Nourishments—

Getting A Rise Out of Winter: The Joy Of Baking Bread

By Nancy K. Crevier

My grandmother once told me that she had written a prize-winning essay in eighth grade entitled, “Bread Is The Staff Of Life.” That was nearly one hundred years ago, but despite the recent rage against carbohydrates, I would have to agree with her that bread is the staff of life.

What other food rounds out a meal so well as bread or rolls? A bowl of soup seems incomplete without a warm bun or a satisfying sandwich on the side. Spaghetti and meatballs needs garlic bread to complement the side salad and glass of red wine. A simple picnic of cheese and fruit falls flat without a substantial crust of bread in the picnic basket.

Not just any bread qualifies, however. Commercial loaves of enriched white flour, bereft of the nutrients provided by the vital portions of the wheat berry, are more a crutch than a staff. But a hearty loaf created from whole grain flour can be the centerpiece to a meal or simply a nourishing nosh in the afternoon.

Baking bread takes a bit of practice, but it is an art worth developing. Whole grain breads require a more enthusiastic kneading to develop the gluten (the protein in bread flour that gives the loaf structure) than do white flour breads, and a little more patience as the yeast and flour work their magic together. To rush bread baking is to invite disaster, so set aside a block of uninterrupted time.

 When wintery weather is keeping you close to home, is there a better time to stoke up the stove and lean into the therapeutic rhythm of kneading dough? It will raise your spirits as surely as yeast raises dough. What a staff to lean on.

Whole Wheat Bread

2 C warm water (it should feel very warm when you run it over your wrist, but not hot enough to make you jerk your arm away)

2 Tbs honey

1 Tbs dark molasses (not blackstrap)

3 Tbs dry non-fat milk

1 C old-fashioned oats

2 pkg active dry yeast

2 C bread flour (this is a white flour, but very high in gluten, which gives structure to the bread shape)

2 Tbs milled flax seed

2 eggs

4 Tbs canola oil

2 tsp salt

3½-4 C whole wheat bread flour (milled from hard red wheat; King Arthur brand makes an excellent flour)

Approx 1/3   C extra flour for kneading

Measure the water in a liquid measuring cup and pour into a large bowl. Add honey, molasses, milk and oats and stir briefly. Sprinkle yeast over the top and cover the bowl with a towel. Set aside for 5 minutes.

When you remove the towel, you should see signs of yeast activity – light bubbling or frothing of the yeast on the surface. Stir in 2 C bread flour and 2 Tbs flax seed. Beat vigorously, until the dough begins to appear a bit “stringy.” This is the gluten being developed, a good thing! Cover the bowl with the towel again, and set aside in a draft-free spot for 20 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, oil and salt.

Starting with 3 C of whole-wheat flour, beat it in until completely combined. (Hopefully you are using an electric mixer or your arm should be tired by now!)

Continue adding flour, ½ C at a time, until you have a dough, which is very stiff, but not dry. The amount of flour you use will vary from time to time, depending on the humidity and time of year.

Place a damp towel on the counter. Put a wooden cutting board (at least 12x12) on the towel. (The towel will keep the board from sliding.) Sprinkle the center of the board with about 2 TB flour and turn the dough out on top of it. Sprinkle about 1 Tbs flour on top of dough. Knead the dough firmly for about 5 minutes; place your less dominant hand on top of your other. Using the heel of your strong hand, push the dough down and away from you. Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat pushing motion. Continue turning and kneading until dough is very smooth and elastic. You may need to sprinkle a couple tablespoons of flour underneath the dough occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the board. The dough should not be at all sticky when you are finished kneading, nor should it be heavy and dry. You want a resilient product with a smooth texture. Rub a bit of flour onto the board and rest the dough on top of it, creased side down, while you wash out the bowl.

Because some of the dough will stick to the sides of the bowl during mixing, it will be necessary to scrub it. I have found that using just my fingers and soapy water works best, as the bits of dough tend to stick in washrags or scrubbies and ruin them. Rinse and dry the bowl. Using a paper towel and about ½ Tbs canola oil, oil the entire interior of the bowl. A lecithin spray oil works great for this step, too.

Place the dough, smooth side down, in the bowl and then turn the dough over. The top should now be lightly coated with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in draft-free area for about 40 minutes.

Oil (or spray with oil) two 9x5 loaf pans. I find that oil spray does the best job to prevent the bread from sticking to the pan.

When you can stick your finger into the dough about 1 inch and the dent remains, the dough is ready to be punched down. It should be at least doubled in size at this point.

Make a fist and wham it right into the middle of the bread dough.

Cut the dough in half. Place one half on the cutting board and pat it into a rough rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Fold the side nearest you up to the center of the rectangle. Fold the far side down to overlap it slightly. Pull the far and near sides together and pinch all along the length to form a log. Fold the sides in about 2 inches and pinch to seal. You should have a log about 9 inches long, with one smooth side underneath and one pinched, sealed side facing up. Place the log, pinched side down, into the prepared loaf pan. Repeat with other half of dough.

Cover loaves with a towel and let rise again for about 25 minutes.

Put the oven rack in the middle section of the oven. Preheat the oven to between 350 and 375 degrees. This will take about 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Don’t start baking until the oven has come up to temperature!

The bread is ready to go in the oven if it has risen above the edge of the pan, and an indent stays in it when gently poked. The cooler the room temperature, the longer this takes.

Place the loaves about 3 inches apart from each other on the oven rack.

Bake about 32 minutes, until top of bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with a wooden spoon.

Using oven mitts, remove pans from oven and invert onto cooling racks. The bread should slip out of the pan easily when you tap the pan on the bottom. If it doesn’t, turn the pan over and quickly run a sharp knife all around the edge between the bread and pan. Invert and tap again to release the bread. If the pan was not thoroughly oiled, the bread may stick. Use a knife to pry it gently away from the bottom. Even if it rips, it will still taste delicious. Remind yourself to oil the pan more generously next time.

Let the bread cool for at least two hours on the cooling rack before cutting or wrapping. To store the cooled bread, place it in a large plastic bag and seal it. The bread will stay fresh at room temperature for about three days. To freeze the bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and then wrap it tightly in foil. Freeze for up to two months.