Whole wheat bread

Continuing my baking comeback, I'm searching once again for a solid whole wheat bread recipe. I don't have a bread machine (so very tempting) and haven't joined the no-knead movement yet.

The original Laurel's Kitchen was once my bread bible but I donated away my aging copy of that cookbook. (It used to fall open at the basic whole wheat bread recipe.) Sadly, this staple recipe seems much maligned these days. Even the Laurel's Kitchen folks revise it in their subsequent Bread Book.

I decided to try a new recipe, a whole wheat variation of a white bread recipe. I liked this vegan recipe because it looked simple, used 100% whole wheat flour and not too much fat and sugar. In fact, I used only one tablespoon of sugar. I didn't have a mixer, so I used my Cuisinart's dough blade. (I also didn't attempt the shaping suggestions but will if I make it again.)

The resulting bread reminds me very much of the Laurel's Kitchen whole wheat. It is very dense, almost brick-like. Free of preservatives, so it doesn't age well. (I froze the second loaf right away.) After the first day, it tastes best toasted and makes good croutons. Above are two toasted slices topped with some leftover burrito filling.