Softest Bread Ever - Like a Pillow for your Deli and Cheese

I've been on a real bread kick lately. White bread, wheat bread, bread with flax, bread with nuts and seeds.  Soooo much toast!  This is not a family recipe passed down to me but rather a gem I found (and modified) from the web. Again, like the white bread recipe I posted recently this bread is super easy to make. It takes time but is not difficult.  It is surprisingly inexpensive to make and a much better price point than the mass produced bread at the grocery store.

If the bread isn't a complete success your first time out do not worry, you will have tasty toast or bread crumbs.  Keep at it and you'll have beautiful loaves in no time.

This bread requires two rises, each at about 1 hour.

Mixing Time - 20 minutes
Rising Time - 1 3/4 - 2 hours
Baking time - 30 minutes

THINGS YOU'LL NEED (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES)

2 ½ cups Hot Water (105-110 F)	1/3 Cup Honey
1 ½ TBSP Active Quick Rise Yeast	2 ½ tsp Salt
1 Cup White Flour, sifted*	2 TBSP Lemon Juice
1 Cup Wheat Flour, sifted*	2 Cups White Flour, sifted*
1/3 Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil	2 Cups Wheat Flour, sifted*

*Sifting - you do not have to sift the flour but I always do. I find it makes a difference to the texture of the bread.

Mixing Bowl with Paddle and Dough Hook, OR

Really strong hands and arms

Bread pans

Non Stick spray

Butter/Margarine for top of bread after baking

THINGS YOU'LL DO (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS DIRECTIONS)

Mix Hot Water, Yeast, 1 cup of White and 1 Cup of Wheat flour together.  Let sit for 15 minutes creating what we'll call a sponge.

Mix

Sponge

Then add the oil, honey, lemon juice and salt. Mix together until completely combined.  Add the 2 cups of each flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing it completely before adding next cup.  You should see the dough clean from the sides of the bowl. 

Once that happens, switch to the dough hook.  Mix on low for 7 minutes (or knead 10-12 minutes if by hand). Dough will look smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks to the sides, add flour a TBSP at a time, making sure to mix between additions - you don't want it to be too dry. If you see that flour is not incorporated, add a small drizzle of warm water until all flour is mixed.  Not too much so the dough isn't too wet.

Start of knead with dough hook

End of knead

I like to let the dough rise twice. Once in the bowl and once in the pan.  Each at about 1 hour. 

Oil your hands for easier handling of the dough

Oil the inside of the bowl for rising

Form dough into a ball

Spray the wax paper with non stick spray

Note on Warmth and Dough Rising: Set it in a warm spot. I most often heat the oven to 170F, set a tea towel on the oven vent, place the bowl over it and leave it for 20 mins. Turn off oven, let sit for 20 mins. Turn oven on 170F for 20 mins. (For a total of an hour). 

After 1 hour rise

Once the bread has risen an hour, punch it down and then make dough rolls that will make a triple bun bread loaf.

Punch it down

Reform into a ball

I use a sharp knife and cut off about 150 grams (I use a food scale) of dough.  Then I form it into a elongated ball.

 Place them in greased bread pans.

 I like a triple bun but if you want a single bun or double bun simply cut off the appropriate size of dough (double bun ~ 200 grams, single bun ~ 320 grams - This is very approximate depending on pan size)

Set back in the warm spot and let rise again about an hour.

After 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Put loaves in the oven and bake for 30 minutes total.  I turn the loaves at the 15 minute mark. (if you bake buns, bake for 20 minutes).

Remove from oven. Take out of the pans and butter the tops immediately.

My loaves are never aesthetically beautiful or even - doesn't impact taste though! 

Let bread cool about 1 hour before cutting.

It is so soft and delicious.

IMPORTANT: You can make this 100% whole wheat if you wish.  I have added flax seeds too. I have not made 100% white flour though.

I had to have toast - I love it so.  But this bread is a standout when making sandwiches.  Imaging the softest sandwich bread - this is softer.

Eat and Enjoy!

Lori