Whole Wheat Bread

I'm in the mood for bread. Not sourdough, not ciabatta, nothing remotely European. I want homemade whole wheat bread, sweetened with honey. Enriched with milk. Warm and topped with honey butter. Melting in my mouth.

And I'm going to get it. It's in the oven right now, so I don't have too long to wait. Except when it comes out, it has to cool and I have to go to church. But when I get home, it will be waiting for me. I will likely eat a slice before I've taken 12 steps in my house. And I bet I won't be alone.

I have a recipe I love for whole wheat bread, so I'm sharing it with you, so you can have it, too. While you're at it, make some honey butter: equal parts honey and softened butter, then refrigerated until you're ready to use it.

I wish you could smell my house right now.


Whole Wheat Bread

2 T. active dry yeast
1 T. sugar
2/3 c. lukewarm water (105˚-112˚)
3 c. hot milk
1/2 c. honey
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. gluten (yes, you can leave it out if you don't have it, but it sure helps)
7 1/2 - 9 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in a large bowl with the water.

Combine the milk, honey, and oil until the honey is dissolved, and cool to lukewarm.

Add the milk to the yeast, then 1 c. flour with the gluten and salt. After that's stirred in, add another 6 c. flour and begin kneading. Add more flour as necessary until the dough is a cohesive mass, but it will still stick a bit to the sides.

Let rise in a non-stick coating-sprayed bowl until double, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Divide into 2 loaf pans. Let rise until well-risen. Bake in a 350˚ oven for 45 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool at least half an hour.

Pictures to come later