Westrup Whole Wheat Bread

I developed this recipe over the years when I was trying to provide good nutrition for my children. Now my husband and I eat half a loaf the minute it comes out of the oven! We haven’t bought bread at the grocery in years.

Original recipe makes 3 loaves

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup wheat bran
5 cups bread flour, divided
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup dry non-fat milk powder
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs

PREP

30 mins
COOK

40 mins
READY IN

2 hrs 10 mins

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, wheat bran, 3 cups of the bread flour, wheat germ, milk powder, brown sugar, wheat gluten, sesame seeds, and salt; stir well. Mix in the yeast mixture, oil and eggs.
Add the remaining bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into three lightly greased 8×4 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.