Super Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Bread
I’m on a kick.
A slightly time sucking, make-it-from-scratch, “why buy it when you can stick it to Monsanto?” kick.
Proof positive: there are currently four things intentionally fermenting in my kitchen.
I blame my second reading of The Omnivore’s Dilemma.
But to a higher degree, I blame the fact that Lulu did this with the sprouted grain bread I made her a sandwich with last week.
Nice.
So this weekend I did a little research.
And a lot of baking.
I learned about the school of thought that if you soak your whole grain flours overnight (or any grains for that matter), it makes them softer and more digestible. Some even argue that individuals who have trouble with gluten (obviously not those diagnosed with Celiac) may be able to better tolerate and even enjoy baked goods made with soaked flour.
Most whole grain loaves I make turn into Lulu confetti. Or at the very least, bricks that remain on my counter until I unintentionally ferment them.
But these babies are going fast.
Calling this “a kick” is officially over.
Homemade bread is here to stay.
Super Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Bread
Makes 1 bread machine loaf
- 2 c. whole wheat pastry or spelt flour
- 1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 T. olive oil, melted coconut oil or melted organic butter
- 3 T. honey, agave or maple syrup
- 2 T. lemon juice, apple cider vinegar or whole milk organic yogurt
- 1 1/3 c. water
- 2 1/2 t. active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 t. salt
*You’ll need a bread machine for this exact recipe, though you can play around with adapting it for the oven . My machine was a hand-me-down from my mom and is ancient and enormous. Try Craigslist and estate sales to track one down of your own, or search your parent’s garage. You’ll be surprised what you can find.
Combine flours, oil or butter, sweetener, lemon juice, vinegar or yogurt and water in a large bowl.
The acidity of the lemon juice, vinegar or yogurt theoretically breaks down the phytic acid in the wheat and thus produces a softer, more digestible bread.
When your ingredients are combined, transfer the dough to your bread machine and allow dough to sit overnight or up to 24 hours.
I stick a note on my machine to remind me of what exactly I need to add in the morning.
I told you she was old school. I think she doubles as a crimping iron.
In the morning, add your yeast and salt and press start.
You can take a peek at your dough during the knead cycle and if it looks too dry or too wet, add a bit of water or flour accordingly.
The end result is a thing of beauty.
I kid you not, I sang “Baby Mine” as I nestled this loaf into the basket.
But I actually had twins.
Don’t make me choose which is my favorite.
The whole wheat pastry loaf got a bigger rise, but the spelt is deliciously nuttier.
I love them both equally.
But the true test was that Lulu (and the rest of us), ate a piece with breakfast and a sandwich for lunch, leaving nary a crumb to be seen on her plate.
Lay your head close to my heart, never to part.
Baby of mine.
Hahaha, the crimping iron comment really made me laugh, as did the image of you nestling the loaf and singing “Baby Mine”
This recipe looks excellent!! I love making homemade bread. So do you just have to sprinkle the yeast and salt on top of the combined dough in the morning? No need to mix it in?
When you turn the bread machine on, it will knead in the salt and the yeast. But if you were doing it by hand, you would obviously want to knead it in as well. Hope you give it a go. I’m just starting another loaf myself.
Great! My parents have a bread machine (of course) so I’m going to make this next time I’m visiting. I already sent my mom the recipe! (She is notorious for making half-risen loaves….)
What’s even better than an old breadmaker?! One that’s called the TOASTmaker. Wow, that thing’s a beaut!! I’d probably use it first to crimp…no lie.
It seriously takes up half my kitchen.
mmmm no store-bought loaf is ever better than homemade bread! I will have to give these a try. Spelt bread is amaaaazing, and I do have a bread maker! Glad to hear Lulu approves
I hope you love it! Do report back.
I’ve been looking for a wholesome bread machine recipe, I can’t wait to try this!! A bread machine is such a good investment, we use ours all the time to make gluten free bread for the hubs, it’s amazing!
I go in waves of using it and not using it, but I really do want to make this a permanent practice. This recipe makes it so easy.
Us too. Maybe these would freeze well if wrapped up?
Yes, they will. I’ve got another loaf in the maker right now that I’m sticking directly in the freezer!
Looks delish! I can’t wait to try it. Did you use the whole wheat setting?
My machine is so old there is NO whole wheat setting? (whole grains? Pssshaw. What are those?)
I used the rapid setting because that’s what my bread machine recommends for any flour that is not purely white. Yes, I found the instruction booklet and yes, it’s straight out of the 80s.
i think its time for me to brush off all the cobwebs on my bread machine and get baking! Would you say this a 1lb or 2lb loaf?
