[recipe] whole wheat flax bread

we love bread around here.

like, really love it.


did you know that when silas and i were first married, we used to bake a loaf of bread each day and then when it was done we would stand over the sink and eat warm slices slathered with butter?  or sometimes just chunks of it dipped in butter.  (stop gagging.)


and did you know that we would eat the entire loaf in one sitting 9 out of 10 times?


ah.  the good old days.


well, we still like bread.  and we have since added two little beasties who might just love bread even more than we do.

as in, they ask for bread every single meal.  as in, tesla will only eat things that resemble bread (pasta, cake, cookies, muffins, pancakes...boy likes his carbs).

so here is the one we make.






Whole Wheat Flax Bread

3/4 TBS yeast
2 TBS molasses (or honey)
1 1/2 c warm water
4 (+/-) c flour--you can use whole wheat, white whole wheat, all-purpose, or a mixture.  i like white whole wheat (start around 3 1/2 c and add as you see fit.  it should be slightly sticky but not really wet)
1 TBS olive oil
3/4 TBS salt
1/2 c flax meal
2 TBS vital wheat gluten*


Add ingredients to bread machine in order recommended by manufacturer.  Set for dough cycle and press start.


When it has finished, take the dough out, knead it a couple times and form into a loaf.  Place into greased loaf pan and let rise for about 30 mins.  


Bake @ 350 degrees for about 35 mins (again, use your judgment).




*the vital wheat gluten is important, especially if you are using whole wheat flour.  to my understanding, whole wheat flour has a lower gluten content than, say, all-purpose flour, which is one of the reasons ww loaves are often dense and lack that springy, sandwich-bread quality.  adding vital wheat gluten helps with this.  you can usually find it at health food stores (and possibly regular grocery stores, though i haven't looked).  it will last you a long time.

it's okay if the kids eat the end off before you get a picture of it.  just so you know.


you should also know that it is really hard for me to write a recipe down.  even though this is technically the recipe i go off of, i don't measure very well (i. e. i just pour however much olive oil i feel like, drip a little molasses in, etc.  precision is not my strong point).  


however, this turns out for me pretty much every time.  i've been experimenting with other ww bread recipes lately, but i always end up going back to this.  if i improve on it (and i can remember what exactly i did) i'll post updates.


and, because i didn't post it...yesterday's picture:

11

this tiny handful is exactly the amount of cadbury mini-eggs i ate.  of course.  no, the bag is not almost gone right now.  and no, i didn't stop eating them only because i remembered that today is silas' birthday and he might want some.

and today's:

12

nekkid face.  although it's kind of cheating since it's a slightly edited picture.  ;)

BUT.  it is a picture.  and this means i've stuck with something for 12 whole days!  celebrations are in order.