ISO Your Favorite/Best Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Recipe

[Chocolate Rose]

I keep trying to find the best ww sandwich bread recipe and still haven't found it. Right now, I keep falling back on CL's Irish Oatmeal Bread.

I want something that slices nicely, doesn't dry out too quickly, tastes wonderful, doesn't call for expensive ingredients, and holds up to sandwich fillings. Is there such a thing??
TIA

[kima]

Here are two tried and true recipes from my dear friend and prolific cookbook author Bryanna Clark Grogan.
The second recipe is the one I have made for over twenty years! Hope these are what you are looking for Chocolate Rose!

BRIAN'S BREAD makes 4 large loaves

This is my husband’s recipe, our daily bread, and we love it. The sesame seeds at the bottom of the pan really make it delicious! It’s a crusty bread, too, and contains no sugar (yeast can feed off the starch in the flour).

5 c. very warm water
1 T. regular dry baking yeast
1/4 c. oil
2 T. salt
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. wheat bran
7 c. wholewheat flour (hard wheat flour)
about 4 c. unbleached white flour, or until the dough pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl
raw hulled sesame seeds

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water for 5 minutes or so. Mix in a large bowl (or bowl of a heavy-duty mixer that can handle 4 loaves, like a Bosch) with the wholewheat flour, bran, oats, salt and oil. Mix briefly, then mix or knead in the unbleached flour.

Knead in heavy-duty bread machine or by hand 8-10 minutes. (If kneading by hand, use as little flour as possible. Use a little oil on your hands and the kneading surface, if necessary.) Transfer to a large oiled bowl, oil top, cover with plastic and let rise for about 1 and 1/2-2 hours. Punch down and let rise about another 1-1 and 1/2 hours. Shape into 4 even loaves and place in dark 8x4and1/2" loaf pans, bottoms sprinkled generously with raw hulled sesame seeds. Cover and let rise about 30-45 minutes, or til well-rounded over the tops of the pans.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Just before baking, slash the loaves in a cross with a razor blade and squirt loaves with water. Place the loaves in the middle of the oven. Bake 5 minutes, then turn heat down to about 350 degrees F and bake about 20-25 minutes (18 in a convection oven) more, or until loaves are golden brown and crusty. Remove from pans and cool on racks.



BRYANNA’S BASIC TENDER 100% WHOLEWHEAT BREAD 2 large loaves
(can be soy-free) NEW

3/4 c. very warm water or potato cooking water
1 T. sweetener of choice
1 tsp. yeast
2 c. warm water, potato cooking water, or soymilk
1 T. salt
2 T. oil
7 c. wholewheat flour
OPTIONAL:
1/3 c. potato flour or starch (you don’t need this if you use potato cooking water, but I like to add it if I use water or soymilk, as it makes a lighter, softer wholewheat bread)
up to 1/3 c. soy flour

Dissolve the yeast in the 3/4 c. warm liquid, along with the sweetener. When bubbly, mix with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl (or bowl of a heavy-duty mixer that can handle 4 loaves, like a Bosch), including about 4 c. of the flour. When that is well mixed, mix or knead in the remaining flour. Knead in heavy-duty bread machine or by hand 8-10 minutes. (If kneading by hand, use as little flour as possible. Use a little oil on your hands and the kneading surface, if necessary.) Transfer to a large oiled bowl, oil top, cover with plastic and let rise for about 1 and 1/2-2 hours. Punch down and let rise about another 1-1 and 1/2 hours. Shape into 2 even loaves and place in greased 9 x5 x 1/2" loaf pans. Cover and let rise about 30-45 minutes, or til well-rounded over the tops of the pans.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Just before baking, squirt loaves with water. (You can slash them with a razor blade if you like.) Place the loaves in the middle of the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove from pans immediately and cool on racks.

[Vicanddi]

I have a couple favorite breads...but I'm still on the quest for a favorite WW bread myself. *Bump*

[TitlePending]

I'm planning on trying the Honey Wheat Bread from CL 3/93 this week. I'll let you know if it's close to what you're looking for. Hmmm, maybe I should mention I'd planned on making this last week but ran out of time :o

Linda~

[Chocolate Rose]

Kima, thanks for posting your recipes! I'm going to give them a try. I know that on another thread you were talking about how important potato water is. I very, very rarely boil potatoes (and know myself well enough to know I'm not going to start :) ) and am wondering how not using potato water will affect the 2nd recipe. Have you made the recipe without the potato water or potato starch??

Linda, I'd love to know what you think about that bread. Could you post the recipe??

[funniegrrl]

I don't have it typed out, but if you can get ahold of a copy of Lauren's Kitchen Bread Book, I think the "Loaf for Learning" is just fabulous, and it does not have any fancy ingredients.

[TitlePending]

CR~

It's going in the oven within the next 5-minutes.

HONEY WHEAT BREAD
Cooking Light 3/93 pg 75

1/2C honey, divided
2 pkgs. dry yeast
2C warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
6C bread flour, divided
3C whole wheat flour
1C plain nonfat yogurt
1/4C + 2T vegetable oil
2t salt
Vegetable cooking spray

Dissolve 1/4C honey and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/4C honey, 4C bread flour, and next 4 ingredients, stirring until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 15 minutes). Add enough of remaining bread flour to keep dough from sticking. Place in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled.

Punch dough down, and turn out onto a floured surface. Divide in half; roll one portion into a 15x8 inch rectangle. Roll up, starting at short side, pressing to eliminate air pockets. pinch ends to seal. Place loaf, seam side down, in a 9x5x3 inch loafpan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove bread from pans; cool on wire racks.

Yield: 2 loavees, 18 slices each (serving size 1 [1/2 inch] slice).

CALORIES 143 (18% from fat) / PROTEIN 4.2g / FAT 2.9g (SAT 0.5g MONO 0.7g, POLY 1.3g)/CARB 25.8g/FIBER 2.0g/CHOL 0mg/IRON 1.3g/SODIUM 136mg/CALCIUM 20mg

Instead of the vegetable oil called for I used some walnut oil I had on hand and needed to use before becomes rancid.

I'll let you know how this turns out.

Linda~

[Vicanddi]

Linda, I don'tt believe I've tried that recipe. It sounds great; thanks for sharing! :)

[kima]

Oh yes I have made the bread recipes above without potato water (I have never used the starch) and the bread was great. The potato water does make the bread more moist but it isn't crucial- just something to try. I have been know to boil up a couple of potatoes just for the water!:)

[Chocolate Rose]

funniegirl, I have the LKBB but haven't made that recipe in many years. I'll have to give it a try again.

Linda, thanks for typing in the recipe!! It looks great. I think I may have some yogurt in the fridge and if so, I'm going to give it a try.

Thanks, Kima! I'm glad to know I don't have to have the potato water.

Thanks you guys!! I've got several new recipes to try now!!

[TitlePending]

CR~

The Honey Wheat bread smelled heavenly, as all bread does when baking! I liked the lighter color and the texture was good, not too dense at all.

My DH had some for toast this a.m. and said it was good. I have not yet had any, maybe tomorrow.

Linda~