I would say it’s a 2 lb. loaf, but I’m not entirely sure. Sorry!
Do you also bake your bread in the bread machine?
Yup!
Looks fantastic! I need to get my bread machine out and make this! Usually the loaves it makes are so heavy you could use them to hold flatten wrinkled paper, but this looks great!
These are so super light and delish!
This looks delicious! I may need to break out grandma’s bread maker this week. Did you find you needed extra water with the spelt flour? It usually seems a little dryer to me.
I didn’t need extra water or flour for either. And actually head-to-head at dinner tonight, the family said they preferred the spelt. Go figure!
This looks delicious! I don’t have a bread maker, and have never made homemade bread, but do you think it would be sufficient to bake for about an hour @ 350 or should I bake at a lower temp to keep from cooking too quickly? I’m tired of buying inadequate store bread and yes, I would love to stick it to Monsanto!
I would say start with 40 minutes at 350 degrees and then check it every five minutes or so. Make sure you give your dough plenty of time to rise too!
Woukd you store this on your counter or fridge?
I’m storing it on my counter, but it is tightly wrapped. I’m afraid it would dry out too quickly in the fridge. I would suggest eating it within a few days or freezing it.
I need to get a bread maker. Stat.
can’t wait to try this…i’ve never had any luck with making bread in my bread machine.
Hi:
I had an old breadmaker-couldn’t give it away fast enuf – to my sis-in-law – she made spelt bread in it all the time and also used the dough for rolls-I couldn’t seem to do it.
At Christmas I bought myself a new Sunbeam breadmaker from Amazon-it does everything but brush your teeth for you!!!!
It makes such good bread I can’t believe it – you need to try it – you’ll like it.
I have another loaf of this delish bread rising in maker right now – be ready for dinner tonight.
The problem is this – even if you freeze the loaf, trying to get it out of sight – it still calls to you from the freezer – I taste good frozen and it only takes a few mins to thaw!!! So watchit!!!
Ha! I actually have a NEW bread recipe that I am making extra loaves for for the freezer. I’ll share it later this week…you are going to love it…
Thanks – I find that using 2 c spelt and 1.5 c organic good quality flour works good – I added the 1 1/4 c warm water and then added 2 Tbsp more as spelt really sucks up the water – it is just right doing that. Spelt dough seems to like being just a tad more sticky than reg flour – or is it my imagination? Whatchathink?
No, that sounds great! I’ve actually been doing a blend of whole wheat, spelt and unbleached organic flour. But the bread we are now loving is sourdough! Yum!
Making bread at home would save me SO many trips to the grocery store.
Those loaves look store-perfect!! I’ve been very interested in soaking and sprouting my grains ala Weston A. Price and Sally Fallon lately. The longer they soak and ferment, the better they are for neutralizing the anti-nutrients, making them easier to digest. It makes sense once you realize how bad grains, especially modern days ones can be.
I’d love to make REAL sourdough bread from scratch, but I hear that it takes 30 days and I haven’t figured out how to use a starter than it’s whey-based; whey + my tummy are mortal enemies. heh
I almost sold my bread maker that I never used. Now I’m inspired to retrieve it from the garage and actually use it.
PS. My husband made a Peas and Thank You funny at BJ’s Wholesale Club last night. Disappointed in the frozen veggie selection, I exclaimed: “they only have peas?!” And witty Dustin responded with, “oh look, I found a bag of Thank Yous!” hahaha
I mentioned you and your blog a few times (500) in his presence.
Exactly. Although we don’t eat that way 100%, I have been reading Nourishing Traditions and am very interested in getting my family back to eating whole, real foods.
I just started a sourdough starter with pineapple juice! I’ll definitely be posting it if it turns out (fingers crossed). Tomorrow is Day 3 and if all goes well, I’ll have sourdough bread by Thursday night!
I like your husband
Mmm! I know what I’m making tomorrow! My mom bought me my bread maker for $3 at a garage sale and I LOVE it! I see them all the time for $10 at Goodwill though. I usually throw in about 1/4 c of seeds too (flax, sunflower). You can do it to almost any bread recipe like this without having to alter anything else. Love that it uses maple syrup!
Yup, you could totally throw in whatever. I’m dying to try a cinnamon raisin loaf. Yum!
I was just contemplating homemade soft whole wheat sandwich bread during a 3 hour drive by myself today. I don’t have a breadmaker but may have to try adapting this. I’d buy one myself but my kitchen is approximately 9 sq feet…and it looks like your breadmaker probably is too. Haha.
Yes. And believe it or not, my kitchen is TINY!
