WHOLE WHEAT BREAD, BUNS AND ROLLS (from Pantry Cooking)

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD, BUNS AND ROLLS (from Pantry Cooking)

6 cups warm water
4 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons salt
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup oil
2 tablespoons yeast
10 to 11 cups whole wheat flour

In a heavy duty (8 lb.) bread mixer, combine warm water and 4 cups of bread flour. Mix briefly. Add salt, sugar, oil, and yeast. Blend. While the mixer is running, slowly add whole wheat flour until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Scrape sides of the bowl; add an additional 1/2 cup flour. Knead 10 to 12 minutes or until dough is smooth and is not sticky when touched with well-oiled hands. If it is still sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour and knead 2 more minutes. Remove the dough and place on an oiled surface.

HAMBURGER BUNS: Tear off small portions of dough and shape them into the size and shape of a hamburger pattie or smaller. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from baking sheet to cool. Makes 36 buns.

CINNAMON ROLLS: Roll one half of the dough into a rectangle. Sprinkle on cinnamon sugar; sprinkle on chopped nuts and/or raisins. Roll up jelly roll fashion starting with the long side. Slice into 1-inch slices. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Place in shallow baking pans, cover and allow to rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from baking pan to cool. Glaze while still warm with a glaze made of 2 cups powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons milk.

RAISIN BREAD: Roll out 1/4 of the dough to a 9 inch width. Sprinkle on 1/2 cup raisins; roll up, starting with the 9-inch side. Place in a greased 9x5-inch bread pan. Press the dough down to make it conform to the pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the pan to cool.

CINNAMON ROLL BREAD: Make raisin bread but sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the dough before rolling it up.

PECAN BREAD: Substitute 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans for raisins in raisin bread.

SURPRISE ROLLS: Roll 1/8 of the dough into a circle. Cut into 12 wedges. On the wide end, place a filling such as chocolate chips, 1/2 teaspoon chopped nuts or jam. Roll up, wide end to narrow end. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet about 1/4” apart. Cover and allow to rise until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Bake 18 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from baking sheet to cool.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: Divide dough into 4 portions. Place each portion in a greased bread pan. Press the dough down to make it conform to the pan. Let rise 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until doubled. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the pans to cool.

SIX-GRAIN BREAD: Grind 8 cups of six-grain whole-grain mix. Start mixing the bread using 4 cups of the six-grain flour. Continue following the recipe instructions, using light brown sugar instead of dark brown. When the six-grain flour runs out, continue the recipe with bread flour until the dough forms as directed. Shape, let rise, and bake as instructed.