Whole Wheat Bread

Ingredients

• Approximatly 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour or 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup unbleached flour.
• 2/3 cup vital wheat gluten.
• 2 cups hot water.
• 4 tsp. dry active yeast.
• 2 tsp. salt.
• 3 tbs honey.
• 1/4 cup oats.

Preparation

1. Add everything to a bread machine or stand mixer with a dough hook.
2. Allow the bread machine to process the dough for quick yeast bread or mix and knead for 10 minutes with the dough hook, adding only enough additional flour to form a very soft (but not sticky) dough. It should just barely pull away from the sides of the bowl.
3. Remove dough to a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (I heat my oven for 2 minutes, then turn it off and put the bowl with the dough in the oven).
4. After rising, dump the dough onto the counter and shape it into 18 rolls or cut it in half to form 2 loaves.
5. Put loaves, seam side down, in greased 8"x4" bread pans. Cover with a tea towel and return in the warm oven for 1 hour.
6. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 20 minutes for rolls or 38 minutes for loaves.
7. Remove bread from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing (an electric knife makes cutting a breeze).

Variation: Garlic Herb Bread

In step 1, add two tablespoons minced garlic or garlic paste and three tablespoons Italian Seasoning to the recipe above.

Notes

Press rolls or loaves onto quick or old-fashioned oats before the last rise if desired.

Vital wheat gluten adds a stretchy, soft texture to this whole-grain bread.