Grandma Marilyn’s Famous Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients

Hand Method: (yields 2 loaves)

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110°F)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp SAF Instant Yeast
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 – 7 cups fresh whole wheat flour (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Dough Enhancer, optional
• 1/3 cup Vital Wheat Gluten, optional

Large Mixer Method: Yields 4-6 loaves

• 2/3 cup honey
• 2/3 cup oil
• 6 cups warm water (110°F)
• 3 Tbsp SAF Instant Yeast
• 1 1/2 – 2 Tbsp salt
• 14 – 18 cups fresh whole wheat flour (room temperature)
• 2 Tbsp Dough Enhancer, optional
• 2/3 cup Vital Gluten, optional

Bread Machine Method (we recommend the Zojirushi Bakery Supreme)

• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 1 1/2 C water (110°F)
• 1 1/2 tsp SAF Instant Yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 C fresh whole wheat flour (room temperature)
• 2 tsp Dough Enhancer, optional
• 3 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten, optional

Directions

Hand Method

Combine the warm water, yeast, and 2 cups of fresh whole wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Allow to sponge for 15 minutes. Add the honey, oil, dough enhancer, salt and 4-5 cups additional flour until the dough begins to clean the sides of the mixing bowl. This is true whether you are mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or using a dough hook attachment with an electric mixer.

Knead the dough by hand 7-10 minutes or until it is very smooth, elastic and small bubbles or blisters appear beneath the surface of the dough. It is a common mistake of beginners to add too much flour.

When hand kneading, oil your kneading surface and your hands with 1-2 tsp of oil to help reduce stickiness to avoid adding too much flour.

Form the dough into 2 loaves and place into greased bread pans. Allow the dough to rise in a slightly warmed oven (85-100°F) or other warm place until doubled in size, about 30-60 minutes.

Bake the loaves for 25-30 minutes at 350°F. Preheating the oven is not necessary. Bread is done when the top, sides, and bottom are nicely browned in color, or 180°F to 200°F is reached on an instant-read thermometer. Over baked is better than under baked.

Large Mixer Method

Combine the honey, oil, warm water, yeast, dough enhancer, and 2 cups of the whole wheat flour in the mixing bowl; sponge for 15 minutes. Add the salt and 14-18 cups additional flour, 1 cup at a time, while the mixer is running until the dough is stiff and cleans the sides of the mixing bowl.

Knead the dough for 6 minutes on speed #1 (or low speed) to develop the gluten if you are using fresh flour. Allow the dough to rise until doubled, about 30-60 minutes. This first rising is optional if you are in a hurry.

Form the dough into four to six loaves and place into greased bread pans. Allow the bread dough to rise in a slightly warmed oven (85-100°F) or other warm place until doubled in size (about 30-60 minutes).

Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes in a 350°F oven. Bread is done when the top, sides, and bottom are nicely browned in color, or 180°F to 200°F is reached on an instant-read thermometer.

Bread Machine Method

Combine ingredients according to the instructions given by your bread machine manufacturer.