100% Whole Wheat Bread

Whole Wheat Bread is a healthier option to white bread.  This bread has a nutty taste, is moist and a little sweet.  Most people believe that making bread is difficult, but I don't think it is. The most difficult part about making bread is the waiting process.  Putting the ingredients together takes no time. The result of making your own bread is amazing. 

Ingredients:

1 to 1/4 cups of lukewarm water

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1/4 cup of honey

3 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

2 1/2 tsp of instant yeast or 1 packet active dry yeast disolved in 2 tbsp of  the water in the recipe

1/4 cup of nonfat dry milk

1 1/4  tsp of salt

1) In your mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, combine all of the ingredients and mix until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.  Replace the paddle attachment and attach the dough hook. Knead the bread for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth. Note: This dough should be soft, yet still firm enough to knead. Adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, if necessary.
**If you don't have a mixer, then you can do the same thing by hand.  Mix all of the ingredients with a wooden spoon in a bowl.  Once well combined flour the counter and knead by hand.  

2) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. 

3) Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8" log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 to 2 hours, or till the center has crowned about 1" above the rim of the pan. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

4) Bake the bread for 35 to 40 minutes, cover with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. 

5) Remove the bread from the oven, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. If desired, rub the crust with a stick of butter; this will yield a soft, flavorful crust. Cool completely before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.  Enjoy!!

Yields 1 loaf

Source: King Arthur Flour