Challah - white whole wheat

This is a significantly modified version of this recipe: http://www.leahcookskosher.com/show_recipe.php?id_recipe=90 which probably came from Spice and Spirit.

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp + a pinch salt
1/3 cup oil
1 1/6 cup warm water
1 TBS yeast
White whole wheat flour as needed (~4-5 cups)

Combine eggs, sugar, and oil in large bowl. Combine salt with flour in separate bowl. (This is probably unnecessary...hmm.) Proof yeast in warm water with a pinch of sugar for a few minutes. Dump yeast mixture into egg mixture, stir to combine. Add flour slowly, stirring and then kneading until it's...dough. Knead until it's...the consistency that kneaded bread dough should have. (Hey, these are my notes for myself!) Place in oiled bowl. Turn dough over to coat top with oil. Cover with damp cloth, put it in a warm spot, let rise for ~1 hr or til doubled. Punch down the dough well, shape into some shape(s) that make(s) you happy, let rise again. Bake at 350 degrees, on a greased cookie sheet. My two loaves baked for somewhere between 20 and 25 minutes.

Nissua (Finnish Cardamom bread)

From here, with some changes. It was better after it sat for a day or so. I think somehow it took time for the cardamom flavor to really sink into the bread. I tried making it in two gigantic loaf pans instead of three freeform loaves, and it made the bread slightly too dense.

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup margarine BUTTER
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom (MORE - 1 TBS?)
  
• 7 1/2 cups bread flour (OR REGULAR)
• 1 egg, beaten, for glaze
  

1. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Stir in the butter, sugar and salt until melted. Let cool until lukewarm. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
2. Pour milk mixture into a large bowl. Beat in eggs, 1 1/2 cup flour, cardamom and yeast mixture. Cover and let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
3. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and then divide each piece into thirds. Roll out with your hands until the pieces are long enough to braid. Braid three pieces together to form a loaf; repeat twice to make three loaves. Place on lightly greased baking sheets and let rise for 40 minutes, until nearly doubled. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
5. Beat an egg and brush the surface of the bread with the beaten egg.
   
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown. Move to a wire rack to cool completely.

focaccia

From Fields of Greens, which I don't have with me in hard-copy anymore, so I stole it from the kind person who reprinted it here.

4½ tsp. yeast (2 packages)
2 cups warm water at 110 degrees (to proof the yeast)
1 T. sugar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
5½ cups white flour
2 tsp. salt
Dried rosemary, ground in spice grinder or with mortar & pestle. I don't measure it and I don't think I've ever added too much by accident. Fresh chopped rosemary never seems to add any discernible flavor.

Oil for brushing the focaccia

Coarse sea salt (or kosher salt)


Combine the yeast, ½ cup of warm water and the sugar in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy. Add the olive oil and remaining 1½ cups of warm water. In another bowl, combine the flour, rosemary, and salt. Add it to the wet mixture 1 cup at a time. You may have to knead the last cup of flour into the dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead vigorously for 5-10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary to keep dough from sticking. It will start out very sticky but should get smoother and more cohesive as you go. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the surface, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and allow it to rise in a warm place for 90 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly oil 2 9x13-inch baking dishes. Turn the dough out onto the counter, divide in half and press each piece into the oiled dish. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes. Dimple the dough with your fingertips, brush with oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Place in the over, reduce temperature to 375 degrees and bake for 20-25 minutes, until light golden. Transfer to a rack and cool.

whole wheat bread

Recipe from CDKitchen.com with slight modifications

100% Whole Wheat Bread

1 scant TBS yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
3 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (I used stone-ground because it's what I had)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm
2 tablespoons oil
2 eggs

Sprinkle yeast over warm water; stir slightly and allow to proof for 8-10 minutes.
In large bowl, mix 3 cups flour, salt, and sugar. Combine milk, oil, and eggs in measuring cup, mixing them together well.  Pour proofed yeast mixture into flour mixture and stir to combine.  Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir.  Mix with fork/spoon until you have to start kneading.  Knead with well-floured hands, adding in reserved 1/4 cup flour as needed.  Knead for about 2 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl and turn dough over so that all surfaces are greased. Cover and let rise until double in bulk. Punch down. Roll dough on a lightly floured board into a 9x12 inch rectangle. Roll up, jelly-roll style, from the shorter side. Tuck ends under and place in greased loaf pan. Cover and let rise until double. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool.

This came out fine. It didn't have a particularly fine crumb--either because of the stone-ground flour or because I didn't knead it long enough (it was tough to knead) or both.  It sliced okay, though, and tastes good toasted.