whole wheat loaf

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups warm water
  • 2 packages (.25 oz.) active dry yeast
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 5 cups bread flour
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, mix warm water and 1/3 cup honey. Add yeast and let develop.
  2. Next, add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let this combination set for 30 minutes, allowing the concoction to become big and bubbly.
  3. Next, mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour until mixed.
  4. Flour with whole wheat flour a clean, flat surface and pour out the dough. Knead the dough, adding a bit of whole wheat flour as you go along until the mixture is a little less sticky and just pulling away from the counter. It should still be a little sticky to touch. (This can take around 2 to 4 more cups of whole wheat flour).
  5. Put dough in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough with the oil. Cover this with a moist but clean dishtowel and let rise in a warm place until doubled. This should take around one hour.
  6. When the dough has doubled in size, punch down, and cut into 3. Shape into loaves and place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
  7. Allow your loaves to rise again until it has topped the pans by one inch.
  8. While waiting for your loaves to rise, preheat your bakery oven to 350F or 175C. Bake your loaves for 25 to 30 minutes. DO NOT overbake.
  9. Brush the tops of loaves with remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. This will prevent the crust from getting hard. Cool completely.