Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe

I got a text from a dear friend yesterday reminding me that I promised to give you the Honey Whole Wheat Bread Recipe, and then didn't... So, with out further ado here it is.

  

If your just looking for the Ingredients and want to see the steps later, at least scroll to the bottom to see a couple of tips that I use that have helped a lot.

Ingredients:

2 packages regular active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

3 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 cups very warm water (120°F to 130°F)

4 1/2 cups Gold Medal® whole wheat flour

2 3/4 to 3 3/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 

 

 

• 1 In large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, set aside. Add honey, butter, salt, 2 1/2 cups very warm water and 3 cups of the whole wheat flour in mixer. Add the dissolved yeast. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour.
• 2 With spoon, stir in 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour until dough pulls cleanly away from side of bowl.
• 3 On lightly floured surface, knead in remaining 1/2 to 1 cup all-purpose flour; continue kneading 5 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening or cooking spray; place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover; let rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• 4 Generously grease 2 (8x4- or 9x5-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray. Gently push fist into dough to deflate; divide in half. Shape dough into loaves; place in pans. Cover; let rise in warm place 30 to 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• 5 Heat oven to 375°F. Uncover dough; bake 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until loaves sound hollow when lightly tapped. Immediately remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour. 
  Tips:
  1. When they tell you the temperature of the water.. they mean it, especially for the yeast. If you don't want to pull out a thermometer (like me) don't try to overcompensate by making it a little hot. If you make it too hot it will kill the yeast and your bread wont rise.
  2. grease the bowl that you let the dough rise in, just like they say, but I also take a little crisco and do a good job greasing the top so it doesn't dry out while it rises. I also grease the loaves when they are rising in the bread pans.
   3. buy some large ziplock bags to store your bread. It keeps it nice and fresh and soft. 
  4. for the most part baking is pretty straight forward, but with baking bread it gets better with time! keep practicing and every loaf will get better. 
  5. Oh! and the most important tip. I add at least 3/4 cup honey.