Homeade bread….Whoah, Momma!  Just looking at that picture above makes my mouth water.  There’s just something about a loaf of fresh warm homemade bread that screams comfort, doesn’t it?  My kids are hot on my heals through the entire process of bread making day, and can barely wait for those fresh loaves to come out of the oven so we can smother them with butter and bask in the beauty that is homemade bread.  Today when we made this particular batch, my daughter exclaimed, “Wow!  Now that is good!  So fresh!”  I have to say, I agree!  When my kids are old and grown and out of the house, I want them to be able to walk into a bakery and the smell send their memories straight home when they used to help Momma make fresh homemade bread.

This isn’t just any homemade bread though.  It’s made with whole grains so it’s wholesome and nutritious.  And that’s not all…

It’s soaked too, meaning that the phytic acid and anti-nutrients in the wheat are broken down for optimal digestion and optimal nutrition.

We like to keep our grains soaked, sprouted, or soured to keep them as healthy as possible.  I’ve only had moderate success with sourdough bread.  Moderate success is a bit of an overstatement.  Birds would break their beaks on those rocks if they tried to eat them.  Thus the soaking method as in this recipe is my go-to method for creating healthy whole grain bread.

Enough chatting already.  On to the recipe!

  Step 1:  Mix and Soak

Mix the following in a stand mixer until combined.  If you don’t have one, mix thoroughly in a bowl.

6-6.5 c. whole wheat flour

3. cups filtered water

2 T. apple cider vinegar

You are desiring a fairly stiff dough that pulls away from the sides.

Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and a plate as pictured above.

Let sit overnight, about 12 hours.

Step 2:  Mix, Knead and Rise

After 12 hours of soaking, add 2.5 tsp sea salt, 2 1/4 tsp. yeast, and 3 T. Rapadura, organic sugar, or maybe even honey.

Using a dough hook, knead dough for about 5 minutes, adding more flour if needed.  Depending on the humidity and other factors, I sometimes have to add 1/2 cup more flour.  You are desiring a sticky yet manageable dough.

Transfer dough to a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise one hour.

Step 3:  Shape Loaves and Rise

Scrape out half of the dough onto a floured surface.  I use unbleached white flour for dusting.

Gently press out into a rectangular shape.

With floured hands, roll up dough, starting at one of the short ends.

Tuck under the ends.

Repeat with second loaf.

Put shaped loaves in buttered loaf pans, cover, and let rise for another hour.

Step 4:  Bake and EAT

After the second rise, pop the two loaves in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.  You want a golden brown color and it to sound hollow when you tap on the top.

 Oh, mercy!  Nothing like warm bread and butter!