Wheat Bread

This is not 100% whole wheat, it incorporates whole wheat, but keeps enough all purpose flour to keep the texture soft and fluffy.

This recipe will make 2 loaves.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of all purpose flour
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 1/3 cups of warm water
• 8 tablespoons butter – melted
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Instructions

• First pour the all purpose and wheat flour into a large mixing bowl, and remove 6 tablespoons of that flour and put it in a saucepan.
• Measure your water and take out about 1 cup of the water and pour it in with the 6TBS flour. (this is the start of the Tangzhong method).
• Cook the flour and water mixture over medium high heat, whisking the whole time until it becomes a paste. When it is done set it aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, melt 8TBS of butter and set aside to cool.
• Add sugar to the remaining 1/3 cup of water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Gently mix to let the yeast bloom.
• Go back to your big bowl of flour and mix in the salt.
• Now let’s bring it all together! Make a well in your flour and pour in the milk, bloomed yeast, butter, and the flour/water paste.
• Begin combining using a spoon or spatula, but eventually switch to your hands.
• Once the ingredients are all combined, knead the dough for 7-9 minutes. The dough should not be sticking to your hands or the surface. Because of the wheat flour it tends to be stiffer and harder to knead. If it is sticky, add about 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
• Place the dough back in the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour or until it is doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 350°
• After it has doubled, punch it down and divide it in half. Flatten the dough into rectangles and then roll them into logs. Set each log in a loaf pan lined with parchment (or you can grease it, but I strongly recommend the parchment).
• Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough is and inch over the side of the loaf pan. I like to use a razor to put a slice down the middle of my loaf, but you don’t have to.
• Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
• When you take it out of the oven, remove it from the loaf pan and let it cool on a rack. This is why I recommend parchment, it makes it a million times easier to remove a hot loaf!
• Let the loaf cool before slicing.
• Enjoy!!