Honey Whole Wheat Bread

There's nothing I've been wanting more to make, to master, than honey whole wheat. Now you think I'm crazy. Let me explain. Bread, to me, is the pinnacle of baking. The toughest and yet the most rewarding prize to produce. But I wasn't going to be happy with just any bread. I wanted to create a hearty, healthy loaf of whole wheat. One that would compare to ones I buy from local bakeries that are soft and chewy, moist, and sweet. That taste like home.

I had my doubts about this goal. I'd never baked a perfect loaf before and I didn't know where to start. I knew I wanted to keep it simple. Five ingredients: whole wheat flour, water, yeast, salt, and honey. No butter, oil, or fat of any kind. It's not necessary. I don't want to rely on fat for taste and texture. I want it to be the skillful combination of healthy whole ingredients that result in a loaf our grandmothers would be proud of. And I want to stop buying store-bought sandwich bread. It's never very good.

So here's what I did... I did not look at a recipe (except for a suggested baking temperature). I figured I knew enough about baking bread that I could wing it (and it worked wonderfully when I invented my pizza dough recipe!). I proofed the yeast in honey + water. Yeast thrives on sugar, so this activates it very quickly. Then, I soaked half of the flour in the yeast, honey, and water mixture. This allows the gluten to develop (which can be a problem in whole wheat dough). I only soaked it for half an hour, but you might get even better results the longer you let it sit. Then I stirred in the salt (and not a moment sooner, because salt can de-activate yeast) and the white whole wheat flour (made from white wheat, has a higher gluten content than red wheat) and kneaded until I had dough. I allowed for two rise cycles in the warmest place I could find- or create (this can be done by preheating your oven to say, 250 F, turning it off, and then placing the rising dough in or on the oven). In the summer I have no trouble rising dough but the winter is another matter.

Partway through baking wonderful smells began to emanate throughout my house. The kind that bring hungry wanderers to the kitchen. That would be me, in this case. I couldn't help but watch through the glowing oven door as the loaf rose and slowly turned golden brown. I could hardly wait to cut a steaming slice off and take a bite. I didn't wait. There are some times when I have no self control and baking bread is one of them. I sawed right down the middle of that loaf and cut myself a hefty slice. And then another. That loaf disappeared ridiculously fast. Good thing I left out the fat.

Just to make sure my first attempt wasn't a freak accident and that I really could bake a loaf of whole wheat bread that good, I repeated the procedure yesterday. And while the loaf rose a little less vigorously (so I extended the rise time), I ended up with another scrumptious loaf of honey-sweet whole wheat. This time the minute I took the bread out of the oven I left the house. That way it would have time to cool without my interfering. By the time I returned home the bread had reached room temperature, so I set about to slicing. I successfully sliced it thin enough for sandwiches and it is now resting in my freezer (carefully wrapped in a Ziploc sac).

Somehow I'm going to have to fit bread-baking into my school schedule. It might take time, but I'll be saving money (and calories) by making my own. I'll probably make double recipes from now on (since they freeze so well). And I'm going to experiment with variations- such as sunflower whole wheat!

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups warm water (100-110 F)
1/4 cup honey
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2-2 cups white whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine honey and warm water in a large glass or plastic bowl (I sometimes microwave the honey for a few seconds to get it to dissolve better). Add yeast and let sit 10 minutes or until frothy.

2. Add the 2 cups of whole wheat flour, and stir until no dry clumps remain. Cover and let sit at least 30 minutes until bubbly.

3. Stir in the salt and 1 cup of white whole wheat flour, mixing until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding the remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking, 8-10 minutes until smooth. Return the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

4. Lightly grease a loaf pan with cooking spray. Punch down the dough and form into a log (dusting your fingers with flour will help prevent sticking). Place the dough into the bottom of the loaf pan and cover (I use a thin kitchen towel that I dampen with hot water). Let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled (the dough should rise well past the top of the pan).

5. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown on top (the loaf will sound hollow when tapped). Remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing (especially if you want thin slices for sandwiches). Keeps for several days at room temperature and much longer in the freezer.

Makes 1 loaf.

(My own recipe.)