This looks awesome. I don’t have a machine but I’m pretty sure if that machine can do it, I can too. I’m dying to know what you’ve got fermenting! I’ve got veggies going now and thinking about starting kombucha.
Currently I’m working on:
1. soaking flour for another loaf of this
2. soaking flour for some crackers
3. straining whey from whole milk yogurt to make the girls super creamy Greek yogurt
4. fermenting ginger ale! (this one I’m excited about
5. a sourdough starter
Oh, and I have some homemade ice cream mix that is chilling in the fridge. I’m quite proud of myself.
Any news with the sourdough starter? Have you tried sourdough bread in the bread maker? I’m making your spelt loaf as we speak and it smells delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Yes on both! I had my first successful sourdough loaf just last night, so I plan on posting both the starter and the bread recipe this week! Hope your spelt turns out great.
Off the subject (this bread looks awesome and I need to get a bread machine), you must take your girls to see The Lorax! We took our 3 yr old daughter for her 1st movie experience and I just loved it!!! She seemed to also and it didn’t have any really scary parts like some Disney movies can. And I may have a mini-crush on Zac Efron due to his voice. But it is so great, and read the book first. I cried!
What else are you fermenting in your kitchen? Cabbage? Kombucha? Grain alcohol??
Oh, thanks so much for the movie recommendation! I will definitely take the girls this week/weekend. I’m making bread, crackers, ginger ale, Greek yogurt and a sourdough starter!
Oh my, I am so upset right now that I don’t have a bread maker! Is there any possible way of making this bread without it?!
Yes, of course. My best guess is that you can just let the ingredients sit overnight and then in the morning, knead in your yeast and your salt and set your dough in a warm place for 1-2 hours. Then punch it down put it in greased loaf pans and bake for 40 min. at 350. But you’ll have to do trial and error because I haven’t tried it!
This looks fabulous. Down the road, if you ever don’t feel like making your own but think Lulu will throw away the store-bought, try Great Harvest Bread! Aren’t you in Seattle? There’s one in Laurelhurst. It’s the only bread I eat these days, and absolutely delicious. (I think some kinds have honey, which isn’t vegan. But some don’t include honey.)
We do love GH. It’s just kind of spendy!
Gorgeous. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of baking a loaf a bread from scratch (and sticking it to Monsanto..amen to that!)
I take it bread machines are hard to find there as they are here in Calif. I wonder what’s up with that. Have bread machines gone out of style? ?
I think it’s a conspiracy by the big bread companies.
This once again solidifies the fact that I need a bread machine…and next, an ice cream maker. And then probably a bigger kitchen.
I am so excited to read this post! I have a new obsession with Great Harvest bread, but it’s about an hour from my house. I can’t find any other bread in San Diego that compares with the stuff. My bf and I have been talking about getting a bread maker, but I worried the bread wouldn’t be nearly as good. But after reading this, I’m in!
I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Good luck!
This is in my bread machine right now!! Can’t wait!
Awesome! Both of our houses are going to smell so good tomorrow.
These look delicious! Josh and I were just talking about how we want to make bread. Do we need to have a bread machine to make these?
** Sorry, just read your post again and noticed the section stating this is better in a bread oven. I should not leave comments on blogs late at night when I’m tired. ;p
And how do you soak the flours?
Just by mixing the dough and sticking it in the breadmaker overnight, you are “soaking” the flours. It’s not so literal.
Hey, I’m all for sticking it to Monsanto whenever possible (and let’s not forget ADM, too!) – Michael Pollan has a way of inspiring that sort of rebellion, huh? This looks fabulous! I’ve made several different bread recipes, all of them as lovely as homemade bread can be, but none that’s really fit the bill for sandwiches. I’ll definitely have to give this a try.
And I was just about to post my bread maker on craigslist…you’re given it a stay of execution!
LOVE IT MAMA. Love love love it. Yay for fermentation!!!! <3
Looks great! I’ll have to give it a try next week. I’ve been making bread for years and haven’t bought commercial bread at all since last July… well, other than Trader Joe’s masala tandori naan occasionally. Haven’t tried soaking the flour. No bread machines here though – had one long ago and sold it. I prefer getting my hands in there.
Love making bread. I am just not as healthy about it as you.
i love homemade bread!!!!! i will totally be trying this one out! My mom just asked me if I wanted her bread machine… looks like I’ll be using it!
I have always wanted to make my own bread. It’s seriously on my bucket list. I need a bread machine, though!!
And this looks so yummy!
Apparently I need to get a bread machine! I haven’t actually eaten bread in more than a year since I have yet to find a gluten-free bread without xanthan gum in it. Lettuce wraps are yummy, but they aren’t the best with everything! I get such pain from gluten I would be too scared to try sprouted. Well I did try the Ezekiel sprouted bread before going gluten-free and reacted but I’m not sure what else is in it.
