Simple Wheat Loaf

This is a really straightforward wheat loaf. It’s not hard to pull together and it’s useful to have on hand in the kitchen. I like it for toast in the morning, open faced sandwiches, and when it gets stale it makes great breadcrumbs. With half wheat flour and half white (bread) flour, the wheat taste isn’t gonna knock you over, but you can still feel virtuous about not having straight white bread. Give it a try!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1 1/4 cups wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup milk I used unsweetened almond; any milk will do.
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, well softened
• 2 tbsp honey

Instructions

• Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
• Mix the wet ingredients in a measuring cup.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together till the dough starts clumping together. If it's too wet add water, up to 1/3 cup.
• Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 minutes.
• Let rise in a lightly oiled bowl until doubled in size, 1 – 2 hours.
• Grease a loaf pan (8 1/2×4 1/2 is ideal, but mine was 9×5) while you wait.
• Deflate the dough and press into a rectangle about the length of your baking dish.
• Roll the dough away from you into a cylinder.
• Pinch the ends together and tuck them under, then place the dough into your dish.
• Cover and let rise 1 – 1/2 hours, until the dough rises above the lip of your 8 1/2×4 1/2 dish or fills your 9×5 dish.
• While the dough is rising make sure your oven rack is in the centre of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 35 – 45 minutes, until golden.
• Let the dough cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning it onto a cooling rack to cool completely, about 3 hours. You can do it! But no one would blame if you want a warm slice right away.

Notes

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen’s Bread Illustrated.