I grind my own whole wheat (Hard White Wheat and Hard Red Wheat) using the Komo Classic Wheat grinder (pricey-and it's gone up a bit since I purchased it a few years ago, but worth it!)--I can grind just as much as I need to as it grinds straight into my 4 cup measuring cup.
You can also use whole wheat flour purchased at the store. Please let me know if you have any questions about the process or recipe!
I use Le Creuset small stoneware bread pans
Whole Wheat Bread Recipe
(makes 2 loaves)
3 c ground Hard White Wheat
2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast (or 1 envelope)
2 c warm water
1/4 c honey
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 1/2 c ground Hard Red Wheat
3 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten (don't omit!!)
1. Combine White Wheat flour, salt, yeast in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine warm water, honey, and oil (it's cleanest if you add the honey to the same glass measuring cup as the water and stir)
3. Pour the water mix into the flour mix and stir (it will be very wet).
4. Let the mix rise for 1 hour
5. Add the Vital Wheat Gluten to the mixing bowl (I use Bob's Red Mill because they sell it locally, but I'm sure any will be fine. You can buy it in bulk on Amazon or Costco as well, but keep it in the fridge!) and half of the Red Wheat Flour. Stir with a spoon until it's too hard.
6. Knead as much of the remaining flour into the dough as you'd like/can to get a firm, but still slightly sticky dough (too much will dry out the dough, but too little won't let it rise properly).
7. Split the dough into 2 balls
8. Let the balls rest for 15 min
9. Flatten each dough ball into a rectangle (doesn't have to be perfect and just use your hands) and roll like a jelly roll into a tube, rolling back and forth to make sure you get out any air bubbles. Push in the ends so it's the right length for your bread pans and place into your buttered bread pans (I use real butter and make sure the butter is covering every surface of the pan with my fingers). You can see Killer Dave do this process here.
10. Let rise in the pan for 1 hour
11. Bake in 350 degree oven for 23 min (top will be slightly golden).
12. Remove from pans and let cool on a rack for at least 5 min (even though it will be tempting to cut it right away!)
Enjoy!!
