Homemade Honey Wheat Bread

This is the second post about this bread, but I wanted to add some more pictures just in case this process intimidates you as it did me. Maybe the visual will make you feel better about trying it. This bread is really good so I really hope you'll give it a try.

First things first; mix the water, yeast, and sugar in a dish. The water has to be warm for the yeast to activate but I just use my finger to test it. I've never gotten out a thermometer. Just make it about the temperature you'd give a small child a bath in.




When you mix it together, it'll look something like this. Funny looking but after a few minutes it'll start to grow.



While the yeast does it's thing, mix your first round of ingredients together in a mixer. I used my paddle attachment for this first part. In this bowl is the shortening, water, honey, salt, evaporated milk, and the wheat flour. Mix together until well blended.



Yummy bubbly yeast mixture.



Now add the yeast to the flour mixture until well blended and let rest for 15 minutes.



It doesn't look much different after 15 minutes, buy hey that's what the directions say to do and who am I to argue.



Now pour in the bread flour and begin to mix. This is when I switched to a dough hook for my mixer.



The bread will begin to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl - mix for 80 seconds longer then shut off.



Place the dough in a buttered bowl and top with plastic wrap. Put in a warm area for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.



Now that it's doubled in size, remove from the bowl and cut in half.



You'll want to punch it to get the air out and place the two pieces of dough in buttered loaf pans.



Smear butter on top of each loaf.



Place plastic wrap over each loaf pan and let rise again for about 30 minutes or until doubled in size.



Place a dish of water in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 375. Once the bread is doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and put in the oven for about 25 to 35 minutes or until the crust is a dark golden brown.



Add more butter to the crust as soon as it comes out of the oven. This is the part where you're supposed to wait until it cools before cutting. Good luck with that.



Your house is going to smell wonderful! Enjoy!

Honey Wheat Bread
Recipe from AllRecipes


Here's what you'll need:

1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
1 tsp white sugar
1/2 C. warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1/4 water
1/4 melted shortening
1/4 honey
2 tsp. salt
2 C. whole wheat flour
3 C. bread flour
2 Tbsp butter

1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water.
2. Combine milk, 1/4 cup water, shortening, honey, salt and wheat flour in food processor or bowl. Mix in yeast mixture, and let rest 15 minutes. Add white flour, and process until dough forms a ball. Knead dough by processing an additional 80 seconds in food processor, or mix and knead by hand 10 minutes. Place the dough in a buttered bowl, and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 45 minutes, or until almost doubled.
3. Punch down, and divide dough in half. Roll out each half, and pound out the bubbles. Form into loaves, and place in buttered 9x5 inch bread pans. Butter the tops of the dough, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area until doubled; second rise should take about 30 minutes.
4. Place a small pan of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tops are dark golden brown. Butter crusts while warm. Slice when cool.