If Very-Little-Bother-Bread is a good beginner’s recipe, this one is the next baby step. I first discovered this bread at my grandma’s house, when she started making it to combat a suspected wheat allergy. Since my grandma is not a huge health nut, I was intrigued that she was willing to give this bread a shot. She had learned the recipe from my Aunt Lee Ann, who battles a gluten intolerance at her house.
The thing is, this bread tastes normal. It actually tastes like regular whole wheat bread.
Apparently the process of soaking the wheat flour overnight helps people digest the wheat and gluten better. Although our little family hasn’t dealt with sensitivities to these ingredients, I was intrigued by a healthier bread recipe that used ingredients I already had in my kitchen.
After getting the recipe from my aunt, I started making it at home. I discovered that it rivaled my Very-Little-Bother-Bread in both taste and texture, but it still held all of the elements I loved about the first bread:
Price
Again, this recipe not only uses normal ingredients (no need to buy specialized baker’s or health food products), but it also doesn’t use things like eggs, which are more precious commodities in my house. Since it’s also friendly to some food allergies, it makes an incredibly economic alternative to the store-bought breads out there.
(I think now would be a good time to note that I’m not a professional nutritionist or doctor – see my disclaimer on the side bar. Food allergies come in all shapes and sizes, so if you’re dealing with one, I recommend using caution and talking with your doctor before trying anything that might trigger the allergy.)
Versatility
While this bread requires whole wheat flour, you can use either store bought or freshly ground. It calls for honey and oil, but you can use brown sugar or melted butter or coconut oil instead.
I’ve also used this recipe as the base for other dishes, like BBQ Chicken Pocket Sandwiches and cinnamon rolls.
Taste
Like I said, I prefer the taste and texture of this bread to Very-Little-Bother-Bread. So it makes the extra effort worth it.
{Topping the bowl with a plate and wrapping it in 1-2 towels helps maintain the dough’s moisture while it sits overnight}
The one drawback to this recipe? I think the extra kneading makes it a bigger pain to make if you don’t have a mixer capable of kneading for you. That being said, both my aunt and my grandma regularly kneaded this bread by hand, so it was obviously worth it to them!
Soaked Whole Wheat Bread
Makes 2 loaves
INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/4 cups warm water, divided
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 7-8 cups pre-ground or freshly ground whole wheat flour, divided
- 2 teaspoons yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup and 1/2 teaspoon honey, sugar or brown sugar (molasses might also work), divided
- 1/3 cup olive oil, melted butter or melted coconut oil (vegetable oil might also work)
- 2 teaspoons salt
DIRECTIONS:
- The night before you want to bake the bread, stir together 2 cups warm water, apple cider vinegar and 6 cups flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and large plate, and let it sit overnight. (You can also cover it with plastic wrap, and then a damp towel – I just like to prefer saving money and plastic.)
- Let the bowl sit on the counter for 12-24 hours. (You can let it sit for longer if you need to.)
- The next day, whisk together 1/4 cup warm water, yeast, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon honey in a small bowl.
- Set yeast mixture aside for 5-10 minutes, until the surface is bubbly.
- In another small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup honey, oil and salt.
- When yeast mixture is bubbly, add it to the oil mixture and whisk them together.
- Stir/knead the liquids into the dough that sat overnight alternately with 1-2 cups flour, using as little flour as possible, until the bread dough is pliable and smooth but not too sticky.
- Set dough aside in a bowl and let it rise 3 times, for 45 minutes – 1 hour each time, punching the dough down in between each rising. (The dough usually won’t rise very high or even at all the first 2 times. This is normal. By the last few rises, it should puff up beautifully. I also tend to get distracted or busy and let the dough rise longer than an hour. It still turns out great.)
- Split the dough in 2 pieces, form them into bread loaves and put them in sprayed bread pans.
- Let them rise 45 minutes – 1 hour.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes.
Since our extended family has dealt with so many gluten and wheat sensitivities, I love that I can make this bread as a sort of precaution to avoid too much of those ingredients in our own family. And it doesn’t cost me much more than a few extra minutes the night before and a few extra rises the next day.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Have you or someone in your family had to deal with a wheat or gluten allergy? Have any tips?
Cheers,
P.S. For more scrumptious bread recipes, visit the Ultimate Recipe Swap!
10 comments
2 pings
Susie Bee on Maui
07/13/2011 at 12:56 PM (UTC -6)
We’re fortunate; no allergies. I bet your aunt and grandma have good looking arms from the kneading!
MAC
07/13/2011 at 4:20 PM (UTC -6)
My cousin is struggling with a gluten free diet she is now on after going to doctor. I am going to send this to her. Maybe she can incorporate this bread in her diet. Thanks!
Steph
07/14/2011 at 10:44 AM (UTC -6)
MAC – I hope this recipe helps!
Rachel
07/14/2011 at 2:49 PM (UTC -6)
Is this bread soaked or sprouted? It sounds as though perhaps it’s soaked… sounds tasty though!
Steph
07/15/2011 at 9:25 AM (UTC -6)
Rachel – Sounds soaked to me too, but I was told it’s called “sprouted.” Guess I should look into it and change accordingly
– thanks for pointing that out!
mom
07/14/2011 at 6:26 PM (UTC -6)
they can give dynamite neckrubs, that’s for sure!
Miriam
11/17/2011 at 10:13 PM (UTC -6)
I just made this and it turned out awesome!! I’m just wondering how long it stays fresh for?
Steph
11/20/2011 at 2:33 PM (UTC -6)
Miriam – Glad you like it! Mine usually stays fresh for almost a week. After about 5-6 days I need to toast it for garlic bread, croutons, or bruschetta.
Marie
02/04/2012 at 11:24 AM (UTC -6)
I wonder how this would adapt to a bread maker? Maybe halve the ingredients and let the machine do the mixing and rising?
Poonam
02/09/2012 at 3:26 PM (UTC -6)
Hi Steph, i wish to try this recipe but i dont have apple cider vinegar. do u think if i can try without it or if u can suggest any substitute for it? Thanks…
The Cheapskate Cook » Feeding My Toddler
08/22/2011 at 2:46 PM (UTC -6)
[...] Grain Bread – I try to make most of our bread, using my Very-Little-Bother recipe or overnight Soaked Whole Wheat Bread. He usually eats this bread with natural peanut butter or cream cheese (both of which I think he [...]
2011’s Greatest Hits » The Cheapskate Cook
01/06/2012 at 8:37 AM (UTC -6)
[...] I’ve been using this recipe for years and my mom used it before me. The reason? It’s ridiculously versatile. In this post I explain how to make it with white flour or whole wheat and use various sweeteners. In my book, this bread is second only to Soaked Whole Wheat Bread. [...]