Mini Bread Making Class!

Congratulations to Karen Stone King-the winner of my mini giveaway! (Please email me everydayfoodstorage(at)gmail(dot)com with your address so I can send the food storage and measurement conversion charts to you!) So happy to have done this mini bread making class with Bob from www.mykitchencenter.com.  It shows the beauty of a Bosch (the fact that you can make 6-8 loaves of bread at a time!) and also gives good general tips for making, shaping, and baking your bread.  I know I learned a few pointers. I still use my EZ Whole Wheat Bread recipe and it works wonderful in the Bosch. (If you’ve never tried my recipe-you should! It is light and squishy and passes the peanut butter and jelly test. You can watch my video of how to make it HERE. It even shows how to make it in a Kitchen Aid if that is what you’ve got)

Bob’s Basic Whole Wheat Bread Recipe:

6 c. warm water
2/3 c. oil (he uses coconut oil)
2/3 c. honey
8 c. freshly milled whole wheat flour (additional flour later)
2 T. Vital wheat gluten
2 T. dough enhancer
2-3 T. SAF instant yeast
4-8 additional cups freshly milled whole wheat flour
2 T. real salt*
2 T. liquid lecithin

In the Bosch mixing bowl, combine hot water (approximately 110 to 120 degrees), oil, honey, lecithin (optional). Next add 8 cups of freshly ground wheat flour. On top of the flour, add Vital Wheat Gluten, dough enhancer and SAF instant yeast and salt (for non sponging recipe). “Jog” off and on using the ‘M’ side of the switch. Mix on first speed until smooth. The amount of flour you ad will depend on the moisture and protein levels in your wheat. You might stop the mixer and tap the dough gently with your finger to see if it sticks. We flour our finger then tap the dough lightly, if it doesn’t stick it has enough flour. When you feel the flour to water ratio is about right turn your mixer to speed two and mix from 8-10 minutes. once your mixer runs for several minutes and the gluten in your wheat starts to develop the dough that was sticking to the sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl will completely clean off. With shortening on your hand, form dough into 5-6 loaves then place into pans. When they are fully raised you should be able to put a small dent in the side of one of the loaves with your finger and the dent will NOT come back out, or it will come back very slowly. Place loaves into a cool oven (not preheated). bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

*For those who are struggling with their whole wheat bread, we suggest you use the “sponge” method until you feel comfortable about he quality of your bread. First, add the water, then the oil, honey and lecithin. Don’t mix. Then add 8 cups of freshly milled flour. don’t mix. On top of the flour add the dough enhancer, gluten and yeast. at this point do not add the salt (salt controls yeast, without salt the sponge will raise quicker). “Jog” in mixture using the ‘M’ switch, quickly turning it off and on to the left. This will mix your ingredients so that the flour will mix with the water and nothing will whip out of the bowl. then mix on speed one until smooth. Let stand for about 10 minutes or until the dough has risen to the top. this is ponging. This process allows the wheat bran to absorb the moisture, thus making the dough “dryer”, it also improves the texture. Sponging gives you a little advantage in terms of the flour to water ratio, because the dough is dryer you add less flour hence the bread is lighter. Next, on speed one, ADD THE SALT and the rest of the flour as described above. Once you know how much flour you need, you may add everything at once; including all of the flour, set the time for 10 minutes on speed two and you are finished!

And of course, don’t forget that you could enter to win one of these amazing machines through March 15th on my blog. Click HERE for more information!