Description
This bread recipe can be used for either two loaves of bread or about 20 buns. This recipe assumes you have a stand mixer, a thermometer, and a scale that measures in grams.
Yield
2 Loaves
Preparation time
3 hours, 20 minutes
Cooking time
40 minutes
Total time
4 hours
Ingredients
1 1⁄3 c Water
1 t Sugar
3 t Active Dry Yeast
1⁄2 c Milk ((Soy or Almond may be substituted))
300 g Whole Wheat Flour
540 g White Flour
500 mg Ascorbic Acid
2 T Agave Nectar
1⁄4 c Sugar
1⁄4 c Vegetable Oil
2 t Salt (fine (or 4 teaspoons coarse))
Instructions
- Warm ⅓ cup of water until it is between 110° and 120° F. In a small bowl, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 teaspoons of yeast to the warm water. This mixture should begin to foam after several minutes. If not, discard the yeast and acquire new yeast.
- Warm the mixer bowl by letting warm water stand in the bowl. Discard the water.
- In the warm mixer bowl, add the oil, sugar, the remaining water, agave nectar, and almond milk.
- Add the yeast mixture to the mixer bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: white flour, wheat flour, salt, and powdered ascorbic acid. Mix.
- Change the mixer attachment to use the dough hook. Add most of the flour mixture, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Leave about two cups of flour in the large bowl.
- Knead the flour on low speed for another 10 minutes. The dough should be very sticky and stick to the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. If the dough sticks to the dough hook without being kneaded, periodically remove the dough from the dough hook and continue to knead.
- After 10 minutes, remove the dough from the mixer into the large bowl, scraping the sides.
- By hand, knead the remaining flour into the dough. Leave a light coating of flour on the outside of the dough.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm dry place until doubled in size: about 45 minutes.
- Remove the cover and punch down. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm dry place until doubled: about 45 minutes.
- Punch down and split into two loaves or separate into buns. If you're making buns, each bun should be about 65 grams.
- Cover and let rise a third time in a warm, dry place.
- Remove the plastic wrap and bake in a 350° F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
- Wait at least 10 minutes to cut.
Notes
This recipe works in our high-altitude town, which is about 6,000 feet above sea level. It also works well in our new sea-level, high humidity home.
The ascorbic acid helps the gluten form long chains, making the bread strong and resistant to falling.