My Aunt loves to bake everything from artisan breads to pie crusts. She definitely has a talent in the kitchen! Although I love to cook, baking has never been my expertise.
I’ve been curious to experiment with homemade bread using freshly ground flour. After a few failed attempts, I’ve found the perfect honey whole wheat bread!
The nutty flavor of this bread is all attributed to the flour made from hard red wheat berries. If you’re new to grinding your own flour, it’s simple. Toss some wheat berries (which look similar to dry kernels of corn) into your Vitamix Dry Grains container. One minute later, you have flour! Why grind your own flour when you can buy it in the store? Freshly ground flour contains up to 15% protein content; store-bought flour removes certain parts of the grain to make it shelf stable (which happens to eliminate the protein and other nutritional minerals). Don’t forget that wheat berries are cheaper than flour. Plus, you can spare one minute to grind fresh flour in your Vitamix blender! (Always grind the flour fresh; it will go rancid after a few days of being ground.)
So, the nutty flavor of this bread comes from the wheat berries. And of course the honey adds a sweet taste. The yeast and olive oil keep the bread light, even though it’s hearty and filling.
This recipe calls for 2 risings. The final product is worth the wait, trust me! It’s irresistible, especially when it’s spread with salted butter and a smear of jam. Before you know it, making this honey whole wheat bread will become a part of your weekly time in the kitchen!
Honey Whole Wheat Bread
A hearty bread with a light texture and sweet hint of honey. Tastes delicious spread with salted butter and fresh jam!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups warm water (95-105°F)
- 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ⅓ cup honey
- 3 cups hard red wheat berries (approximately 4½ cups whole wheat flour flour)
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix the warm water and yeast together, and allow to sit for 5 minutes until bubbly.
- Using the Vitamix Dry Grains container, grind the 3 cups of hard red wheat berries into approximately 4½ cups of whole wheat flour. Pour into a large mixing bowl and combine that with the salt.
- Add the oil and honey to the yeast and water.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the liquids. Mix together until a ball forms. Knead until smooth, approximately 10 minutes.
- Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl and allow it to rise until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and shape it into your desired pan (9x5 loaf pan). Let rise again until doubled in size. (Preheat oven to 350°F while dough rises.)
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 190°F.
Notes
This bread will only stay fresh for 5-7 days. Store in a dark cool place like your pantry, or in the fridge.
To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and then in foil.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 247Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 391mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 7gSugar: 9gProtein: 8g
