Milk & Honey Sprouted Wheat Bread

Sprouted wheat bread has a bad rap: it tends to be chewy, dense and coarse unlike those lovely, light sandwich breads to which we’re usually accustomed.   This version of sprouted wheat bread is unlike the others: it’s soft, mild and pleasantly sweet.   Great for sandwiches, this sprouted wheat bread recipe is flavored by whole milk and fresh honey and is easily sliced, toasted and slathered with fresh raw butter.

Sprouting, like souring and soaking, helps to reduce antinutrients and enzyme inhibitors naturally present in grain.   Sprouting also reduces overall carbohydrates and increases both protein and fiber.   (Learn more about sprouted grain and baking with sprouted grain flour.)

Sprouted Wheat Bread: The Recipe

Ingredients for Sprouted Wheat Bread

• 4 ½ Cups of Sprouted Wheat Flour (see sources)
• 2 ¼ Cups Whole Milk
• ¼ Cup Honey
• 2 Teaspoons Unrefined Sea Salt
• 1 Package Yeast
• Extra flour for kneading.
• 2 Tablespoons Cream to baste the bread

Instructions for Preparing Sprouted Wheat Bread

1. Warm honey and milk together until they reach blood temperature.
2. Add yeast to the milk and honey mixture.   Set it aside for five minutes or until it becomes foamy.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together unrefined sea salt and sprouted grain flour.
4. Add the milk, honey and yeast mixture to the flour and salt and mix until it forms one solid ball.
5. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
6. Knead for 10 minutes.
7. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes and then knead the bread for 10 minutes more.
8. Set the dough on a clean towel and allow it to rise until double in volume (about 1 ½ – 2 hours).
9. Punch the dough down, form it into a loaf and put it into a greased loaf pan.
10. Allow it to rise again until double in volume.
11. Baste the top of the bread with cream.
12. Bake in an oven preheated to 375 ° F for about 45 minutes or until the bread achieves a golden brown color.
13. Cool on a rack and serve.

Shared at Pennywise Platter.