Easy Peasy Whole Wheat Bread

I have been meaning to try out making bread for a while now. This was a big cooking and baking weekend, so I finally took the plunge. And it was easy!

This recipe was a little bit strange because you mix the yeast right in with the dry ingredients instead of putting it by itself in warm water. However the recipe was exactly what it said - easy peasy. I made it in my standing mixer with the dough hook instead of using my hands and an electric mixer, as the original recipe called for.

A great tip I read somewhere online - you know the dough is done rising when it has doubled in size and when you poke it, it dimples instead of bouncing back.

It was super tasty!  It made great sandwich bread with a little mayo or hummus, turkey and fresh spinach.  My coworkers were really impressed with the look of it - they couldn't believe I made it!  It was also awesome, of course, as french toast :)  I think I'm ready to step it up and try my favorite... sourdough bread!

Easy Peasy Whole Wheat Bread
adjusted from scrapper jade on tasty kitchen

Ingredients

• 4-¼ cups Whole Wheat Flour, Or As Needed To Make A Soft Dough
• 2-¼ teaspoons ActiveYeast
• 1-¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¾ cups Skim Milk
• ¾ cups Water
• ⅛ cups Honey
• ⅛ cups Oil

Directions
Combine 1-3/4 cups flour, undissolved yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl. Heat milk, water, honey and oil until very warm (not boiling—it should just be a bit warmer than lukewarm). Gradually add to the flour mixture; beat 2 minutes at low speed in a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add 1 cup flour, a little bit at a time, stirring between each addition until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. If the dough is sticking to the side of the bowl, add a little more flour, 1 tbsp at a time.
Knead with dough hook until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let rest 10 min.
Roll dough on a floured work surface into a 12 x 7-inch rectangle. Beginning at the short end of each rectangle, roll up tightly as for a jelly roll. Pinch seams and ends to seal. Place, seam side down, in a greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.
Bake in a preheated 375ºF oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until done (mine took about 30 minutes, but I discovered that my oven was cooking too hot). Remove from pans; let cool on wire racks.