Recipe: Whole Wheat Country Bread

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-06-26
From: Paddy.Montreal

Whole Wheat Country Bread

2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
1 tsp. sugar or honey
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, approx.
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup rye flour, optional
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour, approx.

Put the water in a large bowl with the sugar and yeast and let stand until 5-10 min., until creamy. Stir in about 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour and mix until thoroughly blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until light and bubbly, about 1 hour.

Stir in oil and salt, and rye flour if using. Add remaining 1 cup whole wheat flour, mix well - should be stiff enough to turn out onto flour-dusted work surface. Knead 10 to 15 minutes with the white flour. Pick up the dough and slam it down onto the work surface 3 or 4 times. It helps redistribute the yeast, and it's a great way to get rid of stress.
Put into a greased bowl, turning to coat with oil.

I use Crisco, solid not oil, for greasing the bowl; keeps the dough from being too oily. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down and let rise again.

Turn out, shape into a ball, put on cornmeal covered, or sprinkled baking sheet, and let rise about 20 min. Slash top, and bake 40 to 45 min. in 400 F. oven, spraying with water a few times during the first 10 minutes of baking. Loaf should be dark brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.