Big Batch Bread Recipe

Mix about 6 cups of wheat flour and 1.5 tbsp salt. To a stand mixer, add warm water ( I used only water, no milk) and yeast. Leave a few minutes until it bubbles. Add oil and honey. Add 6 cups flour with salt. Turn mixer on, pulse a few times and run on low speed until combined. Then add remaining flour a cup at a time on low speed. Stop adding flour when dough has come together. It's best to stop adding cups of flour after 9 cups. Then add little by little if needed, until dough is no longer wet and starts to leave side of bowl. Turn speed to 2 and let mixer run for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and smooth.

Put dough on oiled counter and knead by hand a few times. Weigh and divide dough equally into oiled loaf pans. This recipe makes 6 loaves of bread in 8.5x4.5 loaf pans. Total Weight of dough will vary slightly depending on how much flour used.

Cover pans and let dough rise until doubled, about one hour. Bake in a heated 350 F/180 C oven for approximately 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 190 F/ 87 C. Remove from pan, brush the top with butter if you wish and place on rack to cool completely.

This recipe will give you a hearty wheat bread. If you want a lighter bread, use half milk and half water or all milk, also substitute some or half of wheat flour with all purpose flour.