Homemade Honey Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.2 litres (5 cups)hot water
• 180 ml (¾ cup)vegetable oil
• 255 g (¾ cup)honey
• 2 tbspSAF instant yeast
• about 40 g (⅓ cup)vital wheat gluten
• about 20 g (⅓ cup)instant potato flakes
• about 250 g (2 cups)plain flour
• 4 tspsalt
• about 1.5 kg (12½ cups), more or lessfreshly ground whole wheat flour
• to taste, optionalmelted butter, for brushing

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tins

   Spray four 8½ × 4½-inch loaf tins with non-stick spray and set them aside.

2. 2

   Mix the base

   In a Bosch mixer, combine the water, oil, honey, yeast, gluten, potato flakes and plain flour. Add the salt and 4–5 cups of the whole wheat flour, then beat until smooth. Leave the mixture to rest for 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Knead the dough

   Add enough of the remaining whole wheat flour to make a soft dough. Knead it in the Bosch mixer for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Shape the loaves

   Spray the work surface with non-stick spray, then shape the dough into four loaves. Put them seam-side down in the prepared tins.

5. 5

   Rise and bake

   Leave the loaves in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30–60 minutes. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

6. 6

   Cool the bread

   Let the loaves cool in their tins for about 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

7. 7

   Brush with butter

   If desired, brush the tops of the hot loaves with melted butter.

What is honey wheat bread?

Honey wheat bread is a softly textured loaf made with whole wheat flour, sweetened with honey. This American-style recipe makes four loaves and uses freshly ground wheat flour for a hearty flavour.

The mix of whole wheat and plain flour, plus vital wheat gluten and potato flakes, helps the loaves bake up softer than a dense wholemeal loaf.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 177 calories, 5g protein, 31g carbs, 4g fat.

The wheat and plain flour provide most of the carbohydrates, while the oil contributes much of the fat and the wheat flour supplies protein. Serve a slice with eggs, beans or another protein-rich topping, and add fruit or vegetables on the side for a more balanced plate.

Choosing the flour

Freshly ground wheat: use it for the recipe’s characteristic whole wheat flavour, adding it gradually because the dough takes as much as it needs to become soft.

Plain flour: it forms part of the initial mix and balances the whole wheat flour in the dough.

Building a soft dough

Initial mix: beat the water, oil, honey, yeast, gluten, potato flakes and plain flour with the salt and 4–5 cups of whole wheat flour until smooth.

Rest and knead: let the mixture sit for 20 minutes before adding more whole wheat flour. Knead for 5 minutes once the dough is soft.

Shaping and rising

Portion the dough into four loaves and place each one seam-side down in a prepared tin. Spraying the counter helps you shape the dough without adding extra flour.

Rise until doubled, using the suggested 30–60 minutes as a guide. The dough’s size, rather than the clock alone, is the cue to start baking.

How to tell when it is baked

The recipe uses a light brown colour as its doneness cue: bake at 175°C (350°F) for about 30 minutes, checking towards the end of that time.

Let the bread stand in its tin for about 5 minutes before turning it onto a rack. Cooling fully helps the loaves set before slicing.

Serving and using the loaves

Serve slices with butter, or use the bread for sandwiches and toast. Its gentle honey sweetness also works with savoury toppings such as cheese or eggs.

Because the recipe makes four loaves, keep out what you expect to use soon and freeze the rest once cool.

Recipe notes & tips

• Add the whole wheat flour gradually so the dough stays soft rather than becoming stiff.
• Use a warm place for rising, but rely on the dough doubling in size rather than on a fixed time.
• Spray the work surface before shaping, as directed, to make handling the dough easier.
• Keep the loaves seam-side down in the tins so they hold their shape as they rise.
• Cool the loaves completely on a wire rack before slicing for neater pieces.

Variations

• Skip the butter: leave off the optional melted butter for an unbrushed crust.
• Make smaller loaves: divide the dough into more portions and use appropriately sized tins.
• Add seeds: work a few seeds into the dough for extra texture.
• Serve savoury: pair slices with cheese, eggs or a hearty soup.
• Toast leftovers: toast day-old slices and top with butter or a savoury spread.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding all the flour at once: hold some back and add it gradually until the dough is soft.
• Over-flouring the counter: spray the surface as directed instead of dusting it heavily with flour.
• Rushing the rise: let the loaves double in size, allowing up to 60 minutes.
• Baking by time alone: use the light brown colour as well as the approximately 30-minute bake time.
• Slicing while hot: cool the loaves completely on a rack before cutting.

How to store

Once completely cool, store the bread in an airtight bag or container at room temperature and use within a few days. Freeze extra loaves well wrapped; defrost at room temperature, or thaw slices and toast them.

Frequently asked questions