 minutes

Cook Time

45-50 minutes

Passive Time

3 hours

Servings

loaves Metric US Imperial

Ingredients

• 96 g granulated sugar
• 12 g salt
• 48 g all vegetable shortening
• 488 g milk
• 60 g water
• 480 g all-purpose flour
• 10 g dry malt powder
• 10 g vital wheat gluten
• 14 g instant yeast
• 360 g whole wheat flour

Course Bread Prep Time 30-40 minutes Cook Time 45-50 minutes Passive Time 3 hours Servings loaves Metric US Imperial Ingredients 96 g granulated sugar 12 g salt 48 g all vegetable shortening 488 g milk 60 g water 480 g all-purpose flour 10 g dry malt powder 10 g vital wheat gluten 14 g instant yeast 360 g whole wheat flour

Instructions

1. Combine the sugar, salt, shortening, milk, and water in a pan and heat until it is between 110°F and 115°F.
2. While the liquids are heating, combine the all-purpose flour, dry malt powder, wheat gluten, and instant yeast in a mixing bowl.
3. Once the liquids have reached the right temperature, pour them into the mixing bowl with the combined dry ingredients. Mix well.
4. Cover with plastic film and let sit for an hour.
5. Mix in the whole wheat flour. If using a stand mixer, you can use the dough hook. Knead the dough for 15-20 minutes until the dough forms a smooth exterior and you can make a thin membrane with the dough without it breaking.
6. Cover with plastic film and let sit for an hour.
7. Grease two loaf pans. Set aside. Punch down the dough and divide into two equal portions. Knead each portion and work into an oblong loaf. Place a loaf into each pan.
8. Cover with plastic film and let sit for an hour.
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the loaves for 45-50 minutes or until done. They should be golden brown on top and sound hollow when thumped.

Recipe Notes

The kneading time depends a lot on what you use to knead and if you're making the full recipe or a half recipe. The timing is a rough guideline, so knead for 15 minutes (or about 7–8 minutes if making only one loaf) and test the dough. Once you've made this bread a couple of times, you'll get a feel for what to expect.

This is based on the whole wheat bread recipe (909) from The New American Cookbook, 1941.

Share this Recipe