Making bread

I made bread today, which I haven't done since the day before Alyssa was born. The day we ran out of bread one of my friends brought me a loaf of her homemade bread. We have had three loaves of bread from the store in the meantime. I was telling Caleb that we were almost out of bread so we either needed to buy more or make some, and he said we should make some. I was excited because maybe he likes homemade bread as much as I do!

I got an email saying the church was encouraging people to share on their blogs how they use their food storage. My favorite way to use wheat is to grind it and bake bread. I am currently using wheat that Keith's parents had stored for him. I have been baking my own bread for about one and a half years. I have a few reasons for baking bread.

1. Keith said he wanted to try to eat better, including more whole grains.
   
2. My sister Beth makes it.
3. I always thought it would be so cool to learn how to bake bread.
4. It tastes so much better to me than bread from the store.
5. It is cheap.
6. I got a Bosch mixer for Christmas 2007, and can make enough dough for four loaves at one time. I usually freeze three of the loaves or make three loaves of bread and a pan of cinnamon rolls. Four loaves usually lasts two weeks for my family.
   

Here is the recipe I usually use.

Whole Wheat Bread

• 12 C flour (6 C white flour, 6 C whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C oil (I use Canola)
• 2 Tbsp salt (sometimes a little less)
• 2 Tbsp Dough Enhancer
• 4 Tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten
• 3 1/2 to 4 Tbsp yeast
• 5 C Water

I usually warm the water for about one minute in the microwave before I put it in my mixer. Then add all of the wheat flour and other ingredients. Then I add one cup of flour at a time until I have 10 or 11 cups flour total. Then I add the flour more slowly. When the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and cleans the bowl I stop adding flour. Today I think I only used 11 cups of flour total. Then I knead the dough for 8 minutes on the speed 2. That is usually long enough. My sister Beth (who I credit with teaching me how to do this) taught me about how to tell if bread has been kneaded long enough. She said you take a small amount of dough and stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches while you pull your fingers apart that you have kneaded it enough. Feel free to correct me if that's wrong, Beth.

Then put oil on the counter top and put the dough on counter top. Separate dough into four pieces and cover with cloth napkins. Let dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Shape into loaves and put in greased bread pans. Cover. Let rise for 45 to 90 minutes. I usually put my loaves in the oven, cover with cloth napkins, and put a bowl of hot water underneath the rack with the loaves. Bake at 350 for 28 minutes, or 32 minutes in cast iron pans. I cover the bread with aluminum foil after 15 minutes, then put it back in the oven for the remainder of the time to prevent overbrowning. Let cool completely on cooling racks before putting in bread bags. I love homemade bread.