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Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf
This is my favorite new whole wheat sandwich loaf that I’ve been promising to post.
I look forward to hearing if you love it as much as I do.
I’ve found that using 50 percent whole wheat and 50 percent white wheat flour is the perfect balance for flavor and texture. There is enough gluten from the white wheat flour to give it excellent volume and consistency. Adding the starter gives it a longer shelf life and also incredibly perfect depth of flavor but it’s great even without it or you could substitute the suggested old bread dough. Simply save some when you are making a loaf of hearth bread. It keeps at room temperature for about 6 hours, refrigerated for 48 hours and refrigerated for at least 3 months. If you omit the old starter or if you add old dough (which already has the right balance of salt) you will need to use 1/8 teaspoon less salt.
I’ve worked out some tips for working with whole wheat flour should you want to replace other recipes with part whole wheat. They will be at the end of the recipe for those who are interested. But just one essential tip right up front: Whole wheat flour must be fresh to give a sweet wheaty flavor to the bread as opposed to a bitter (rancid) flavor. You can grind your own or purchase it. If grinding your own you need to use it within 3 days or store it for 3 weeks up to 3 months. For longer storage freeze for up to 1 year. If purchasing the flour, make sure to check the expiration date. You can also freeze it for up to 1 year.
Oven Temperature: 450F/230˚C, then 400°F/200˚C
Baking Time: 35 to 45 minutes.
Makes: An 8 1/2 inch by 5 inch by 4 1/2 to 5 inch high loaf (927 grams/2 pounds)
INGREDIENTS |
MEASUREMENTS |
WEIGHT |
|
|
volume |
ounces |
grams |
water, room temperature |
1 1/2 cups |
12 ounces |
342 grams |
old starter or old bread |
about 1/4 cup |
2.6 ounces |
75 grams |
honey |
2 tablespoons |
1.5 ounces |
40 grams |
whole wheat flour |
1 3/4 cups |
8.7 ounces |
247 grams |
Gold Medal Harvest |
1 2/3 cups |
8.7 ounces |
247 grams |
non-fat milk powder |
3 tablespoons |
. |
. |
instant yeast |
1 1/8 teaspoons |
. |
3.6 grams |
oil, preferably canola or |
2 tablespoons |
1 ounce |
27 grams |
salt |
1 1/2 + 1/8 |
. |
9.7 grams |
Equipment: A 9 inch by 5 inch (7 cup) loaf pan (8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan if not using old starter) greased lightly with cooking spray or oil. A baking stone or baking sheet.
1) Soak the Starter: In a mixer bowl, place the water and tear the starter or old bread dough into small pieces into it. Add the honey, cover and allow it to sit for about 1 hour.
In a large bowl whisk together the whole wheat flour, Harvest King Better for Bread flour, non-fat milk powder, and yeast. Add about 2 cups/300 grams/10.5 ounces to the water mixture and whisk until smooth and the consistency of a thick pancake batter. (This is to distribute the pieces of starter evenly.)
(If using a bread machine place the water and honey in a medium bowl. Tear the starter into the bowl, in a few pieces, and stir it together until it is soft. Scrape it into the bowl of the bread machine. Whisk together the two flours but not the yeast or salt and sprinkle the mixture on top. Let sit covered 30 minutes to 1 hour.)
2) Mix the dough: Add the rest of the flour mixture and, with the dough hook, mix on low speed (#2 Kitchen Aid) about 1 minute, until the flour is moistened to form a rough dough. Scrape down any bits of dough. Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes. Add the oil and knead the dough on low speed (#2 Kitchen Aid) for 7 minutes, adding the salt after the oil is mixed in.
(In the bread machine, mix it for 3 minutes and then autolyse—let rest--for 20 minutes. Add the oil and knead for 7 minutes, adding the yeast after the first minute and the salt after the yeast is mixed in. )
The dough should be sticky enough to cling to your fingers. If it is not at all sticky spray it with a little water and knead it. (The dough should weigh about 2 pounds, 3 1/2 ounces /1011grams/ a little more than 1 quart).
3) Let the dough rise: Place the dough into a 3 quart or larger dough rising container greased lightly with cooking spray or oil. Press down the dough and lightly spray or oil the top. Cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic wrap. With a piece of tape, mark where double the height would be. Allow the dough to rise (ideally at 80°F/26˚C.) until doubled in size, about an hour and 10 minutes.
