Conquering wheat bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
(from mmmcafe.blogspot.com)

Makes 2 (8x4 inch) loaves

• 3 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/3 c. vital wheat gluten (optional)
• 1 1/4 T. instant yeast (or quick-rising- I use SAF)
• 2 1/2 c. very warm water
• 1 T. salt
• 1/3 c. oil
• 1/3 c. honey or 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/4 T. bottled lemon juice
• 2 - 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour (I usually do 1 of these cups wheat, and then another 2-2 1/2 cups white- I need more flour for mine) do a couple of these cups white flour-you may need more- just use enough so the dough forms a ball on the dough hook)

1. Mix together first three ingredients in mixer with a dough hook.
2. Add water all at once and mix for 1 minute; cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Add salt, oil, honey or sugar and lemon juice and beat for 1 minute. Add last flour, 1 cup at a time, beating between each cup.
4. Beat for about 6-10 minutes until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. This makes a very soft dough.
5. Preheat oven for 1 minute to lukewarm and turn off. Turn dough onto oiled counter top; divide, shape into loaves, place in oiled bread pans.
6. Let rise in warm oven for 15-20 minutes until dough reaches top of pan. Do not remove bread from oven; turn oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on racks.

After about 6 failing attempts at making wheat bread, this recipe finally worked for me! Yay! It is so good and tasty. The following recipe is a non-SAF recipe that takes a little longer, but also worked, and I've tried SO MANY recipes I have to post the ones that were fool-proof!
Wheat Bread that worked for me3 1/2 c. of very warm water
1 1/4 T. salt
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. oil
6 c. wheat flour
3-4 c.white flour (until dough isn't sticking on sides of bowl)
1 1/2 T instant yeast or 1 3/4 T regular yeast (I used regular active-dry yeast here)

Combine all ingredients (yep...just dump it all in...no raising the yeast before), then put in the wheat flour, then add the white flour. Add one scoop at a time until the dough forms a soft ball in middle of mixer and pulls away from the sides. Knead about until dough is soft. It will be sticky and stick to your fingers.

Remove dough and place in large bowl with a glop of oil in the bottom. Place all dough in bowl and then turn over so oily side is up. Cover with greased foil--just lightly cover. When double in size, knead lightly and divide dough in 1/2 so you have two equal dough balls. Place in greased bread pan. Tuck all corners under, and lightly oil top of bread with oiled hands.

Let rise until almost double, about 30 minutes-1 hr and then place in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees. (I let rise in oven...setting the heat to 150, then canceling, then adding the bread to the oven so oven is just warm, but not on)
Bake about 30-40 minutes. You can cover the loaves the last 15 minutes of cooking to avoid excessive browning. This recipe works, but it is a little too much for my kitchenaid to handle, because of all the flour used (these make bigger loaves).

Another bread recipe (I've tried so many and only a few work, so I have to remember them!)

Honey Wheat Bread (light wheat bread)
-makes one loaf, I use my bread machine dough setting to mix the dough, then place it in a pan to rise, then cook

1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast

Instructions:

1. *Combine first 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; stir.

2. Add flours and yeast, and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

3. Punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.

• Honey Wheat Bread (I half this and put this in my bread machine, but made as is is great,too.  Great recipe! from favfamilyrecipes)
• 3 cups really warm water
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. yeast (or 2 yeast packets)
• Dissolve and wait until yeast froths then add:
• 1/4 c. shortening
• 1/4 c. honey
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• about 6 cups of flour (I use all wheat)
• 
  
• Add flour a cup at a time until you have a soft dough. Knead and put into a bowl. Cover with a cloth and let raise about an hour or until it has about doubled in size. (It raises much better if you put in front of a window with the sun shining in or on top of a warm oven).
• Knead again and place bread into baking tins and raise again for another hour.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until brown on the top. Butter the top of the bread while still in the oven and let cook another 2 min. Remove and let cool about 10 minutes in the pans, then turn out and cool 10 more minutes before slicing.
• Makes 3 regular or 2 large loaves.