Traditional Wheat Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 3-1/2 to 4 cups bread flour
• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 egg
• All-purpose flour

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine 2 cups bread flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, yeast and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the water, milk, honey and butter to 120°-130°. Add to dry ingredients; beat just until moistened. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir into the remaining whole wheat flour and enough remaining bread flour to form a stiff dough.
• Turn onto a surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour; knead until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down; let rest for 10 minutes. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into thirds. Shape each into a loaf. Place in three greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
• Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil if tops brown too quickly. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 3 loaves (16 slices each).

Quicker: Bread Machine Wheat Bread

Traditional Wheat Bread published in Quick Cooking May/June 2000, p42