While I was traveling, I had a request for an easy to make wheat bread recipe. Now that I am home, I can post the one I've been using for the last year or so. It's easy and so yummy, but it does take some time to do.
Honey Wheat Bread
Ingredients
3 cups warm water
2 - 0.25 ounce packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
5 cups bread flour
3 Tbsp melted unsalted butter
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp salt
3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp melted butter
Directions
1. In large bowl, mix water, yeast, and first 1/3 cup of honey.
2. Add bread flour and stir to combine.
3. Let bowl rise 30-45 minutes (until big and bubbling).
4. Mix in melted butter, additional honey, and salt.
5. Add 2 cups whole wheat flour and stir to combine.
6. Flour a flat surface with whole wheat flour and knead dough with additional 2 to 4 cups whole wheat flour until the dough is barely sticky to touch.
7. Grease a very large bowl and add dough, turning once to coat the surface of the dough.
8. Cover bowl with clean dish towel and let it rise in warm place until doubled (roughly 2 hours).
9. Punch dough down and divide into three loaves.
10. Place each loaf in a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Allow to rise until dough is taller than pan by at least 1 inch.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
12. Brush tops of loaves with remaining melted butter.
13. Allow loaves to cool in pans on wire racks for 10-15 minutes. Then remove from pans and allow them to cool completely on wire racks.
**Note, this dough also works well for honey wheat cinnamon rolls or honey wheat cinnamon swirl bread. I've also used it to make rolls for sandwiches. It's pretty versatile!