Using an oiled spatula or dough scraper, remove the dough to a lightly floured counter. Press down on it gently to form a rectangle. Stretch the dough and give it a package fold (pull out the bottom and fold it to the center, then the same with the left side, right side, and top), round the edges and return it to the bowl, smooth side up. Again, oil the surface, cover, mark where double the height will now be (3 quarts) and allow it to rise until it reaches this point, about 1 hour. (Or refrigerate it overnight and bring it to room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding, pushing it down when it reaches 3 quarts.)
4) Shape the dough and let it rise: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter, smooth side down, and press it gently to flatten it. It will still be a little sticky but use only as much flour as absolutely necessary to keep it from sticking. Allow the dough to rest covered for 20 minutes. Dimple it all over with your finger tips to eliminate air bubbles, shape it into a loaf, and place it in the prepared loaf pan. It should fill the pan no more than 1/2 inch from the top. Cover it lightly with oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise until the highest point is 1 to 1 1/2 inches above the sides of the pan and when pressed gently with a finger the depression very slowly fills in—about 45 minutes.
5) Preheat the oven: 1 hour before baking set a cast iron pan lined with foil onto the floor of the oven and preheat the oven to 450F/230˚C.
6) Bake the bread: Spritz the top of the dough with water. Quickly but gently set the bread pan onto the hot stone or hot baking sheet and toss 1/2 cup of ice cubes into the pan beneath. Immediately shut the door, lower the temperature to 400°F/230˚C, and bake 35 to 45 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. (An instant read thermometer inserted into the center will register 190° to 205°F/88 to 96˚C. Half-way through baking rotate the pan half way around for even baking.
7) Cool the bread Remove the bread from the oven, unmold it from the pan, and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely, top-side up.
Note: If not using the starter omit the extra 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Tips for Working with Whole Wheat Flour
My basic hearth bread is 66.6% hydration (including the water in the honey). This recipe is 70.6% hydration because of the whole wheat flour. The bran requires more water. It will be very sticky after mixing but after the first rise much less so as the water is absorbed more evenly. Avoid adding flour until shaping and then use the minimum to prevent sticking. This keeps the bread light and soft.
If you want to replace white wheat flour with whole wheat flour in your favorite recipes, you can replace it cup for cup though whole wheat flour is slightly lighter. 1 cup of white flour equals 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour but of course that will vary depending on how you grind the wheat or how you measure it so weight is really preferred.
The way I measure, lightly spooning the flour into the cup:
1 cup of Harvest King/Better for Bread flour = 150 grams/5.25 ounces
1 cup whole wheat flour = 142 grams/5 ounces
For every cup of whole wheat flour used add 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (you can round off to 1 1/2 tablespoons) of water
by weight this is 28.3 grams/1 ounce
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that's great joel! i'm so please so many are trying this lovely bread and making the leap toward starter, biga, or even old bread dough. it makes such a difference, is so easy, and all such an adventure!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | September 26, 2008 6:10 AM #
I just baked this bread and it's wonderful! Sweet and wheaty, and the crumb is so moist and soft! I can't wait to fill slabs of these with good things, though butter (or nothing at all!) is enough.
I didn't have any usable stiff starter left, so, feeling somewhat experimental, I made a biga for the bread the night before and it does impart such a depth of flavour, it's almost beery!
Reply to this Posted by: Joel | September 26, 2008 1:51 AM #
exactly--after the first rise shape and refrig. works perfectly. spray top of dough and set in closed zipseal bag in frig.
more flavor but 1/4 inch less in height. it's a high bread so i'm filling to sacrifice the 1/4"!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | September 25, 2008 11:04 AM #
Interesting. Does refrigerating the shaped bread overnight retard the dough and develop the flavor? Do you do this in place of refrigerating the dough after the first rise? I really like the idea of the bread being shaped and ready to rise and bake the next day. It really simplifies day 2. I'll try it!
Reply to this Posted by: Tammy | September 25, 2008 10:51 AM #
that was my intention (to tempt you into making that bread!) this time after shaping the bread i put it in the pan and then in a large zipseal bag and refrigerated it overnight. then put it in my homemade proofer with hot water changed every 30 min. it took 70 minutes to rise to the perfect point for baking. next time i'll tent it after 15 min instead of 20 as it was just beginning to get a drop too brown.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | September 25, 2008 10:10 AM #
LOL! Yes, we all love the Bibles!
They feed us well in one way or another. :-)
Okay, now you have tempted me... I'm going to have to try the honey oat bread next.
Have a wonderful time in Switzerland!
Reply to this Posted by: Tammy | September 25, 2008 10:02 AM #
i just love your story tammy. and how perfect that a bread from my 'bible' should have such a reception at a bible study!
just took the honey oat bread out of the oven for tonights supper and to leave for elliott during my 10 day absence (along with lots of other bread in the freezer)!
