Soft Wholewheat Bread

Blogging Marathon# 40: Week 1/ Day 2
Theme: Yeast Breads
Dish: Wholewheat Bread

Making homemade bread is quite satisfying. I'm not a pro at bread baking and I always follow the recipes to the T. Baking is a science and I don't think I have the expertise to make up my own bread recipes yet. I go-to site for everything related to baking is King Arthur flour site. The only changes I usually make is to add wholewheat flour for a part of white flour other than I don't take too many chances in baking.

Wholewheat bread is a challenge to make. I've tried quite a few recipes and most of them turn out 'almost cardboard-like'. I added molasses in one recipe and the bread turned out a strange brown color with a strong molasses flavor -- I didn't get the seal of approval from the family members. So in my quest for whole wheat bread, I tried this recipe from King Arthur Flour.

Recipe adapted from here:
Ingredients:

Wholewheat flour - 3¾cups
Instant Mashed Potato flakes - ¾cup (I used ½cup of potato flour instead)
Nonfat Dry Milk - ¼cup
Instant Yeast - 2½tsp
Lukewarm water - ½cup (use 2tbsp less in summer or humid environment and 2tbsp more in winter or dry climate)
Lukewarm Milk - ½cup
Orange Juice - ½cup (straight out of the fridge)
Melted Butter - 5tbsp
Sugar - 3tbsp

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix and knead to form a cohesive dough. If using a stand mixer, knead on low speed for about 7 minutes. Dough will feel a bit rough and not as smooth as dough made with all-purpose flour.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover and set aside for 60~90 minutes or until its expanded and looks somewhat puffy.
• Loghtly grease a 9"x5" loaf pan. Gently shape the dough into a smooth log and settle it into the pan, smooth side up.
• Cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap or a shower cap, and allow the loaf to rise till its crowned over the rim of the pan by ¾", about 75 minutes. Don't let it rise too much as it will continue to rise as it bakes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Bake the bread for 10 minutes, then lightly tent it with aluminum foil, and bake for another 30~35 minutes, or until the center registers 190°F on an instant read thermometer.
• Remove the pan from the oven and turn it out on to a wire rack to cook. Run a stick of butter over the top of the bread, if desired, for a softer crust.
• Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 40.
Linking this to this week's Fabulous Feast Friday# 13 being hosted by Sandhya & Mir.