Sweet Wheat Bread
- YIELDS
- 3 large loaves
- COOK TIME
- 35 Min
Nothing is more wholesome than baking your own bread in a bread machine. This prize-winning Sweet Wheat Bread recipe rises to the occasion and is versatile enough to be used for dinner rolls, cinnamon bread and novelty shaped breads, too.
What You'll Need
- 2 (1/4-ounce) packages Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cup 2% milk
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup light agave nectar
- 2 cup bread flour (we used King Arthur)
- 7 to 7-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour, divided (we used King Arthur)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 large egg plus 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
What to Do
- In a mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar; let stand 10 minutes.
- Scald milk; add butter, shortening, salt, and agave nectar. Cool to lukewarm. Stir into yeast mixture.
- Beat in the bread flour, 3 cups white whole wheat flour, and 4 eggs; mix 2 minutes on medium speed with paddle attachment.
- Using dough hook, gradually add enough of remaining white whole wheat flour to make soft dough. Knead dough 8 to 10 minutes by hand or with dough hook, until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning to grease entire surface of dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled (1 to 1-1/2 hours).
- Punch dough down. Divide dough into 9 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 16- to 17-inch rope. Place 3 ropes parallel to each other, pinching them at the top and loosely braiding, then pinching the ends and turning to seal ends under loaf. Place on greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ropes. (You will have 3 braided ropes.)
- Cover; let rise in warm place until doubled. Whisk together remaining egg and 1 tablespoon water; carefully brush on loaves making sure to cover entire surface.
- Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, covering loosely with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning.
Notes
- This recipe can be used for dinner rolls, cinnamon bread, and shaped breads (like Santa Claus).
- Test Kitchen Tip: To prevent the bottom crust from overbrowning, after 20 minutes of baking, place a second baking sheet under the baking sheet with the breads and cook that way until done.
For more scrumptious Festival of Breads Contest-winning bread recipes, try Quick Raisin Granola Breakfast Rolls, Apple Cider Cranberry Bread, and Fruit of the Vine and Rosemary Olive Oil Snack Bread with Pine Nuts.