Did you have pain from the Ezekiel bread? Just curious how the sprouted grains affected you.
I did, but that was also before I had completely cut it out of my diet. So I can’t be sure that it was from that per se. I thought so at the time and have been too scared to try again!
Yummy looking bread! I have been baking bread for the past couple of weeks and there really is nothing like homemade. I’m so happy to get this recipe from you because it is finally something that is on the sweet side. Everything I have been making so far, just has salt and no sugar, syrup, or honey at all whatsoever. Thanks!
Oh wow, these are even more perfectly formed than the store-bought loaves! I usually soak my beans and whole grains to make them more digestible, but I had no idea that you could do the same with flours. I’d love to experiment with making sprouted grain bread in my oven, but in the meantime, I’ll just make yours. Thanks Mama Pea!
I had a bread machine while I was in law school (20 years ago). I don’t think I ever got good results from it. Too bad I gave it away because now I’d like to try your method. You bread sounds so wonderful! I’m glad you finally nailed it. I’m going to use your ideas in my challah baking (which doesn’t require a bread machine and is a very sweet, cakey bread). I wonder what will happen? I’ve never heard of soaking flour except for making your own vital wheat gluten.
I love bread making but I always fail at it. Sigh.
I tried soaking my oats once (soaked in
yogurt) and I couldn’t stomach the taste. I’m guessing this bread doesn’t have the funky taste? Maybe I did something wrong when I tried the whole fermentation thing, but I have been scared off from it ever since. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on Nourishing Traditions as a vegan. (I saw in the comments that you are reading it)
If you rinse your oats after soaking, you lose that funky taste and also get those phytates rinsed off as well. I am careful not to label the way my family eats these days (or ever). That being said, Nourishing Traditions isn’t something we’re going to be able to incorporate fully into our lives (Offal Tacos?!). Still, I think it’s important to be able to adapt, grow and learn, and sometimes we are able to improve our lives the most by listening and taking what we can from those we don’t agree with. I think trying to feed yourself/your family more traditional, real foods is never a bad thing.
I totally agree. I wasn’t trying to sound accusatory at all; I hope it didn’t sound that way. I’m just genuinely interested in your thoughts as someone who doesn’t eat animal products on a regular basis. (Less label-y
) The book definitely has some extreme views–some which I agree with and others that I don’t. I like to hear what other people interested in nutrition (but not necessarily with a traditional foods cult-like attitude as some in the Sally Fallon/Weston Price circles seem to take) think about it.
Oh not at all! I hope I didn’t sound defensive. Just trying to continue to educate myself!
you always seem to make me laugh….crimping iron…you crack me up girl!
xoxo from Trinidad
I’m so with you on sticking it to Monsanto. They remind me of Al Pacino in the devils advocate. (Shiver.) Now this whole soaking business I’ve never heard of. Veeeery interesting. My 3 year old daughter is sensitive to wheat but I’m wondering if this might help.
It can’t hurt to try!
Would this work by just throwing it all in and not soaking it overnight or is that the whole point – soaking it?
The reason I ask is, I want to make it now and have it when I get home from work tonight! But would it not be as moist? Also, can I substitute ww flour for the white flour? Would that make it too dense? Thanks for the help!
The whole point for me was soaking it, but you could try it without. I just think the acid component wouldn’t be necessary. You could also try subbing all WW flour but I don’t think you’d get as nice of a rise and you might end up with a brick
ooooh, I don’t want a brick…
I have had the same ill luck with bread — everything I make seems to turn into either a rock or a pancake! But I refuse to give up, so I am super excited to try your recipe! Love that it can be made with spelt and is made in the machine…the less I handle it the better!
looks delicious! I LOVE making bread from scratch and find that the perfect sandwich bread is usually the trickiest!
Yum…I was just saying the other day, who needs a stinkin’ bread machine…apparently I do.
I discovered there are two Omnivore’s Dilemma…are you referring to the Pollan copy?
Thanks Mama Pea!
Yup! There’s another one?
I can also highly recommend thrift stores as sources for bread machines. I usually see one or two every time I go, and the average price? 10! They’re in great shape too.
This looks so yummy.
I totally agree! We got a $250 Zojirushi for only $15 – what a great “investment”! We also got a George Foreman grill for $4, which makes a faaaantastic panini press. Yum. Can’t stress enough how practical thrifting is.
