Bread Maker Secrets by Mormon Foodie: Half-Wheat Bread Breadmaker Recipe

Most of the recipes that come with your bread maker are going to be just fine. My friend Jennifer came up with her own variations that work even better. Inspired by her, I jumped in with both feet and started playing with bread maker recipes, too.

A staple bread recipe with my family is for a half-wheat bread that Jennifer came up with. By itself, the recipe makes nice, soft, and tasty bread. I've modified the recipe by adding a couple of the "secret ingredients" - wheat gluten and dough conditioner. They help the dough rise a bit more evenly, and give the bread a more consistent crumb.

Half-Wheat Bread a la Jennifer (re-interpreted by the Mormon Foodie)

This recipe will make a nice 1 1/2 pound loaf in your breadmaker. The ingredients are listed in the order suggested by my breadmaker's manufacturer. Check the order recommended for your breadmaker. It does make a difference.

1 cup water
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup white flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 tsp wheat gluten
1 tsp dough conditioner

Use the "wheat" cycle. I recommend setting it to make a "light" loaf.

After baking, remove the loaf from the pan, cover with a kitchen towel and cool on a wire rack.

Every so often I'll make a couple of loaves of 100% whole wheat bread the "old fashioned" way on a weekend, but it's more common for me to use the breadmaker during the week. Its' faster and it cuts down on making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with crappy, store-bought "air" bread.

Enjoy!