Whole-Wheat Sandwich Bread

Even though I adore the convenience of store bought loaves and artisan bakery breads, once in a great while I enjoy making bread at home. It connects me to my food, serves as a catharsis for what ails me and I love the way our home takes on that bakery sweet scent when I make it myself.

It takes some time, but if you are up for a hearty, homemade, whole-wheat bread, this may be just what you’re looking for.

Here is the recipe I tested. You can also find it online or in the April 2011 issue of Cook’s Illustrated – there you can get even more great tips for baking this seriously good sandwich bread.

From Cook's Illustrated.

Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread
Makes two 9- by 5-inch loaves

Note: You can hand-knead the dough, but we’ve found it’s easy to add too much flour during the kneading stage, resulting in a somewhat tougher loaf. Leftover bread can be wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days; wrap with an additional layer of aluminum foil and the bread can be frozen for up to one month.

Biga
2 cups (11 ounces) bread flour
1 cup (8 ounces) warm water (100-110 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast

Soaker
3 cups (16 ½ ounces) whole wheat flour, plus extra for kneading
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cup (16 ounces) whole milk

Dough
6 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons table salt
2 tablespoons instant or rapid rise yeast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Bread flour for work surface

1. For the Biga: Combine bread flour, water, and yeast in large bowl and stir with wooden spoon until uniform mass forms and no dry flour remains, about 1 minute. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature (70 degrees) overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours).

2. For the Soaker: Combine whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and milk in large bowl and stir with wooden spoon until shaggy mass forms, about 1 minute. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Return soaker to bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours).

3. For the Dough: Tear soaker apart into 1-inch pieces and place in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add biga, honey, salt, yeast, butter, and oil. Mix on low speed until cohesive mass starts to form, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn dough out onto lightly floured counter and knead for 1 minute. Shape dough into ball and place in lightly greased container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature for 45 minutes.

4. Gently press down on center of dough to deflate. Holding edge of dough with fingertips, fold partially risen dough over itself by gently lifting and folding edge of dough toward middle. Turn bowl 90 degrees; fold again. Turn bowl and fold dough six more times (total of eight turns). Cover and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

5. Adjust oven racks to middle and lowest position, place baking stone on middle rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray. Transfer dough to well-floured counter and divide into two pieces. Working with one ball of dough at a time, pat each into 8- by 17-inch rectangle. With short side facing you, roll dough towards yourself into firm cylinder, keeping roll taut by tucking it under itself as you go. Turn loaf seam-side up and pinch it closed. Place loaf seam-side down in prepared loaf pan, pressing gently into corners. Repeat with second ball of dough. Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, 60 to 90 minutes (top of loaves should rise about 1 inch over lip of pan).

6. Place empty loaf pan on bottom rack and bring 2 cups water to boil. Using single-edge razor blade or sharp serrated knife, make one ¼-inch deep slash lengthwise down center of loaf. Pour boiling water into empty loaf pan in oven and set loaves onto baking stone. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until internal temperature registers 205 on instant-read thermometer, 40 to 50 minutes, rotating loaves 180 degrees and side to side halfway through baking.

7. Transfer pans to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Remove loaves from pan, return to rack, and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Slice and serve.

Holiday Cookies - Yum!

Before you roll out another cookie this holiday season, read this.

I have bought, made and tasted my share of sugar cookies. When asked to try a new recipe, I shrugged and thought, Okay, surely not much has changed in taste department for decades, but, why not?

I was so wrong. When I made and shared these, the whole house agreed that these sugar cookies topped all the rest – no icing needed! If all you’re after is the recipe for these sugared lovelies, then skip ahead to the recipe below.

After making not one, but two batches of these delicious soft and chewy cookies, I decided to share a few seasonal faves with others who might enjoy them. Remember, it’s important for the cook to do a taste test, so enjoy a little now and a little later!

Happy Holidays!

·     Cook’s Illustrated Chewy Sugar Cookies (Best Tasting Sugar Cookie, all on it’s own) – Recipe below

·     Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies – Recipe 

·     Fannie Farmer’s Boston School of Cooking Christmas Sugar Cookies (Best Rolled Sugar Cookie, make your favorite shapes, add sprinkles or icing and enjoy!) – Find a copy of the cookbook here 

·     Land O’ Lakes Buttery Toffee Cookies – Recipe 

·     Quaker Oats Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – Recipe 

From Cook's Illustrated.

Sugar Cookies
Makes 2 dozen cookies

Note: This recipe was developed using Gold Medal unbleached all-purpose flour. Cookies made with King Arthur all-purpose four, which has a higher protein content, will be slightly harder.

2¼ cups (11 ¼ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour (see note)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
1 ¾ cups (12 ¼ ounces) sugar
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
½ cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Place 1¼ cups sugar and cream cheese in large bowl. Place remaining ¼ cup sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until homogenous dough forms.

3. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces about 2 tablespoons each. Using hands, roll dough into balls. Working in batches, roll balls in sugar to coat and set on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle tops of cookies evenly with any remaining sugar.

4. Bake, one tray at a time, until edges are set and beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.