Homemade bread

Say hello to my new best friend: the Artisan Series 5 Quart Kitchen Aid Mixer, or as I like to call him, Red.


David got me this beauty for our anniversary after some pretty strong hinting on my part (I might have also told him the color I wanted). We tried out a brownie recipe first, but I knew what I really wanted to make: bread! I love homemade bread (who doesn't?!) so I set to work assembling the ingredients.


This recipe is super easy with a mixer that has a dough hook that will knead the bread for you. If you don't have a mixer, no problem. Just roll up your sleeves and prepare to knead! This recipe yields three huge loaves but it can easily be cut in half. You'll need:

3 cups warm water (about 110 F)
2 .25 ounces packaged active dry yeast
2/3 cup honey, SEPARATED in half
5 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon salt
3 1/2 cups who wheat flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
vegetable oil
A spoon dog... he helps too

So if you don't want lots of bread, half all the above.

In a big bowl (AKA- the mixer bowl!) combined 3 cups warm water, yeast and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups bread flour and stir to combine. Let stand for 30 minutes so it gets big and bubbly. (if you're baking this in winter time, you might need to put the dough mixture somewhere where it will get a little heat, like on top of the dryer or in the oven with the oven light on. Just make sure you don't get it too hot or you'll kill the yeast. Same goes for the water).

Before:

After 30 minutes:

Punch it down a little and then add: 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey and salt. Stir in 2 cups of whole wheat flour. If you've got a mixer going, continue to add flour until the dough ball forms. If not, flour a clean surface and start kneading. It'll take another 3-4 cups flour, but you want it so it's not sticking to your hands or the counter.



Put it in a big greased bowl (vegetable oil works well) and turn it to coat the entire ball. Cover and let it rise until doubled (the longer you wait, the more it rises).

Before

After 60 minutes

Punch the dough out and divide into three loaf pans. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Lightly brush loaves with butter when they're done so they don't get hard. Cool... and enjoy!!!



Do you have any recipes that I should try with my neeeeeew mixer??