Grandma's This and That: Sourdough Whole Wheat Bread

My Whole Wheat Sourdough Starter

Well, today was baking day. The weather if FINALLY getting a little warmer so I decided to make a large batch of bread today so I wouldn't have to bake for a couple of weeks. I've been doing sourdough because my husband is prediabetic and we have found that sourdough bread doesn't raise his blood sugars.

This is the recipe that I used. I actually doubled this recipe. Well, it was probably more than double because, when I make bread, I tend to add lots of extras. Today I added some 10 grain cereal and decided to cook it before I put it in. But, I decided to do it after I had put all my water in. So, I probably did 2 1/2 times the original recipe. I got 8 loaves and 9 sandwich thins.

Beth's 100% Whole Wheat Sourdough Bread
3 3/4 cups filtered water ( room temp.)
5 tablespoons honey
5 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour ( packaged is fine, though)
1 1/2 cup sourdough starter, at its peak ( whole wheat starter works best)
2 T. yeast
5 tablespoons oil
3 3/4 teaspoons salt (I usually cut that in half or use Kosher salt)
5 teaspoons bread enhancer
8 tablespoons vital wheat gluten
7-9 cups freshly milled whole wheat flour
The following can be added to substitute some of the flour. Can use all or part)
2 T. wheat germ
1 c. 9 grain cereal
1/3 c. amaranth seeds
1/3 c. quinoa (these are best ground up or cooked first)
¼ c. Pumpkin seeds
2 T. Sesame seeds
¼ c. Sunflower seeds
4 T. ground flax seeds
2 c. regular oatmeal
1/3 c. chia seeds
The afternoon before you want bread, feed your starter 1 cup water and 1 cup flour (not included in recipe ingredients). That evening, when it is all bubbly and active, combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, cover loosely, and allow to get bubbly like a fed starter does but not at it's peak yet (about 5 hours). This is essentially a sponge.
(Most of the time I just do my starter the night before and do everything else the next morning.)
Next morning add remaining ingredients. Knead until the gluten is developed can see about 6-8 min in a bread machine (not the 1 loaf bread makers). I let the dough rest for about 15 minutes. Divide into loaves and shape, placing them into 8.5 x 4.5 greased bread pans (they will be smallish loaves). I weigh out my dough and use 2 lbs. of dough per loaf. Allow to rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minute. I use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the loaves. I bake them until it reaches 180°. Remove from pans immediately and cool on a wire rack.

This is my bread machine. It can make about 10 loaves of bread at a time. When my kids were all home I made bread about once a week. The big bowl was nice.