This looks amazing-I just bought my first loaf of “store” bread in 4 months and feel guilty as anything. Though withone child with a double ear infection, one with an ear infection and walking pneumonia and my husband out of state for the week, maybe my “homemade everything” should be on vacation and we should break out the Annie O’s. Cuz we did…
Ha ha, you have my blessing on that one. Hang in there, Wendy!
Ha ha – I had a bread machine like that! I think I got rid of it during our last move. Your bread looks crazy delicious…wish I had a slice right now with my coffee!
Homemade bread is infinitely more delicious than store bought. Too bad those bread machines take up like half the counter space.
Well I know what i’m doing tomorrow!!! Looks great! My daughter does the same thing with her bread, so I had to laugh at that picture of Lulu. I’m fairly certain I have a bit of gluten intolerance, but I really don’t want to know for sure! So this is awesome! Totally giving it a try tomorrow.
I hope it makes a difference for you!
I seriously need a bread machine. This bread looks amazingly soft!
Mmmm!
Things I love about this post:
1. The look on Lu’s face. My son makes the same one. Without the ponytail.
2. Only you can work a joke about a crimping iron into a bread recipe post. And it was awesome.
3. I’ve been buying the sprouted grain bread at Costco, but would love to make my own. About to start some fermenting today.
I’m going to try making some homemade sauerkraut this week. Have you tried that yet? I love the idea, but am hoping i love the taste. Have you read Wild Fermentation? It’s a surprisingly entertaining book, especially considering it’s about fermentation.
I haven’t tried the sauerkraut, but considering I just paid $5 for Bubbies, I think I should. Plus I like caraway seeds in mine. Let me know how it goes!
PS How scared is your hubby of all your secret jars?
Perfect timing, since I’ve been on the hunt for a good sandwich bread recipe lately! I’m tired of paying $3 for one loaf of bread. And besides that, homemade bread makes incredible sandwiches. I think I’ll try this without the breadmaker, though, because I get such satisfaction out of kneading bread. Hopefully it will work!
Let me know how it works and what you did and I’d love to post instructions for other readers who are without machines! Good luck!
Made the bread yesterday. It was wonderful. I made it w/out the bread maker, doubled the recipe and cut the flour by one cup because I figured it would get added back in with kneading. I should have cut only 1/2 cup, though, because it took a while to get it the right consistency. I used 2 packs of yeast and added them to a quarter cup of warm water before mixing into the dough. It turned out perfectly. Both loaves were made with wheat flour, and for the second loaf I added in walnuts and raisins which was so yummy. I’ll definitely be using this recipe again!
COOL. Just checked craigslist and you’re right; there are a bunch on there for under $50. Definitely getting one.
Score!
Oh man bread is one of my favourite things to bake. So satisfying and you feel so accomplished after. I am excited to try it now using soaked whole grains. Thanks for sharing!
Oh Baby Mine is my daughter Caroline’s favorite song, and at 2 I don’t know how much longer she will request I sing it (kind of brings a tear to my eye oh how I don’t want her to grow up).
As for sticking it to Monsanto that is like a daily task for me…The Evil Empire that they are.
Your bread looks delicious and I think I’ll have to find a way to adapt it to the oven…I have gotten rid of two bread machines as I don’t think my husband will allow another one to show up on my counter
I consistently curse the amount of room that my bread machine consumes in my kitchen, but recipes like this remind me of why I keep it. Thanks for sharing; can’t wait to try!
i never thought to pre-mix the dough and use the quick cooking option. i love it. way easier to make sure everything is well mixed (my machine isnt exactly top notch). is that i 1.5 or 2 lb loaf?
Oh goodness, I’m not sure. Let me track down the archaic manual.
The manual doesn’t say how much the loaf weighs (though Google tells me 1.5 lbs). It does say that my machine weights 19 lbs. though. What a beast!
Oooh, I will have to try this out! I love fresh baked bread – maybe a little too much!
I’d also like to ask if it is okay if I pin pictures of your recipes to Pinterest?
Of course! Thank you!
mmmmmmm…I can almost smell it baking while reading!
i wonder how i can convince marshall that i need another appliance…
I love my bread machine. Got one when they first came out and now we’re on our 3rd one. I’m going to take the lazy route and toss everthing in and press start. If it doesn’t work, I’ll try the overnight method which sounds very interesting. I love that it uses whole wheat pastry flour as I’m trying to make a switch to that. It looks like a good recipe to use for pizza dough, too. And, I’d say it looks like a 1 1/2 lb. loaf as most of my recipes that call for 3 cups of flour are listed as such.
Thanks for the input, Joan!
Um, homemade bread?? Sure! My parents had a bread maker but sold it in our last move…
. And my kitchen is super low on storage space (this is why I could not buy myself a cake pop maker – cannot justify an appliance that only makes one thing! 
