My Favorite Whole Wheat Bread + PBJ Swirl Bread
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Serves: 32 slices
 
Ingredients
  • 7½ c white whole wheat flour (Divided)
  • 1½ tbsp. dry active yeast
  • 2½ c warm (not hot to the touch) water
  • ⅓ c I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, melted
  • ⅓ c honey (or agave nectar or pure maple syrup)
  • 2½ tsp salt
  • 1½ tbsp. vital wheat gluten
Instructions
  1. In a stand mixer with a dough hook, combine 2 c flour with the water and yeast. Let sit for 15 minutes until frothy and bubbly. If it doesn't get bubbly, your yeast is dead and the dough will not rise.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, honey, and salt.
  3. Once the yeast mixture is frothy, add the honey mixture. Add 4½ c of flour and the vital wheat gluten and turn the stand mixer on until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Using a medium setting on your stand mixer, knead the dough for 7 minutes, adding the additional cup of flour in small amounts until the dough is not longer very sticky (test it with clean, dry hands. It might stick a small amount, but wont leave any pieces of dough on your finger).
  4. Cut the dough in half. For each half, stretch so the dough is about the same length as the loaf pan (8 or 9 inches) but twice as wide. Roll it over and place it seem side down in a greased loaf pan. This will help the dough rise evenly and look smooth on top. (If you want to make the PBJ swirl version, see the notes section) Cover with a flour sack or other lint free towel and let rise in a warm room for an hour.
  5. During the last 15 minutes of rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. After rising, the dough should be peaking over the top of the pan. If your house is a little cool, it might take a little longer. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the loaf pans and place on a cooling rack.
  7. If you aren't going to eat the bread within 2 days, I recommend pre-slicing, wrapping in plastic wrap, and sticking a freezer bag before placing in the freezer. This will help keep it from drying dough and can be frozen for 2 - 3 months.
Notes
To make the PBJ swirl bread: Before letting the dough rise, stretch the dough into a rectangle about 2 inches wider than the loaf pan (about 10 - 11 inches wide) and about 14 inches long. Using approximately ⅓ c natural peanut butter and ⅓ c of your favorite jelly, spread stripes of the PB and J, leaving about 2 inches at the end. Roll it up starting at the striped side and use the "clean" dough to seal the seem. It's okay if PB and J leaks a little out of the sides. Fold the open ends toward the seam (similar to sealing off a burrito) and place in a greased loaf pan. Let rise for an hour and continue as above.
Nutritional estimate including PB and J swirl is 140 cal, 3 g fat, 25 carb, 4 g fiber, and 5 g protein.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 slice Calories: 115 Fat: 1 Carbohydrates: 23 Fiber: 3 Protein: 4
Recipe by Hidden Fruits and Veggies at https://www.hiddenfruitsandveggies.com/2014/11/10/whole-wheat-bread-pbj-swirl/