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | September 25, 2008 9:44 AM #
Wow Rose! I wished you could have been in the room tonight when everyone in our Bible study bit into a sandwich made with this bread. I heard involuntary "mmmmmms" all around the room. I was giggling to myself and took my first bite and it happened to me too! I can't remember the last time this has happened to me. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. This is amazing bread!
Reply to this Posted by: Tammy | September 24, 2008 10:44 PM #
i use a stiff sourdough starter and feed it once a week. old starter is when you haven't refreshed it for a week so it couldn't be used alone to raise the bread. i store all my leftover old starter in the freezer to add to breads for extra flavor and better texture and keeping qualities.
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | August 5, 2008 5:31 PM #
Very keen to try this recipe but please tell me how to make old starter.
Reply to this Posted by: michelle tan | August 5, 2008 9:50 AM #
thanks for pointing this out--i'll take out the words divided for the yeast.
the soaker is old (unrefreshed) sour dough starter.
Reply to this Posted by: rose levy beranbaum | July 29, 2008 4:20 PM #
I notice that the yeast is divided, but didn't see instructions about what it's divided into. I made this receipe without the soaker and it was great. Do you have a suggestion for making a soaker just for this?
Thanks-Love the bread
Reply to this Posted by: Mary | July 29, 2008 4:12 PM #
Chaconey, what an extraordinary recipe and great research. noted!
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 22, 2008 7:34 PM #
roger, i sometimes find that breads given an overnight frig rise are slightly less high in volume but the flavor is worth it!
Reply to this Posted by: Rose Levy Beranbaum | July 22, 2008 5:01 PM #
Hello Hector:
Yes!...I would love to share my tortilla recipe. Its a very nutritious recipe. They're healthy tortillas containing ingredients you would never dream of putting in a tortilla.
The tortillas contains these ingredients:
All-purpose unbleached flour by (Gold Medal)
Fresh Milled organic rye and white whole-wheat flour
Sweet Stiff sourdough starter
Sweet Liquid sourdough starter
Toasted organic golden flax seeds,and coconut granules, pulverized in a coffee grinder to a fine meal.
Organic sugar.
Plain salt with no additives.
Chia gel made from Chia seeds.
Rice bran oil
Pure water
I just developed the tortilla recipe last week. But I have been slowly developing it through the year.
Finally Rose's info...sunk in " A stiff starter adds more moisture to breads giving it a longer shelf life on the counter." You see I was already using a liquid starter to make the tortillas. But it wasn't adding the extra moisture I needed in the recipe. I was so close to getting this recipe perfected.
After making Rose's 50% whole wheat bread I saw the added moisture it gave the bread. That's when I decided to develop a stiff sweet starter made from all- purpose flour for my tortilla recipe. Just from baking up the bread I new the stiff starter would give me what I needed to produce soft moist tortillas. Tortillas that wouldn't dry out and crack.
The tortillas are mildly sweet, and during the long cold fermentation period the flavor of the dough is enhanced. And the depth of flavor is outstanding.
If you don't refrigerate the dough you will have sourdough tortillas.
I use Rose's long fermentation period letting the dough rise overnight to develop its depth of flavor. Then remove the dough from the fridge in the morning and continue to let the dough rise up to 2-quarts at room temperature. Then make one package fold, and let the dough double in volume to a full 3-quarts.
Shape into balls, and let set until the dough balls proof and relax. Which takes about 1 1/2 hours. Then start rolling out tortillas.
The dough is not sticky its a firm soft dough, with a silky, velvet, like texture. The (stiff sweet starter) provides the texture.
With the preserving qualities of a stiff starter the tortillas remain soft and moist for a good week on the counter.
OK! Since I just developed the recipe I don't have all the written thoughts on paper just yet. I'm gathering my notes and trying to get all the steps organized. So you will have to give me a a couple of weeks to fully develop the recipe.
It may take longer for I need to get my sweet starter recipes developed and tested.
Both starter are made from unbleached flour by (Gold Medal. In order to produce soft tortillas. Bread flour will produce chewy tortillas so avoid using bread flour.
I'll get back to you Hector. Once I have the recipes fully developed and tested I'll let you know when I'm ready to share the tortilla, and the sweet starters recipes.
First I'll develop the recipes for the sweet sourdough starters.
The sweet sourdough starters are very active starters, due to the sugar content.
Now Rose's (stiff starter) has been developed into a sweet stiff starter and its going beyond breads to tortillas and who knows what next.