). I will be adventurous perhaps and try this without a bread maker… yikes!
Thank you for the celiac disclaimer. Some idiots try to say that sourdough has no gluten and that sprouting gets rid of gluten, but it’s just not true. Did not know that soaking the flour helped. is it as good as sprouting the seeds then grounding your own flour?
what else are you fermenting? any kombucha?
Not kombucha…I wish. I ALMOST bought a scooby this weekend. I am making some fermented ginger ale, though, which I’m going to try first because the ginger kombucha is my favorite!
I don’t know how sourdough could have no gluten since I added wheat flour directly to my starter
Still, I’ve heard claims that there is a kind of sourdough that is sold in SF that Celiacs are claiming they are able to eat and have no problems. I wouldn’t want to be the one to try it though if I had Celiac.
I am not sure how soaking stacks up to sprouting, but I do know that soaking is a bit quicker.
how do you make the fermented ginger ale? with no scoby? i’m confused. yes I think wheat is wheat, at least for me. i think some people don’t even get symptoms right away when they eat wheat and that’s good for them but i do so I’d never chance it.
I’ve been noticing this kick of yours and I have to say – i LOVE it!!
Oh gosh! If I had room for another appliance it would have to be a bread machine, I already am saving room for a mixer so I have no room to spare!
My mom used to make cinnamon raisin bread in her bread machine when we were younger and it was the BEST! Nothing like fresh bread!
Happy Monday! <3
I love fresh bread
You are by far my favorite cookbook-er and food blogger and I am buying a $15 bread maker today just because of you!!!!!!!!! #1 fan!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Lindsay! You just made my day.
Eee! Time to break out my bread machine – so stinking excited. Also I have those little star sticky notes and they make me so happy.
Those are my lunchbox note-leavin’ Post Its
I’ve got a batch sitting on my counter now. Going to make it in my KitchenAid mixer tomorrow.
I’m kicking myself for getting rid of my bread machine years ago. I never used it then but I would use it daily now that I have kids and go through bread like water. I think it might be time to re-invest!
Thanks for the reminder!
I love baking my own bread! Homemade anything is always awesome!
Thanks for the awesome bread recipes. I will adapt them to conventional baking and report back. And I totally got the Dumbo lullaby reference. Have you heard it sung by Alison Krauss? It’s divine.
Ahh, I think I would lose it! “When You Say Nothing At All” was our first dance at our wedding.
Totally unrelated to this post but I packed 2 dough balls in my husband’s lunch today and just got an email that said “Yes cookie balls!”
Ha ha, that’s awesome. Well done
you make it look so easy haha
it has been a year or so since I have even attempted bread making.
What do you mean by soaking the flour?
Maria, I’m just referring to letting the flour sit overnight via mixing up the dough. The acid from the lemon juice/vinegar/yogurt breaks down the phytic acid in the grains, making the bread softer.
Thanks!! Now I need to buy a bread machine. I have 4 kids and I buy so much bread, I think they would enjoy this!
of course you would have a super cute star sticker pad! i need one of those.
soaking is a great idea! never thought you could do it for bread making. definitely more easily digestible, hope its better on your stomach! when the craving for oats strikes, i always try to soak it overnight in some ACV or lemon juice. always a learning process
Bread is one of my kitchen taboos–I either lack the patience or the skill, but I’ll stick with the former until after i learn how to do it successfully.
I never thought to soak the grains first. That is a great idea. Lovely post! Makes me want to go pull out the breadmaker
ooh, I’d love to try both, I think the nuttier spelt would be my favorite. Both loaves turned out beautiful – now I want homemade bread, and I feel the sudden need to go crimp my hair. Weird.
You completely read my mind… yesterday morning i thought to myself that i needed to make some homemade bread instead of having hubby pick some up at the store on the way home and wah-la! i clicked to you and there’s yummy bread begging to be made! so, i started it last night, finished this morning… it’s almost gone now BUT… mine had MANY holes in it! -not really sandwich friendly!
has anyone oven baked this? is there a trick to relieving it of holes??? it still tastes AMAZING, probably the best homemade bread i’ve tried yet… just full of holes.
Did you add the yeast this morning or last night? Bummer that it was holy, I’ve never had that happen!
i added the yeast and salt this morning! it’s SUPER yummy… i’m just hoping my next one doesn’t turn up with holes… (i already have the sponge going!)
That is so crazy! Let me know how this other one turns out!
so, the second one turned out great! i just lessened the salt by 1/4 t. and that seemed to do the trick! i think my next venture will be to throw this bad boy in the oven!
i like oven baked because my bread machine puts a fairly good hole in the bottom of the loaf that i don’t much care for! BTW… do you happen to know the LEAST amount of time you need to let the sponge sit??? i am kinda hoping i can play with that oven baked one today!
