Whole wheat bread is so healthy, and while I know this....I also know that white bread tastes so much better! There needs to be a happy medium. I really like the wheat recipe that I posted here. It tastes great and is so soft, but it doesn't stay nice and soft longer than a day. So I've been on the search for a good half and half recipe that stays soft for more than 24 hours.I've been trying lots of recipes lately. This Amish White Bread is my favorite. Also this Oat Bread is fantastic. The Amish white bread is very sweet, you could half the sugar and be fine. I made this with white flour, then tried it with 4 cups of white, and 2 cups of whole wheat flour. It was very good. I need to try it with bread flour, but I didn't have any, so I've been using all-purpose wheat and white. The kids LOVE that I am making bread all the time now. Dallin was excited to bring a huge slice with butter to preschool for his snack yesterday! And as usual, I use my bread maker to do all the work, then take the dough out for the final rise in the pan and bake it in my oven.
I have a recipe for honey butter at the bottom of this post!
Amish White Bread
2 cups warm water
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups bread flour
In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast.
Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam. (no need to do this if using a bread machine to make the dough).
Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Take out of pan immediately and cool on wire rack, then wrap in plastic wrap to keep soft.
Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Take out of pan immediately and cool on wire rack, then wrap in plastic wrap to keep soft.
This makes 2 loaves.
Honey Butter1/2 cup butter, softened
2 T. honey
Combine in small bowl and beat until fluffy. I put 2 T. at a time of this on waxed paper, rolled it up, then froze it. It made several packets, and I pull them out as we use it. I made a mini loaf of bread for my friend Alba today and brought her a little butter pat from the freezer with it.
Thanks for sharing your adventures in breadmaking! I hate making bread, but with your latest recipe I'm determined to give it a try. I just bought my first loaf pan so here goes nothing!
ReplyDeleteHave you tried the Whole Wheat bread recipe that is in the red and white checked cook book? That's my favorite, so far for wheat bread.
ReplyDeleteThat looks so yummy! I have the best wheat bread recipe. It's my mom's. You know her and her bread! Anyway, What kind of wheat do you use? I find that if I use hard white instead of hard red, it turns out SO much better. The last batch I made was 100% whole wheat (with some gluten added) and it's still fabulous. I made it on Wednesday. Let me know if you want the recipe, although you might have to half it for your breadmaker. It usually makes 3-4 loaves.
ReplyDeleteYes Kiersten! Please share.
ReplyDeleteCheck out the recipe section of the Oklahoma Wheat Commission, for whom I work, and try the wheat bread recipe. The trick is to half and half the bread flour and whole wheat flour to start out. It really is a great recipe. Not refinded sugars either- brown sugar and molasses are the sweetening agents.
ReplyDelete