I also developed from the tortilla recipe a new recipe for making Sweet Cinnamon Tortilla Flat Strips. Instead of making tortillas you roll out a large rectangle and sprinkle it with Rose's Cinnamon Sugar recipe. Cut into strips 2-inches wide and 7-inches long. Place on a cookie sheet and bake. Wow! Are these ever delicious. There pretty much like crackers. You end up with a big stack of Sweet Cinnamon Tortilla strips instead of tortillas. My grand children love them.
Whats great about these recipes they're considered to be fermented foods because of the starters and the long fermentation period. These are the foods that your system craves daily. Since they're ferment they are easily digested and all the nutrients fully assimilated by your system. That also means they're not fattening. That's great!...
Chaconey
Reply to this Posted by: Anonymous | July 22, 2008 4:44 PM #
Chaconey, what a wonderful sharing!!! Can you share your tortilla recipe? Or how do you make yours.
Sourdough starter has lactic acid which acidity's contribute as a natural preservative and softener. Breads (and tortillas) made with sourdough will not mold as fast neither. And glad you know first hand what 'depth in flavor' means.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 21, 2008 7:25 PM #
Hi Rose:
I started thinking about what you said about making a stiff starter.
"Adding a stiff starter will give breads a longer shelf life due to the added moisture and also incredibly perfect depth of flavor."
You see I have have a tortilla recipe that's really good. But as days pass by they get dry and start cracking when I roll then up with my favorite fillings. Then you're words came to mind how the starter can add extra moisture to breads. I thought maybe the stiff starter would add the extra moisture to my tortilla recipe.
So I whipped up a sweet stiff starter, because I don't like sourdough tortillas. Then I let the stiff starter soak for 1-hour and proceeded with my recipe.
The dough felt different---it was extra soft and silky. Once I put my hands on the dough and started kneading it with my hands I new I would have soft moist tortillas, just from feel of the dough.
Sure enough after baking them on a hot cast iron griddle they were very soft and pliable. So how were they once they cooled down? Still soft and pliable even days later.
Flavor---Wow!...They are absolutely delicious and like you said with an "added depth of flavor."
I just thought I would let you know that using a (stiff sweet sourdough starter), its a must for making tortillas.
Can you imagine how much healthier homemade tortillas made with a stiff starter would be in comparison to those tasteless cardboard tortillas you buy at the store.
Thought you would like to know that a sweet stiff sourdough starter, its wonderful for making homemade tortillas. So the stiff starter goes beyond breads.
Chaconey
Reply to this Posted by: Anonymous | July 20, 2008 11:38 PM #
I just tried this recipe for the first time two days ago, and am already making a double batch again today ...it's the best whole wheat sandwich loaf I've ever made OR tasted. For anyone who's hesitating, TRY IT. Truly fabulous bread.
Reply to this Posted by: maggie | July 19, 2008 5:08 PM #
Beth, bread machine recipes do work, and I bet you enjoyed the bread because it was just done which makes all the difference to grocery store bagged sandwich bread.
Reply to this Posted by: Hector | July 9, 2008 2:54 PM #
I make bread two or three times a week in my bread machine, a Panasonic, and I usually use a mixture of wholemeal and white strong bread flours. The brand of wholemeal I use is Hovis and it consists of the whole wheat kernel as opposed to 'brown' flour which is usually 80-90 per cent of the wheat kernel as I understand it. Sometimes I do a 50 per cent wholemeal loaf and other times a 70 percent one making the mix up with the white strong bread flour. Other flours I sometimes use are Granary , which is a mix of white and wholemeal with added malted wheat grains which give a nice nutty flavour, and I also use a mix of white and Rye flour, just for a change. This is my second bread machine, I had my first for about 7 years but when it stopped working I replaced it with this present one and I find it is a superior machine which I wouldn't like to be without. I don't always bake the bread in the machine, sometimes I use it to do the hard work and then shape , proof and bake it in my oven. Did you enjoy your stay over here? I hope so!
Reply to this Posted by: Jeannette | July 9, 2008 11:36 AM #
Just got back from Italy/England. I missed my bread in England - they don't necessarily serve it in restaurants. At one of the B and Bs the owner bakes her own bread in a bread machine, and her toast was the best. I asked her for the recipe, and it turns out she uses half white flour, half "brown" flour. I looked at her flour bag, and "brown" flour is white flour with added bran, something I don't think we have in the U.S. I was shocked that the bread didn't contain whole wheat (whole meal) flour, but it didn't. Other than that, it had some milk and oil - the recipe came from her bread machine book! Any comments from the English population.