The longer the better, but I believe 12 hours is on the low end. I agree…that hole is just a pain and no one wants to eat the end pieces.
Save the end pieces to make homemade bread crumbs in the food processor! I keep the ends in the freezer until I have several saved up, then make plain and Italian bread crumbs. So good using the homemade bread!
Looks so good!!!! My hand-me-down bread machine looks like R2D2. Ha.Ha.
I use my bread machine all the time and have never tired this method. I am doing it this week, for sure!
Mmm this looks great!! Any clues for those of us without bread machines? #collegekiddo
Also quick question: does this come out the same texture as normal sandwich bread?
This was one of the best breads I’ve ever made, and I love making bread. I didn’t use a machine or rapid rise yeast:
I followed your directions for the night before using the bowl of my KitchenAid stand mixer, using honey, apple cider vinegar and adding 1 tsp cinnamon. The next morning I soaked some dried apple chunks in hot water then used the water to dissolve 1 packet of active dry yeast. I added the yeast and salt to the dough and started kneading with my dough hook on speed 2. I added enough extra flour to make up for the added moisture and added the apple chunks at the end. Stashed the bowl in my oven with the light on for the first rise, punched it down, shaped it, and put it in a loaf pan for the 2nd rise. I then baked it in a 325 degree oven on convection. It is heavenly!
YAYYYYYYYY! Can you tell I’m excited? I’m just glad someone loves it as much as I do! I love the idea of the apple chunks…like Great Harvest’s Apple Crunch bread. Thanks for reporting back, I will make sure and pass these directions on to the machineless crowd!
Kristin, may i ask for how long you cooked it for???
I want to say about 45 mins, but I always use a thermometer when I bake bread (yes, I’m that kind of nerd about it). If you’re not using convection, you want to bake it at 350.
its baking right now! it looked REALLY pancake dough-ish before putting it into the bread pan and i was just about to scrap it, thinking that it wouldn’t rise enough to be a loaf… after 20 minutes i check it and it’s looking beautiful!!! i am so excited! i made the recipe and mixed it in my bread machine on the “dough” setting, added some extra flour (couple handfuls) and mixed it in and then transferred it to my bread pan and put in the oven. i’ll updated in 15-20 minutes and let you all know how it turned out! this is loaf 3! i’m LOVING this! yummmmm!
Mine was much runnier, for lack of a better word, than every other bread I’ve made, but it went crazy in the oven. It’s still soft and yummy. I’m going to try this method on homemade cinnamon rolls this weekend.
ok dumb question… I buy my yeast in a jar so about how much yeast did you use and how much water? I am working on keeping my family from having to spend the extra money on store bought bread and I have some of the basics down. Just curious…
thanks!
I used 2 1/4 tsp yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water. You could cut the water in the recipe down by 1/4 cup to make up for it, but I just added extra flour until it wasn’t sticky to the touch anymore.
I make homemade bread at least once or twice a week, as my daughter can have no dairy and almost all store bread here has dairy. I’d love to give the soaking thing a try, but not sure how it’d work in this tropical climate. When I bake bread I actually have to start put with ICE water because otherwise the dough gets too warm when rising and gets a funky taste (according to The Bread Bible it’s because of a certain bacteria. Not bad, just not so tasty). But maybe because the yeast is not mixed in yet this would work. Worth a try anyway, my husband says he wishes homemade bread was softer!
Love this post!! Question for you- how do you cut your loafs thin enough for sandwich bread? Mine always falls apart if slice it thinner than an inch thick. Makes me sad!
I use a serrated knife. That always does the trick for me.
Hmm, yeah me too. Maybe I’m trying to cut it when it’s too warm. Should I wait until it’s cool? Cause if so, I can’t wait that long.
Yes, indeed!
You know I actually have that same bread machine! I think I got it at a garage sale for like $10 and it works great! I just prepped the bread and stuck it in the machine and put a post-it just like yours for tomorrow. I used whole wheat pastry flour (although I debated making the spelt version), used lemon juice and maple syrup. I can hardly wait for the finished product!
Hope it turns out fantastic!
Mama Pea! I’m so so sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the bread did not turn out
It was very very liquidy when I turned the bread maker on this morning and tried adding several handfuls of flour to make a dough but it was still very liquidy. I noticed some people said it still rose for them even though it was pancake-y so I went ahead with it anyway. I also but it on the “fast bread” setting because you mentioned that you put it in the rapid cycle? Maybe that was my mistake? The good news is you can bet your peas that I am going to try it again but will add less water for the soak (maybe only a cup) and use the regular or specialty bread setting on the machine. Any other suggestions?
