While we typically endorse letting dough rest after it’s mixed but before it’s kneaded, it’s particularly important in this loaf, as it gives the bran in the whole wheat flour time to hydrate and soften, which makes the dough less sticky and easier to mix by hand (though, if you prefer, the dough can also be made in a stand mixer). While this bread has some whole wheat heartiness, it’s still tender and yielding, without any of the density or bitterness that plagues some whole wheat breads. Quick and simple to make, it’s the loaf we throw together at home whenever we realize we’re low on bread and want a nutritious loaf, fast.
MIX: 25 MIN BULK FERMENTATION: 1 – 1 1⁄2 HOURS SHAPE: 5 MIN 2ND RISE: 1 1⁄2 – 2 HOURS BAKE: 35-40 MINS TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 5 HOURS
MAKES 1 LOAF
Ingredients
- 226 grams (2 cups) whole wheat flour
- 150 grams (1 1⁄4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 7.5 grams (1 1⁄4 teaspoons) fine salt
- 6 grams (2 teaspoons) instant yeast
- 42 grams (2 tablespoons) honey
- 28 grams (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 284 grams (1 1⁄4 cups) warm milk, whole preferred
- 28 grams (1⁄4 cup) wheat germ, for coating (optional)
Instructions
MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and yeast. Add the honey, butter, and milk and mix with the handle of a wooden spoon until no dry patches of flour remain and a soft dough forms. Cover and let rest 15 minutes. This rest gives the flours a chance to absorb the water in the dough and will make kneading by hand easier and less sticky. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until a tacky, springy dough forms, 5 to 8 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl, cover, and let rise until puffy but not necessarily doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.
Alternatively, in a stand mixer bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all- purpose flour, salt, yeast, honey, butter, and milk. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium-low speed until no dry patches of flour remain. Increase speed to medium and mix until smooth, elastic, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, 5 to 8 minutes. Cover and let rise at room temperature until puffy but not necessarily doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.
Grease an 8 1⁄2 × 4 1⁄2-inch loaf pan with pan spray.
SHAPE AND COAT THE DOUGH: Lightly flour a work surface, then use a plastic bowl scraper to gently ease the dough out of the bowl onto the surface. Gently deflate the dough and pat it into a 12 × 8-inch rectangle. Shape the dough into a log by bringing the short edges toward the center, overlapping them slightly. Flatten the dough into an even layer, then starting from the top, gently roll the dough toward you to form a log and pinch the seams to seal.
If coating the dough, spread the wheat germ on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer the length of the dough log. Wet a clean kitchen towel, then wring it out; it should still be pretty damp. Roll the dough log over the towel to moisten it, then roll the log of dough in the wheat germ, turning to coat.
LET THE DOUGH RISE: Place the dough seam side down in the prepared pan. Cover and let rise at room temperature until the loaf crowns about 1 inch over the edge of the pan, 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours.
Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350F.
BAKE : Bake the loaf until the top is golden brown and the internal temperature is at least 190F, 35 to 40 minutes. If the loaf is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil and continue baking.
Remove the loaf from the oven and immediately turn it out of the pan and onto a rack; doing this right away helps the bread come out of the pan easily and preserves the crust. Let cool completely before slicing.
Excerpted from THE KING ARTHUR BAKING COMPANY BIG BOOK OF BREAD: 125+ Recipes for Every Baker.Copyright @ 2024 by Jessica Battilana, Martin Philip, and Melanie Wanders. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Ed Anderson. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.
