Maple Wheat Bread
This Maple Wheat Bread recipe is based on a staff favorite from Betsy Bott's Daily Bread Bakery & Cafe, formerly of Richmond, Vermont. Their version of Maple Wheat was part of their weekly rotation of daily loaves in the cafe and made the whole space smell amazing. This loaf is wonderful any time of year - for sandwiches, French toast, toasted with butter and maple sugar or maple cream, plain, as a side to chili or soup. Yes, there are several stops to let the dough rise at various stages. Be patient and yu will never be disappointed!
What You’ll Need
Instructions
- Add rolled oats, butter or oil, and maple syrup in a medium-sized bowl. Pour 4 cups of hot water over this mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Add the yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer and add the 1 cup of warm water (and a splash more of maple syrup). Make sure the warm water is roughly somewhere between 100 - 110 F degrees (you want the yeast to proof, but you don't want to kill it).
- Measure the whole wheat flour into the yeast mixture and beat on low for 1 to 2 minutes.
- A little at a time, measure the unbleached all purpose flour into the bowl and beat on low to mix in. Add the salt and then turn the mixer up to medium (or appropriate kneading speed on your mixer) and knead for about 7 or 8 minutes, or until the dough is elastic, springy and smooth (and clears the side of the bowl).
- Lightly oil a clean bowl and set the kneaded dough inside to rise, covered with a damp cloth or kitchen towel. Let rise until doubled in size.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 3 equal pieces. Knead each piece into a smooth round ball. Cover again with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled.
- Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Grease 3 bread loaf pans and form your dough balls into loaf shapes. Place dough in greased pans. Cover loaves with a kitchen towel and let rise until doubled.
- Bake loaves for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Turn out from loaf pans onto wire racks to cool. Be patient and let the loaves cool before cutting into them!
Tips
- If you don't want to make 3 loaves of bread, you can make 2 loaves and 8 rolls (or any variety that makes you happy). The rolls will, of course, need less baking time than the full loaf of bread.
