Here is the hybrid recipe I've developed for a THM sandwich loaf bread made from sprouted wheat flour and a touch of whole wheat flour. It reminds me of "Home Pride" wheat bread - fluffy, soft, and a bit chewy! Best of all, it rises well and makes an impressive loaf, almost like (better than?) an Amish bakery!
I'm gonna stick my neck out here and say the bread is practically "foolproof"!
Directions are written for kneading and first rise in a bread machine with final rise on the counter/top of frig and baking in the oven.
A couple of notes:
I am calling this a THM bread (E type) , but it hasn't been officially submitted to or certified by THM. My conclusion about it being a THM E bread is based on Joyful Jane's Easy Whole Grain and Honey Bread recipe and Nana's Little Kitchen Savory Sprouted Wheat Cottage Bread recipe both being E breads.
Instructions are written for the dough to be kneaded and the first rise to take place in a bread machine using the "dough" cycle. You could probably make this bread with a mixer with dough hooks, but it is a very dense dough so your ability to use a mixer....could depend on the power of your mixer. If you try this, please put a comment below and let us know how it works out.
I don't think the brand of sprouted flour matters. I tested this recipe with King Arthur Sprouted Wheat flour and also with a generic organic sprouted wheat flour I bought in bulk from a local Amish grocery store. Both gave great results!
To bake the bread in a bread machine - follow this link which has altered instructions for baking in a bread machine, but the same ingredient list.
The recipe calls for 3T of non-sprouted whole wheat flour. I added this for flavor, but if you're a "purist" you could replace the 3T with sprouted flour to make the bread 100% sprouted flour.
The dough is very thick and dense....but rises incredibly well! I think this is due to the egg whites, cottage cheese, and baking power combination, in addition to the yeast, of course.
Resist the urge to add more liquid to the dough ball, especially the first time you try the recipe. Did I mention that the dough ball will look heavy going into the first rise? Also, it'll be somewhat sticky coming OUT of the first rise, but this stickiness is removed by adding a bit more flour before the final rise.
You can't perceive/taste the cottage cheese in the final product. Again, it's there to help with the rise of the bread - think of it like buttermilk in pancakes!
Slice the bread loaf is cut into 16 slices; 2 slices should work for a THM E bread. Joyful Jane commented in her post that 1 slice of her Easy Whole Grain and Honey Bread can be used as an S Helper, but I don't know if this same thing would apply to this recipe or not.
Just to be safe and avoid the chance of even a slight drop in the oven, adjust the dough with additional flour to eliminate any residue stickiness before the final shape and rise (see instructions below). Don't put a sticky dough into the oven or roll it in oil to remove the stickiness- it's just ask'n for trouble!
What is it about this recipe that makes you say it's "practically fool proof" ? It's NOT the temperature of the water, or the brand of flour, or the exact/precise measurement of the ingredients.....but what I DO THINK it is ....is the addition of a bit of extra flour before the final rise!
After 10 min rise........................... After 20 minute rise........................After 30 minute rise and Bake!!!!
Sprouted Wheat Sandwich Bread
INGREDIENTS
LIQUIDS
1/2 c. warm water
2 T liquid egg whites from carton or one whole egg white
3/4 c. 1% cottage cheese
2 t. honey
1 T butter (don't need to melt butter if using the blender to mix LIQUIDS)
3/4 t. salt
1/3 t. baking soda (heap a 1/4 t. measure spoon)
FLOURS/GLUTEN
2 c. sprouted wheat flour
3 T whole wheat flour (non-sprouted)
1.5 T vital wheat gluten
YEAST
2 t. rapid-rise yeast - I used SAF brand
SUPPLIES
Greased 8" x 4" bread pan
Rolling pin or glass bottle to use as a rolling pin
INSTRUCTIONS
Put the LIQUID ingredients in a blender and blend well for a minute or two until cottage cheese breaks apart and mixture is smooth and a bit frothy. (If you don’t have a blender you can use a mixer and bowl.)
In a separate bowl, stir together the FLOURS/GLUTEN.
Pour the LIQUID mixture into the bread machine pan- use a spatula to be sure you get all of the liquid into the bread machine pan. Spoon the FLOUR/GLUTEN mixture on top. Use your finger to make an indentation in the FLOUR/GLUTEN mixture….put the yeast in the indentation.
Start the bread machine “dough” cycle. Run the dough cycle to make a heavy dough. My machine's dough cycle runs 90 minutes, with 30 minutes being "knead" and 60 minutes being "rise". Use a spatula to work in the flour along the sides early in the cycle. This dough is going to be heavier than a regular dough – don't add water unless it's absolutely necessary. - we are looking for a heavy dough at this point. (It will loosen up after the first rise.)
Once the kneading portion of the dough cycle is complete, the rise portion of the dough cycle in the machine will start. This dough will expand quite a bit rather quickly– let it double. You will probably not need the entire cycle to double the dough – I used 30 minutes of my machine's 60 minute rise time of the dough cycle.
When the dough has doubled, place some sprouted flour on a work surface…..dust the surface and leave some extra flour (1-2 T) to the side to pull into the dough as needed.
The dough will be somewhat sticky coming out of the bread machine pan, so flour your hands before plopping it from the pan onto the floured work surface! Use a spatula to pull the dough from the sides of the machine's bread pan, and place the dough on the floured surface. Knead and pull in some flour (couple tablespoons at most) until you get a firm, not sticky, dough…then proceed to “SHAPING” below. Important: don't use oil to remove the sense of stickiness - add the flour instead.
SHAPING
Use a rolling pin (or glass bottle) to roll the dough into a rectangle about the length of your pan (8”) and twice as long. Press air bubbles out of the dough with the rolling pin
.
Use your hands to roll the dough from the short end jelly-roll-style to create a log shape, about 8” wide. Pinch the seam on the bottom and also pinch the open ends. Use your hands to tuck the ends of the shape under to create a mini version of the final loaf when it comes out of the oven.
Place the seam down and place the dough into the bread pan. Use your fingers to press the dough flat in the pan and spread it into the corners of the pan- don't try to make a "domed" shape; it will dome upon rising. Give the top a light spray of coconut oil,
Place the dough in a warm spot in your kitchen for the final rise - I didn't use an oven or do anything special here....just placed the pan on top of the frig.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees as soon as you start the final rise which might take as little as 20 minutes!
TIP: Don't push the rise height on your first loaf - it you try to get your loaf extremely high, the loaf may rise too much (over proof) and fall in the oven! (Also, the loaf will most likely experience oven "spring" where it rises a bit more when it hits the heat of the oven!) If you added extra flour when you rolled and shaped the dough before the final rise you should be OK (gives the yeast a final bit of "food"), but don't "push it" until you get a feel for the recipe.
When the dough has risen to the desired height (about 1-2” above rim at its highest point), bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the pan as soon as it's safe to handle the pan - cool on a wire rack. To store, wrap your bread in a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture and store the loaf in the refrigerator in a sealed container or storage bag.