Best,
Beth
Reply to this Posted by: Beth | July 9, 2008 7:54 AM #
I tried this twice, both with stellar results. The loaf has great tooth, taste & texture. 3 words- fab u lous!
Thanks for another perfect recipe, Rose.
Reply to this Posted by: kyle | July 8, 2008 8:17 AM #
Need help with overnight rising in the fridge! My breads taste wonderful when done this way, plus it's convenient, but the dough never rises as well as with the straight dough method.
Thoughts/suggestions?
Thank you!
Roger
Reply to this Posted by: Roger | July 4, 2008 10:54 PM #
allen, the preheated stone effectivelly gives an immediate hot surface so bread springs the most during the initial 5-10 minutes of baking.
a preheated oven and rack drops 25-50oF when opening the oven door while placing your bread. and it wil take about 15 min to recover. the stone remains with the original preheat temperature even when the oven temperature drops for 15 min.
a cast iron surface has near equal thermal characteristics of the stone.
if neither a tone nor a cast iron surface is available, one or two baking sheets will be near close.
Reply to this Posted by: hector | July 4, 2008 1:54 PM #
Hi Rose,
Yeah...I've kind of gravitated towards a 50% whole wheat flour approach myself...it let's me feel not quite so guilty for indulging my love of white flour. :-) White whole wheat takes even some more of the "edge" off of using whole wheat.
Question: Am I reading it right that you bake your loaf pans on a pizza stone rather than on the oven rack? That's somewhat unusual...what's your thinking behind that?
[Suggestion: you should probably mention something like "Put your oven rack in the ____ position and place your pizza stone on it" in step 5.]
Thanks,
Allen
Reply to this Posted by: Allen Cohn | July 3, 2008 11:51 PM #
Thank you for this recipe! I am really looking forward to trying it!
Reply to this Posted by: Esther | July 2, 2008 7:18 PM #
WHOLE WHEAT SANDWICH LOAF---Yesterday, I pop the 50% whole wheat sandwich bread in the oven. Wow! Did I ever get a good oven spring. I love the recipe. My loaf rose about 5 inches its a huge loaf and, its a carbon copy of your loaf in the picture. The loaf is airy and light. When cutting the bread I noticed how moist the crumb was.
LOAF WAY TO BIG---Since the sandwich loaf was so big I decided to bake a free form loaf the next time around. So I shaped a torpedo and its rising beautifully. When I took it out of the oven it was huge, it measured 15" in length and 15 inches in circumference.
PICTURES---I took pictures but I simply can't figure out how to put them in you're sight?
ROSE---since you mentioned soaking the stiff starter in water I've been getting a better rise in all my breads. Soaking really made a big difference. So all my breads are now rising beautifully. First I soaked the stiff starter for 30 minutes. Then the next baking day I soaked it for 1 hour. With the 1 hour soak my stiff starter almost completely broke down.
YEAST---I'm allergic to yeast so in making the 50% Whole Wheat Sandwich Loaf I couldn't use the yeast called for in the recipe. So I used two starters in the recipe a 100 grams sweet stiff starter and, a 113 grams sweet liquid starter. The starters that I used are both sweet sourdough starters. I developed a sweet liquid sourdough starter and a stiff sweet starter for baking whole wheat breads.
Sweet Sourdough Starters---I got tiered of sourdough breads and was craving the taste of a sweet whole wheat bread made with yeast. So I decided to developed a sweet starter and started baking whole wheat breads and white sandwich breads with this new starter and, now I can enjoy eating breads with a sweet nutty taste.
A GOOD RISE---I can't believe how light this bread is for the amount of wheat used in the recipe. Normally using this amount of wheat my whole wheat breads tend to be heavier but with this recipe their light.
SWEET WHOLE WHEAT STARTERS---Next I decided to make sweet whole wheat starters to see a difference. The whole wheat sandwich bread rose beautifully again. Its a little heavier but very tasty it reminds me of European rustic bread , the crumb excellent.
WOW---I just sliced the torpedo I just baked. I made it with a sweet whole wheat starter. Its excellent and the crumb is really good, very soft and moist. Flavor it has that sweet nutty taste. Crust dark golden brown. I prefer baking this bread free form over baking it in a loaf pan. The flavor is awesome.
ROSE---I just had to rave about your recipe. I will be using this recipe as my basic bread recipe, where many other recipes may be developed.
Chaconey
Reply to this Posted by: Chaconey | June 30, 2008 6:12 PM #
I'm sure she meant frozen for 3 months.
Reply to this Posted by: Matthew | June 29, 2008 12:01 PM #