Oh bummer! What blend of flour did you use? I’d just keep adding it during the kneading cycle (it’s fine to peek while it’s doing that) and then use the regular setting? Good luck!
I used 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup of unbleached BREAD flour. I
The same thing happened to me. Total crater bread. I’ll try again tomorrow.
great recipe. thank you for sharing. my bread came out great. used white wheat flour and unbleached flour maple syrup apple cider vinegar and olive oil, So light and fluffy and moist.
Just to make sure I don’t screw up!! When I add in the yeast and salt – how can I tell if I need more water or flour? and is it just the whole wheat cycle if my machine has that?
Go ahead and use the whole wheat cycle. While the machine is kneading, take a peak. If the dough is coming together nicely in a ball and is not sticking too much to the sides, you’re probably good on flour. But if it’s wet and soupy looking, definitely add more. Good luck!
Love this! I am on a make it from scratch kick too, I am blaming Pinterest! All of a sudden I am making my own laundry detergent, vanilla, tortillas (your recipe, delish) and cereal. I am nervous to make my own bread, it is usually a waste of flour but I trust you Mama Pea. I am going to give it a try!
I think you mean 1/3 cup water and not 1 1/3 cup water? My bread dough was just soup. I let it cook anyway to see if something magic happened, but no. Do you mean 1/3 cup water?
Nope, I meant 1 1/3. I’ve made this loaf over a dozen times now! You may need to add up to 1 c. of flour during kneading. Hope that helps!
My loaf is soaking in the bread machine right now. I used ACV and agave-can’t wait until dinner tomorrow night!!
I’ve made this twice now and love it!!!
Thus sounds delicious! Do you think using king Arthur white whole wheat flour in place of the white flour would work as well?
Maybe so! You’ll just end up with a little denser bread.
I just made the dough in the bread machine and oops! Forgot to check it after the first knead to see if it needed more flour or water. When the bell went off it was obviously a very wet dough as it poured onto my kneading board. I managed to get a good half cup combo of spelt and unbleached flour mixed in and it was down to very sticky. I let it go and poured it into the bread pan, covered it and now it’s on it’s second rise. We’ll see what happens from here.
Good luck!
do yo think you could use raw whole milk in place of the water?? milk is used in bread recipes to soften the crust and make a more tender crumb. i know it sits out overnight, but that doesn’t scare me!!
I’m not sure I’d use milk for all of the liquid component…it might produce a heavier bread, but I don’t think subbing in maybe a cup would do anything but soften it as you suggest. Good luck and let me know how it works for you!
I made this today and had a problem. The bread was cooked on outside but not inside. Should I have added more flour? I eat clean so do not eat all purpose flour so used whole wheat pastry flour and whole wheat flour, is this a problem? also, the attachment to my bread machine was baked into my bread. is this typical? I have not used my bread machine in years!!!
Thanks for your help!
I can’t really speculate…there are so many intricacies that go into bread baking! I don’t think adding more flour could hurt anything. I don’t think it was your combination that was an issue. Sorry, and good luck!
so, i made this an it was very very wet the next morning. i kneaded in the flour and salt in my kitchen-aid and i could tell there was gluten development, but still a sticky mass. the day before i also added about a T of vital wheat gluten because i wasn’t doing it in a bread machine. perhaps, if i’d used an 8×4 loaf pan instead of a 9.25×5.25 i would have worked out better. but it was flat (3 inches tall) and a little crispy on the sides. i cut into it and the inside was holy and moist, not so different from the look of the spelt bread, but it had a gluten-free look about it. i will give it another try, probably increasing the recipe by 50% and using a slightly smaller pan and a bit less liquid.
Finally had time to make this bread this past weekend. It was AMAZING! Kind of embarrassed, but my husband and I ate half the loaf within an hour. Sweet, soft and crunchy on the outside. Just perfect.
I used 3 cups whole wheat white flour, olive oil, agave and apple cider vinegar. I followed the measurements in the recipe exactly, except that I added 2 T. of ground flax seed. The consistency as the bread was mixing was perfect. I didn’t have to add a thing.
I’d like to try this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free flour. Wonder how it would turn out…
Thank you for this recipe!
Niki, I’m glad you had success! Thanks for sharing what worked for you.
what setting did you bake your bread on? Should I use the whole wheat setting or expressbake 80 min. setting?…
I use the rapid bread program. I’d give that a go first!
Rapid rising yeast or dry active yeast?
Dry active!