How to make bread

Here's my mama's bread instructions. We make it together every week. Next week we're going to try the ones on the back of our new wheat flour. We'll let you know how it works.

In the meantime, I'll let mama tell you how to make our bread...

{Honey Wheat Bread}

3 cups warm water
3/4 cup honey
1 tbsp (1 pkg) yeast
3 cups of white flour
4 cups whole wheat flour
{or 3 cups whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup almonds, 1 cup rolled oats}
3 tbsp melted margarine or butter
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp oil or oil spray

If using almonds and rolled oats, grind them to a coarse meal in food processor or blender.

{Note: the dough will not rise as well if using this method.}

Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and mix in the following:
3 cups warm water
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp yeast
3 cups of white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour




{Note: when adding the honey, I've found it's easiest to spray or brush your measuring cup with your oil. The honey comes right out!}

Stir together and let sit for about half an hour, or until partly risen.










Add:
3 tbsp melted margarine or margarine
1/4 cup honey {or more or less as desired}
1 tbsp salt
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus additional flour (1 cup +/- ) for kneading.



Turn the dough out on to a flat floured surface.









While the dough is out of the bowl, wash the bowl so it's clean of excess dough. Or, you can just get another bowl.









Knead the dough until it is slightly sticky, but pulling away from the counter top.









Spray or brush your bowl with oil. Put the dough in the bowl, turning once to coat with oil.









Now cover it with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for about an hour. {Until dough is doubled in size}









Punch the dough down and divide into three medium or two large loaves. Put into greased loaf pans.









Let the dough rise again. If you used the almonds & rolled oats, it will probably only rise to about the level of the pans. If you used another cup of flour instead, it should rise about an inch above.









Bake at 350 for 25 min for medium loaves, 35 min for large loaves.









Turn out of pans and let cool. You can brush the tops with margarine if desired {makes a softer crust.

{If you want to see bigger versions of the pictures, just click on them!}