Best Yet Whole Wheat Bread, Big Batch

Do you like my bread mixer!?!?!  My Mom gave it to me she has had it for years and years.  It's pretty awesome, all stainless and it's a workhorse.  So what's my excuse for not having fresh homemade bread around our house all the time?  Ummmmm......I've been really busy with moving and getting ready to move again....yeah that's it.  Besides whenever I make that much dough very little of it gets made into loaves of bread we have to make at least one batch of cinnamon rolls if not more and bread sticks will go great with dinner, oh and speaking of dinner....dinner rolls are great too and maybe some pretzels.  Have I mentioned I love how versatile this recipe is!  Now with a big batch recipe and a awesome bread mixer the possibilities are endless!




Note:  Homemade bread is always much better with flour that has been freshly ground from whole wheat.  My favorite wheat for bread is Hard White Wheat it is much less heavy then the Hard Red Wheat or Winter Wheat.  I have used a number of wheat grinders and/or grain mills and by far my favorite is This Wonder Mill!  It is the least loud machine out there, in fact it is almost quiet compared to the others.  It is also faster then the others I have tried yet still grinds the grain nice and fine.  I love it!  I have had mine for over 16 years, I use it all the time and I have never had a problem with it!  I highly recommend The Wonder Mill!

Best Yet Whole Wheat Bread, Big Batch

(yields 5-6 loaves)
2/3 cup honey
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cups warm water
3 Tablespoons Yeast
1 ½ - 2 Tablespoons Real Salt
16-20 cups fresh whole wheat flour
3 Tablespoons Vital Wheat Gluten

In large bread mixer, combine the warm water, (110 degrees) yeast, and 2 cups of fresh ground whole wheat flour.  Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, salt and 12-16 cups of flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixer.  Dough should be smooth and kind of sticky.  Don't add so much flour that the dough gets too stiff, this will make for dry crumbly bread.  Beginners often add too much flour.  Have mixer knead the dough for six to ten minutes.  Form the dough into 5-6 loaves, place the dough into greased loaf pans. Allow to rise in a slightly warmed, THEN TURNED OFF oven until doubled in size (about 30-60 minutes).  After the dough has risen turn on oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaves for 30 minutes or until  done. This bread recipe is very versatile! Use it to make cinnamon rolls, pizza, bread sticks,
and more!