Recipe: Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-09-09
Posted to rec.food.recipes by SleepyL

3 1/2-4 cups all purpose or bread flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 pkg. dry yeast
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 cup water, warm
1/2 cup honey
3 Tbsp. margarine
1 egg

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water, with just a bit of sugar. Let it proof for 5 to 10 min.

Measure whole wheat flour into a large bowl. Measure 1 cup of all purpose flour into the large bowl. Put 2 cups in a smaller bowl and leave 1 cup in a measuring cup or small bowl.

Melt margarine in a saucepan. Add the rest of the warm water and the milk. Warm gently. Stir the salt, eggs, and honey into the water-milk mixture. Add milk mixture to the whole wheat flour mixture in the large bowl. Stir well. Stir in the yeast. Beat by hand or with a mixer for several minutes, until gluten starts to develop. Stir in more of the all purpose flour - about 1 cup at a time - by hand, until dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

Dump out onto a floured surface (use the flour from the measuring cup or second small bowl). Let dough rest while you put the dough bowl in to soak in hot water.

Knead dough for about 10 minutes, adding flour from the measuring cup as it gets sticky. This dough is a bit stickier than most because of the honey. Let the dough rest a minute while you wash and dry the big bowl.

Grease the big bowl with margarine - generously (margarine will slide on, because the bowl will be warm). Grease the top of the dough generously with margarine. Put it in the big bowl and cover with a towel. Let dough rise until doubled - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours (if the day is warm, start checking after an hour).

Punch down. Here you can shape the bread or let it rise again. If you let it rise again, it should only take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to double.

Shape into two loaves and place in large bread pans (9x5-inch), which have been greased or sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise again, until doubled (bread should be just a little above the top of the pan). If you wish, brush loaves with egg wash (1 egg beaten well with a tablespoon of water and a dash of sugar).

Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until deep golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Immediately turn out onto cooling racks.

NOTES:
1. The whole wheat flour can be increased to as much as 3 1/2 C., just be sure to decrease the all purpose flour.

2. I use this dough for pizza - after rising, just pat into a greased pan. Do not let it rise again before topping with pizza makings. Bake the leftover dough into bread.