Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

Soak

• 2 cups Whole wheat flour
• 1 cup Warm water

Dough

• 1/2 cup Milk, warmed
• 1 2/3 tsp Yeast — Instant/quick-rise: stir straight into the dry ingredients, no proofing needed.
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 3 tbsp Butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 cups All-purpose or bread flour

Soak

1. Stir the whole wheat flour and warm water together into a shaggy paste, cover, and let sit while you gather everything else. (Tip: This is the step most whole wheat recipes skip. Even 20 minutes lets the bran soften and stop cutting up the gluten you're about to build.)

Dough

1. Stir the yeast and honey into the warm milk and let stand until foamy.
2. Add the milk mixture, melted butter, and salt to the soaked flour and mix, then work in the white flour a half-cup at a time.
3. Knead 10 minutes — this dough takes longer than a white loaf to come together smoothly because of the bran.

Rise

1. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Shape

1. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased 9x5 pan. Cover and let rise until crowned above the rim.

Bake

1. Bake at 190°C (375°F) until deeply golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Cool

1. Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.